Linen fabric guide

Linen Maxi Dress Design with AI

For a linen maxi dress, most mills quote midweight linen at 150 to 220 g/m²: a classic pairing.

Of the 14 cloths this guide lists for this cut, it sits between polyester crepe and silk and viscose velvet in weight.

Next to silk and viscose velvet, it is firmer, more matte, cooler to wear and easier to care for.

Studio films

Typical trade ranges, not one mill's figures: confirm them with your mill.

Typical length: 135 to 150 cm, from the high point of the shoulder
Defining details: Ankle or floor length, tiered or bias skirt, slit for walking
Cloth needed: about 2.8 to 4.0 m of 150 cm cloth, roughly $31 to $130 of cloth at typical prices

Typical figures for an adult size M. The pattern tier is set from the real piece count when you order.

Cut into maxi dresses, it stands away from the body, which suits volume, flared skirts and pleats more than a body-skimming cut.

Cut long, a crisp cloth builds volume, the more so with every gore or pleat.

It wears cool, which makes it a spring and summer fabric.

Care is simple: a machine wash at 30 to 40 °C.

It creases quickly and visibly, which is part of its character; a blend with viscose or cotton creases less.

Linen is spun from the flax plant, one of the oldest textile fibres. It is strong, cool to wear and crisp at first, softening with every wash.

Most European flax is grown in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, then spun and woven in Europe or in China.

It is usually left unlined in summer pieces; a tailored linen jacket takes a half lining at most.

A 70/10 to 80/12 needle; it frays, so finish seams with an overlock or French seams, and press while damp.

It takes dye well but softly, so colors read slightly washed, which is part of its look.

Its surface is matte, so it photographs evenly under flat light.

A maxi dress in midweight linen, 150 to 220 g/m², with a crisp drape and a matte surface, for spring and summer.