Sewing Linings: When, Why and How to Line a Garment
There’s something rather satisfying about opening up a handmade coat or dress and finding a beautiful lining inside. It’s like the garment has a secret that you get to enjoy every time you put it on.
But lining a garment isn’t just about making the inside look fancy. A well-chosen lining can make a handmade garment more comfortable to wear, easier to put on and take off, and beautifully finished inside and out. It can also add warmth and help your outer fabric hang and move in a way that makes the finished garment feel much more polished.
And if the thought of lining a garment makes you feel slightly nervous, don't worry. Once you understand how a lining works, it’s much less intimidating than it might seem.
In this guide, we'll explain why you might want to line a garment, how garment linings work, which fabrics to choose, and tips for sewing one. Phwoar! Are you ready?
Why add a lining to a handmade garment?
You don't need to line every garment you sew. Some patterns are designed to be unlined, while others give you the choice.
An unlined garment can feel more casual, lightweight, and cooler to wear, plus it takes less time to sew. Instead of lining, you can finish the seam allowances with an overlocker (serger), zigzag stitch, or enclose them with bias binding. These are perfectly good ways to finish a garment.
But adding a lining has some lovely advantages:
It gives the inside a polished finish
A lining covers the seam allowances and construction on the inside of your garment, giving it a clean, smooth finish. This is particularly useful for jackets and coats, where there can be lots of seams and other construction details inside. Instead of seeing all those raw edges when you take your garment off, you see a beautifully finished lining.
It makes your garment easier to put on
A smooth lining helps the garment glide over the clothes underneath, making it easier to slip a jacket or coat on and off. This is especially useful if your outer fabric has a little texture or isn't particularly slippery.
It stops the outer fabric clinging to your clothes
Some fabrics can catch on the clothes you're wearing underneath. A lining creates a smooth barrier between the outer fabric and your top, dress or jumper, so everything moves more easily.
It can add warmth
A lining creates another layer between you and the outside world, helping to trap some extra warmth. For a lightweight jacket, this can make a surprisingly noticeable difference.
It stops your garment being see-through
If you're making a piece of clothing from a sheer or semi-transparent fabric, adding a lining can conceal your underwear and make you feel more comfortable.
It feels nicer to wear
If your fabric has a textured inside - such as wool coating or brocade - a silky lining can feel much more comfortable against your skin.
It gives you another excuse to use a great print
Perhaps our favourite reason of all. A lining is a brilliant place to sneak in a bold print, beautiful colour, or treasured fabric that might feel too much for the outside of a garment. You can go for a subtle lining that coordinates with your outer fabric, or choose something completely unexpected. Every time you take your coat off, you'll get a little glimpse of it.
Which garments can you line?
Linings are particularly useful for structured garments such as jackets, coats and skirts, but you can find them in all sorts of handmade clothes.
Some Tilly and the Buttons patterns that can be lined include:
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Manon jacket – add the optional lining add-on for a beautifully finished cropped jacket or trench.
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Sonny jacket – line your jacket for a smooth, polished finish.
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Eden coat – a lining makes this duffle or raincoat feel extra special.
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Etta dress – learn to make your own lining for a smooth, comfortable finish.
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Ramona skirt – lining can give the skirt a lovely finish and help it glide over tights and other clothes.
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Arielle skirt – the unlined version can be finished in other ways, or add a lining for a more polished interior.
Choosing a lining fabric
Choosing the right lining fabric is important. You want something that feels comfortable against your clothes and works with the weight and structure of your outer fabric.
For jackets and coats
For outerwear, look for a smooth, lightweight woven fabric that will allow the garment to slide easily over the clothes underneath.
Depending on your pattern and the look you're after, suitable options can include:
- Silk, acetate or polyester lining fabric
- Cupro (Bemberg)
- Viscose (rayon)
- Lightweight cotton lawn or voile
- Low-stretch jersey - for casual jackets such as the Eden raincoat
A slippery lining such as viscose, cupro, or silk can work particularly well for jackets because it helps the garment glide on and off. You may want to use this kind of material for the sleeves only, and a more casual cotton in a fun print for the bodice lining.
