Lining and Underlining a Wedding Gown
Hi everyone,
I was wondering if some of you sewing goddesses could help me out. I am making a wedding gown with an A-line skirt from silk underlined in silk organza. The dress fabric has the sheen of taffeta but the texture of satin, it’s very unique, so unique the clerk didn’t know the name of it. I have china silk for the lining but want to go the extra mile with this gown and was wondering if silk taffeta would be a better lining instead of the china silk. (I found a deal on some silk taffeta.) I need to attach gathered tulle for the crinoline under the skirt (I think the china silk will be too light for this and as lining) and wondered if I should line it with taffeta and attach the tulle to the china silk. If I do this, which layer should be next to the skin…the taffeta or the china silk (with the tulle between the taffeta and china silk?) This is an expensive gown and I want it to look and feel like it. Thanks for your help:~)
Replies
It depends on how you want to change the hand of the dress fabric, Taffeta may be a little stiff for a lining, unless thats what you want. I tend to use silk charmeuse or crepe de chine for a lining and put that next to the skin, it is soft, slick and sumptuous. I never use china silk as a lining. I use it to underline things at times as it's so lightweight it doesn't change the hand of the fashion fabric, but if I do need to stiffen the fabric I use organza. I might use the taffeta to attach the crinoline to and then line with charmeuse.
The silk taffeta would work better for the lining/crinoline part of the dress, it would support the tulle and give a fuller look to the garment. The tulle always goes between the skirt and the lining. If you added another lining, then the skirt would have 2 linings, and this would maybe add too much fullness and weight to the skirt. You have already underlined the fabric, so I don't think it is necessary to line it twice. Cathy
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