A lining confers several advantages to a jacket or coat. It makes the garment easier to don and doff. A lining can protect your skin from scratchy fabrics while shielding the garment fabric from skin oils. Depending on the fabric chosen, it can also add desired warmth to a coat. A lining is simple to construct and, interestingly, can save construction time because the innards of the jacket do not need time-consuming finishes. Don’t be tricked into believing that linings are an advanced skill: They are simple, and they’re easier still if you make a custom lining pattern.

One size does not fit all

There are a number of reasons I don’t rely on the purchased pattern. First and foremost, not all patterns supply a separate lining pattern. Even if a lining pattern is included, I generally make so many fitting changes to the garment pattern that the…