Q&A for How to Line a Dress

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  • Question
    How do you attach the lining?
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce
    Couture Bridal Designer
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce is a tailor, couture wedding gown designer, and the Creative Director of Mignonette Bridal and Ette the Wedding Tailor in Chicago, Illinois. With nearly two decades of experience as a wedding gown designer, small business owner, and vintage sewing enthusiast, Kpoene specializes in wedding gown design and the social history of wedding dresses. She received a BA in Creative Writing from Middlebury College and studied the business of fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program and the Chicago Fashion Incubator and has written about wedding fashion for Jezebel, Catalyst, the Sun Times, and XO Jane.
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce
    Couture Bridal Designer
    Expert Answer
    You can attach the lining layers at the neckline or, if you prefer, you can use a facing.
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  • Question
    Should the lining be cut to the same shape as the dress?
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce
    Couture Bridal Designer
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce is a tailor, couture wedding gown designer, and the Creative Director of Mignonette Bridal and Ette the Wedding Tailor in Chicago, Illinois. With nearly two decades of experience as a wedding gown designer, small business owner, and vintage sewing enthusiast, Kpoene specializes in wedding gown design and the social history of wedding dresses. She received a BA in Creative Writing from Middlebury College and studied the business of fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program and the Chicago Fashion Incubator and has written about wedding fashion for Jezebel, Catalyst, the Sun Times, and XO Jane.
    Kpoene Kofi-Bruce
    Couture Bridal Designer
    Expert Answer
    If you're lining a dress for modesty, you should cut your lining layers at the same time that you cut your top layers. If you're lining for structure, you might be cutting layers with a slightly different shape from the top layers—these layers may include interfacing, boning, etc. I recommend starting with a commercial pattern or a sewing blog that has specific advice for the type of garment you're making.
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  • Question
    How do I line a shift-style dress?
    T. Chinsen
    Top Answerer
    The article explains the basics of lining any dress. If the dress is pre-made, you can use the dress as a template for the lining pieces. Follow the direction in the article if the dress is being made from scratch.
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  • Question
    How do I line the sleeves?
    Community Answer
    Your dress has sleeves and your lining has sleeves. With right sides together, sew the raw neck edges to each other and also the raw sleeve edges to each other. Leave the actual dress sleeve a bit longer than the lining sleeve so that when you turn everything right side out, the sleeve has a self facing for the first inch or so before the lining starts. The last thing to do is sew around the zipper and use French tacks along the bottom of the lining.
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  • Question
    The bodice of my dress has pleats at the neck edge. I thought that I would line it; do I line it first and then do the pleats, or do I make both pieces separate and join together?
    T. Chinsen
    Top Answerer
    The lining part of the dress does not need the pleats. Your conclusion is correct in making both pieces then joining them together. Making pleats in the lining will add bulk to the garment as well as when sewing bodice and lining together.
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  • Question
    When lining the unfinished dress, when do I add the zipper?
    Community Answer
    Attach the zipper when you stitch together the lining and outer layer to save yourself time and stitches.
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  • Question
    I had a dress made with lining. The top has embroidery; main fabric is puckering. I ironed with steam. Any advice?
    T. Chinsen
    Top Answerer
    The material behind the embroidery should have had stabilizer put on, or lightweight interfacing. Without support to the embroidery, the fabric will pucker due to the difference in the two materials. Steam will not remove the puckering. Sizing/starch can reduce the puckering, but may not completely flatten it out.
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  • Question
    Why does wedding dress lining always have wave-like ripples on the front?
    T. Chinsen
    Top Answerer
    The appearance is due to the type of fabric used. Sheer fabrics can diffract (bend) light, creating a visual appearance of waves on the fabric.
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