Q&A for How to Line a Dress

You can attach the lining layers at the neckline or, if you prefer, you can use a facing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Attach the zipper when you stitch together the lining and outer layer to save yourself time and stitches.

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.

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.