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How to line silk/lycra dress

lynndh0p | Posted in General Discussion on

Would love some advice on how to line a dress made of 95%silk/5%lycra.

Although I’m wearing my mother’s wedding dress for my upcoming ceremony, I’m making a more modern-looking dress to wear for the reception. It’s a simple, princess-line one-shoulder dress, and I’m making it up in white silk/lycra.

Since it’s not really a knit, per se, I don’t know whether to line it with a tricot, or whether I’d be better off with a lightweight silk crepe de chine. The weight and color of the dress fabric makes it absolutely necessary to line it.

Can anyone weigh in with experience or advice?

Thanks!

Replies

  1. Theodora | | #1

    How form-fitting is the dress? Is the lycra there so it can hug the figure? Or does it skim you, but the lycra creates a bit of give?

    Definitely consider underlining the dress, in place of or in addition to a lining. The underlining will prevent seam show though, and generally make the dress hang beautifully, and not wrinkle at all, although the lycra will be a help with that as well.

    Consider a white underlining and a flesh colored or white lining.

    How does anyone out there respond to the idea of underlining cut on the bias to complement the slight stretch of the fabric? Perhaps silk crepe de chine on the bias is the ticket. I'm looking forward to the answers on this one, as well.

  2. crwritt | | #2

    I would underline the dress with a fabric matching your skin tone.This will mask any show through of seams.Serge the dress fabric to the underlining on all the edges, then treat it as one fabric, sewing the seams on your regular machine and pressing them open.You can catch stitch them to the underlining, and your dress will feel very smooth, without a full lining. If the fit relies on stretch, choose a knit lining fabric, such as matte jersey. Otherwise pick a nice slippery woven lining, and cut it on the bias.If you use facings to finish your neck and armholes, use your dress fabric and catch stitch them to the underlining. Of course you could fully line the dress as well, sometimes that is faster than using facings. I would definitely use fleshtone for the undrerlining.White would show through. The lining or facings  could be white.There was a fine article on this subject in Threads last year.They showed the effect of the underlining matching the skin tone, versus no underlining or white underlining, and really you couldn't see any seams or shadows.

    Good Luck Colleen

  3. suzyki | | #3

    Hi, I agree with Colleen, I would use a skin-colored underlining.  You might consider using a rayon/lycra lining (woven) which has some stretch and would eliminate see-thru.  I got some at B&J Fabrics in New York City.

  4. Crish | | #4

    In general I agree with the prior answers.   However, check the outer fabric over any flesh tone underling and/or lining to make sure the additional color doesn't change the outer layer to a shade deeper than you want.  I usually would underline a wedding gown in a fine (Pima) English or Japanese lawn to match the outer color.  You can check for shadowing by layering one layer of each and folding back the seam allowance width.  Do you see an edge?  If not, you've got it; if yes, try a slightly more opaque underlining.  The underlining should never change the hand of the fashion fabric.  Undergarments will not show through if they are close to your skin tone.

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