If warmth is your priority, you may want to consider using a cosy fleecey lining, or adding an extra layer of interlining. However, bear in mind this can make the seams bulky to sew, so proceed with caution.
For tops, skirts and dresses
For a top, skirt or dress, choose a lining that feels comfortable against your skin and is suitable for the weight of the outer fabric.
Lightweight cotton, viscose, polyester lining or silk can all be useful choices, depending on the garment.
For fitted skirts and dresses, a smooth lining can be particularly helpful if you plan to wear the garment with tights. Some lining fabrics can be prone to static, which can make your finished garment cling to your clothes. If you've ever spent ten minutes trying to pull a skirt away from your tights, you'll understand why this matters! So it's worth checking the fabric's behaviour as well as its appearance before attaching it to the inside of your beloved me-mades.
Should your lining match your outer fabric?
Not necessarily!
A matching lining is a classic choice and can make the inside of your garment look beautifully understated.
But a contrasting lining can be even more fun. Try:
- A bold print with a plain outer fabric
- A complementary colour
- A small-scale print
- A beautiful floral or geometric design
- A special fabric you've been saving for the right project
Your lining is an opportunity to add personality without changing the overall look of the garment from the outside.
How is a lining attached to a garment?
A lining is essentially a second version of part or all of your garment, sewn from a separate fabric and attached to the outer garment. It often includes a little more ease to allow for movement.
The exact construction depends on the pattern, but generally you'll sew the lining pieces together in much the same way as you sew the outer garment. If the outer garment has darts, these are usually sewn as looser pleats so the inside doesn't feel constrictive. The seam allowances don't usually need to be finished, as they'll be hidden on the inside.
The lining is attached around key edges, such as the waistline on a skirt, or neckline, armholes, and openings on a dress or jacket, before being turned so the seam allowances are enclosed inside. Lining hems on a top, skirt or dress are often left loose-hanging, whereas on a jacket or coat the lining hemline is often attached to the outer garment too, using a technique called bagging out.
RELATED: How to Bag Out a Coat or Jacket Lining
Tips for sewing a lining
Follow the pattern instructions
The construction of a lining can vary considerably from one pattern to another, so it's important to follow the instructions for your particular garment.
Don't worry if the order of construction seems strange at first. Lining a garment often involves some unconventional-looking manoeuvres before everything magically turns right side out.
Adapt your sewing for fabric
Slippery lining fabrics can be more challenging to cut and sew than stable cottons. Try spritzing with spray starch to add stability, and use a rotary cutter to cut them accurately. Lightweight linings may also require fine pins and needles, so be sure to adapt your tools accordingly.
RELATED: Five Tips for Cutting and Sewing Slippery Fabric
Press as you go
Pressing is important when you're sewing a lined garment. It helps seams sit neatly and makes the final result look much more polished. Just remember to test the iron settings on a corner of your lining fabric first to avoid scorching it.
Give the lining enough ease
A lining generally needs a little extra room to move inside the outer garment. Your sewing pattern should account for this, so don't simply cut the lining smaller because it looks like it should fit inside.
Follow the pattern instructions for any lining-specific pleats, tucks, or other allowances.
Don't rush the final steps
The last stages of lining a garment can feel a little like a puzzle, particularly if you're using the bagging-out method.
Take your time, check which pieces you're sewing together and turn the garment gradually rather than forcing it.
And if you're completely confused, stop sewing and have a cup of tea! Sometimes that's just a necessary part of the process.
Ready to give lining a go?
If you've never lined a garment before, a jacket or coat can be a brilliant project for learning the technique. Once you've mastered it, you'll have a useful new skill you can apply to all sorts of handmade clothes.
For a guided introduction, take a look at our Learn to Sew a Lined Jacket online workshop, where Tilly takes you through the process of making a fully lined Manon jacket step by step.
Happy sewing!
