How to line Embroidered and Eyelet Fabric


Lining fabrics that are embroidered or have eyelet holes with the 'Flat Lining' method 

Do you love the light weight and summery embroidered fabrics but feel daunted by the thought of having to line them? Maybe it seems too complicated? Or you just don’t know what type of fabric to use as a lining? Or maybe you think you need a special pattern that is designed to be lined? 

In this part 2 of 2 blog posts on lining dressmaking projects I’m here to demystify all of this for you and help you to see how simple and easy it can be to line an embroidered or eyelet style fabric, no matter what your skill level is.

This post specifically covers lining embroidered fabric with eyelet holes using the 'Flat Lining' method 

Hear me chat about it in my latest Youtube video linked below and read on for step by step instructions and links to fabric and pattern suggestions!

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How to line embroidered fabrics

Learn how to work with these gorgeous fabrics to create beautiful garments in my Youtube video tutorial!

Watch now

What fabric should I use for lining?

In the context of delicate cotton embroidered fabric or light weight sheer fabrics for summer tops and dresses my top choices would be a plain cotton voile or a plain flat weave woven viscose. It’s best to try and match your lining as close as possible to the main fabric. So for cotton fabric, or linen fabrics that hold there shape a bit more, the cotton voile is better. For viscose fabrics or linen viscose fabrics where the viscose content is much higher than the linen content and the fabric is very drapey and floppy, the plain flat weave woven viscose is best.

F4619
Black Cotton Voile Fabric
£9.40 /m

F4621
Cream Cotton Voile Fabric
£9.40 /m

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F5980
White Cotton Voile Fabric
£9.40 /m

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F2576
Cream Viscose Fabric
£8.50 /m

F2574
Black Viscose Fabric
£8.50 /m

F5980
White Viscose Fabric
£8.50 /m

Do I need a special sewing pattern that has been designed to be lined or can I adapt my pattern? 

The short answer is no, you do not need a special pattern to be able to line a garment. There are two ways you can line a garment. One method, which I’ll call the ‘Make Two Method’,  is to essentially make two versions of the garment, one in lining and in the main fabric and then attach them together at the neckline, or waistband if it's a skirt. Check out Part 1 of this set of blog posts for details on this method.

The other method, which I’ll call ‘Flat Lining Method’ is to cut the lining and main fabric out and then before constructing the garment, attach the two fabrics together by basting them in the seam allowance and then treating it as one fabric while constructing the garment as normal. This post focuses on this method.

The ‘Flat Lining’ method of lining a garment

In this method you still need to cut out two garments, one in lining and one in the main fabric. You could choose to only do certain parts of the garment, for example maybe you just want to line the front and back bodice and leave the sleeves unlined.

In the example I use in this post, I am using the Matchy Matchy Open Back Smock Pattern and one of our new Spring/Summer fabrics has a large eyelet embroidery design that creates holes/opening in the fabric, making it quite see through, but once the cotton voile is placed behind it the fabric becomes opaque.

MM openbacksmock
Matchy Matchy Open Back Smock Top Sewing Pattern PDF
from £12.00

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F5980
White Cotton Voile Fabric
£9.40 /m

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Floral Eyelet Cotton Fabric
£14.50 /m

Make two layers of fabric one

Before you start any construction, baste the lining and outer fabric together, wrong sides facing within the seam allowance. They can then be treated as one later of fabric for the rest of the construction.

Apply interfacing

If you have any areas of interfacing in your project, such as a button band, cuff or collar, you can iron this onto the lining fabric, which is treated as the 'wrong' side or back of the fabric now.

Fold and press

When creating any button bands/plackets, just make sure you are tucking in the lining layer as you fold and press to keep everything nice and flat with no wrinkles.

Sew seams as normal

When you come to sew a seam, sew as normal, treating the layers as one and finish off the seam allowances. Overlocking or overcasting on the sewing machine works well without adding too much extra bulk.

Apply bias binding

Using bias binding to finish off the neckline and arm holes, if you don't have sleeves, it is a good way with this lining method as it limits the amount of bulky seams.

In this example, I used the lining fabric to make bias strips.

Sew binding and under-stitch

Sew the binding on and under-stitch it. I also found in this particular pattern that the width of the binding strip was too much, so I trimmed it down by about 0.5cm.

Press around the raw edge

Next press the binding around the raw edge to the inside of the garment.

Fold and top stitch in place

Fold and press the binding again so that it is all on the inside of the garment and top stitch on. You'll see two lines of stitching on the inside and one on the outside.

What about the hems?

When you come to sew the hem, fold and press as you normally would, making sure the lining stays tucked right in so that it doesn't create a bubble of fold in the fabric.

Yay! You are finished!

Admire your lovely lined top! I hope you have found this tutorial useful and can see how simple, albeit more time consuming, to add a lining to a garment made from embroidered!

Don't forget to check out Part one of this mini lining series - it's all about the 'Make Two' lining method, which works perfectly for sheer fabrics!

Lauren