It is not u nusual for a commercial pattern designed with lace in mind to recommend underl ining the lace to better support the garment's silhouette. Pattern directions often specify using organza as the u nderl ining fabric.
Organza makes a fine u nder
l i ning for firm laces such as alenc;:on or crisp metallic or polyester laces. However, it is too rigid for those with high
rayon contents, such as most Chantilly and Venise laces, also cal led G u i pu re laces, which tend has a tendency to droop by connecting it to the underl i ning before you cut anyth ing.
Working on a flat surface, place
the underl in ing fabric u nder the lace and baste together a rectangu lar area about 1 2 i n . wide a n d 1 8 i n . long. Leave the basted area in a vertical position for about 24 hours by pinning the upper edge to a dress form or an upright ironing board. Soft laces w i l l pull away from the underl in ing layer and have excess length near the lower basting l ine.
If there is a problem, try another u nderl i ning fabric or cut tricot crosswise so that the stretch fol lows the lengthwise direction of the fabric. The other option is to separate the lace from the u nderl i ning near the hem. Heavy and open laces are rarely connected to the l i ning or u nderl i ni ng hem in ready-to
wear. I nstead, they are caught i n the shoulder, neck seam, and armhole and left u nattached at the bottom.
Lace and Sheer Garment Linings 1 25
Outline the scalloped edge onto the lining, staystitch along the marked line, and trim the seam allowance to 1;4 in. Fold the lining back along the staystitching, clip corners, and slipstitch invisibly in place following the scalloped edge.
When using French binding, pin the binding to the right side of the garment so that it conforms to the garment edge and sew in place.
You can also u se F rench bi nd i ngs or bias faci n gs to finish j ust the garment neck
l i ne when you u se a detached l i n i ng.
layer and the lining layer as one at the zipper opening to prevent the zipper from showing through to the outside.
After sewing the lining together, baste it to the wrong side of the garment at the neckline and openings. Treating the garment and lining as a single layer, finish the edges using French bindings or bias facings. Hem the garment using a narrow machine-stitched or hand-stitched hem or a rolled hem. The lining should be hemmed separately to be 1 in.
shorter than the garment.
Finishing edges with
a
French or double binding An attractive finish for necklines and armholes on sheer garments is using a French binding, also called a double binding. To do this, staystitch the edge of the garment just beyond the seamline to prevent stretching, then trim away the seam allowance.
Next, cut a bias strip six times the desired width plus V4 in. to
turning. For example, you will cut the bias 1 3/4 in. wide for a V4-in. binding. The length of the bias should be 2 in. longer than the garment edge. Once the bias is cut, fold the strip in half lengthwise, with wrong sides facing, and press lightly.
Pin the binding to the right side of the garment, aligning the raw edges and stretching the binding slightly on the inside curves.
Stitch a V4-in. seam, press the seam toward the binding, then trim the excess binding at the neckline or sleeve opening to V2 in. N ext, turn in the ends of the binding, fold the binding in half over the raw edges, and pin.
Slipstitch the folded edge of the binding to the previous stitching line and press. If you want to sew the last step by machine, fold the binding around the seam allowance, being sure the folded edge covers the neck seam, then pin on the right side and stitch on the binding and next to the seam or stitch in the well of
To finish by machine, stitch on the binding and next to the seam or sew in the well of the seam.
Press the binding toward the neckline.
When sewing the binding to a circular or continuous edge, begin and end sewing the seam 3 in. from the ends. Trim the bias length so that the seam allow
ances measure the same width as the folded binding. If you are using a 1 %-in. binding, cut the seam allowances to % in. Unfold the binding, then fold the ends diagonally to form a square, and finger-press the seamline. The seam is on the straight of grain.
Next, stitch the binding seam with right sides facing, matching the finger-pressed seamlines, then trim to Y4 in. and press open. Refold the binding and finish stitching the seam.
Using bias binding as a facing Another edge-finishing method uses a narrow bias binding as a facing that is turned to the inside of the garment. The topstitching is all that will show on the outside of the garment.
If the garment seam allowance is
% in., trim the garment to 14 in.
by staystitching % in. from the
edge and trimming just next to the stitch. If the seam allowance is Y4 in., staystitch Y4 in. from the edge.
Next, cut the binding 1 Y2 in.
wide on the bias. Fold the strip in half with wrong sides facing, and press lightly. Pin the binding to the right side of the garment, aligning the edges, sew using a Y4-in. seam allowance and clip the seam if necessary. Press the binding toward the neckline and trim the excess at the opening to Y2 in.
If you are sewing to a circular or continuous edge, curve the ends of the binding into the seam allowance at an inconspicuous place, such as just past the shoulder seam. Sew using a Y4-in.
seam allowance and cut away the excess.
Fold the binding to the wrong side and press, then press back the binding ends. Topstitch from the right side close to the neckline edge of the binding.
Lace and Sheer Garment L i n i ngs 1 27