Some dressmaking questions

funkymonkey849

I am still quite 'new' at dressmaking, despite being able to sew since I was old enough to hold a needle I will confess than dressmaking is definately not my forte, although I have made a handful of basic garments

1. I made a dress out of a fine needlecord material and with the leftover fabric I made a simple a-line skirt with waistband. Neither garment is lined. I find that when I wear either of them the front of the skirt kind of sticks to my tights and rides up which is rather annoying. Would lining the skirt solve this maybe?

2. I have a simple pattern for a sleeveless dress, made in 3 pieces (front and 2 back) with a zip up the back. I want to make this in a polycotton material but I would like it to be lined or it would be too thin. What's the best way to go about doing this? Would it be to cut out an identical dress from the lining material, and what order would this be sewn together? The dress is very simple - sew up back and side seams, insert zip and then sew under neckline, armholes and hem

Thanks for any advice

owtfornowt_2

my mother still checks if the skirts/dresses I wear are lined and tuts if they aren't!! Yes, you would be best to line your skirt & dress to stop the static on body/material connecting.
Sorry not sure about your second question.

JulieM

If the clothes are riding up because of static, try using fabric conditioner on both the clothes and tights. If this doesn't work and you do decide to use lining, get cotton lining, as anything with polyester in could make the static worse.

funkymonkey849

It doesn't seem to be static sticking them cos it's corduroy and wool tights (v thick lol), I think its that the two fabrics don't really slide off each other like cotton would off thin tights

I thought maybe a polyester lining would make the skirt a bit more slidey off the tights lol if that makes any sense

cloudwatcher_2

Question 2

It can be quite tricky lining a dress. My advice is to try the following procedure.

Cut out dress fabric.
Cut out lining fabric except for neck and armhole facings.
Sew side, back and shoulder seams for dress fabric.
Also sew same seams for lining fabric.
Press garments
Match two garments wrong sides together and sew on facings, making sure that two dress fabrics face each other.
Sew in zip on dress fabric.
Stitch down lining fabric beside zip, making sure that zip runs smoothly.
Sew facings on inside of dress.
Sew hems individually, making sure that lining is more than an inch shorter.

It is easy just needs careful placement of pins or tacking threads. Slow but sure.

I backed a voile wedding dress by a similar method for Sister in Law but had to put in tacking lines every 4 inches as fabric was so soft.

JulieM

funkymonkey849 wrote: »

It doesn't seem to be static sticking them cos it's corduroy and wool tights (v thick lol), I think its that the two fabrics don't really slide off each other like cotton would off thin tights

I thought maybe a polyester lining would make the skirt a bit more slidey off the tights lol if that makes any sense

Rather than going to the trouble of adding lining, why not try wearing an underskirt to see if it works.

jackieglasgow

I would go for an underskirt too, then it would be multi purpose, I have owned a few cord skirts in my time and always needed an underskirt if wearing them with tights.

charlies-aunt

jackieglasgow wrote: »

I would go for an underskirt too, then it would be multi purpose, I have owned a few cord skirts in my time and always needed an underskirt if wearing them with tights.

I am an underskirt wearer - they just make clothes hang better.Really easy to make a waist slip or a full length slip with thin straps to swop between garments than lining every garment

funkymonkey849

Ah good idea for an underskirt - I was thinking of getting one for another skirt but couldn't find a nice one hmm

Maybe I could make one

Thanks cloudwatcher for your advice on lining a dress, I will try that method

morganlefay

I'd get an underskirt too. M&S do really nice ones, not the ones in shiny nylon, but there's a sort of matt, very drapey fabric (it is 'microfibre' ?) which is excellent for static and very slithery. I haven't lined a skirt since I discovered these - and it might mean you didn't have to line your polycotton dress either. The instructions for lining the dress are exactly as I would have given them (but probably less clearly) It's not really difficult but fiddly to get it all smooth and without the lining wrinkling. I suspect that now there are all these 'new' and wonderful fabrics available for underwear we need to line thigs much less than earlier generations did !