Thank you to all of you who have voted on which pattern I should sew up in March – there’s still time to weigh in with your opinion if you fancy telling me what to do! At the moment, it looks like I’m going to be sewing Simplicity 2451, which brings me on to today’s post…
Today I have a question for you all – what fabric do you use to line your dresses and skirts, and where do you get it from?!
I have never actually lined a dress or skirt before, but I have some makes planned when I am going to need to. And I’m really not sure what to do it with. I know you can get the standard anti-static polyester lining fabric, but I’d quite like something a bit nicer, certainly for some things.
When I took a (very fleeting, on the way to a training course!) trip to Goldhawk Road a few months ago, I had a look in one of the shops there (I think it was Classis Textiles, although I’m not entirely sure!), having read on various blogs (including Daniela’s, I can’t remember which others) that they had managed to get cotton silk to use as lining in there for £4/m. I couldn’t see any, other than a couple of patterned ones (which of course I did get some of), and when I asked, they just looked at me blankly!
Lots of blogs talk about using Bemberg rayon lining, which sounds great, but seems to be something that’s easy (and cheap) to come by in the US (Mood sell a huge selection for $6/yd), and not so freely available over here – I’ve only managed to find it in a couple of places online, always at about £10-15/m, so that doesn’t seem to be an option. If only shipping from the US wasn’t ruinously expensive!
Source: Mood fabrics. Gah, I’m so jealous!
So, my questions to you:
– What is your go-to lining for dresses and skirts? Is it one of the above, or something else that I am totally unaware of?
– Where do you tend to get it from?
This one will make a lovely lining for a jacket
Ideally I want something that I can get hold of for £4ish a metre. It’s something I’ll probably stock up on a bit when I come across it/take a fabric shopping trip/do an order online, so I don’t want it to break the bank if I buy a few metres at once! I think a trip to Goldhawk Road or another fabric shopping destination might be on the cards in the next couple of weeks…
Make, sew, do 
Very good questions Kelly! I’m in a really similar position to you with linings – the thought of them scare me a bit, and I’ve only ever lined a dress bodice so far, and for that I used a cotton lawn. But I’d love to develop a good source for skirt linings. I hope you get some good hints and tips in response to this post! X
Thanks Jen! I’ve only lined a bodice too and yes, I just used cotton too. I’m just not sure where to start with skirt linings, but I’m sure the knowledge is out there, we just need to get in on the secret! X
Hi Kelly! Masons have some nice Bremsilk lining fabric, on the right-hand side as you go in, on the top shelf. Their other linings are a bit on the horrible polyester side, but I’ve used their Bremsilk in the past and was impressed! I can’t remember how much it was, but I don’t think it broke the bank :)
Looking forward to seeing your Simplicity 2451! I love that pattern.
Ahh thanks Elena, I’d forgotten about that little bit in masons, I’ll have to find out how much it is in there. I can’t wait to make the skirt up – I live in my two Kelly skirts, so could do with some others.
I use different linings depending on season and fabric. My starting point is always fabrics galore in battersea and then head into the west end. Bremsilk is a great anti static lining for silk.
I’ll have to check the, out next time I’m down that way. Do you manage to find Bremsilk at reasonable prices? Everywhere I could find it online was very pricey, and without going to all sorts of different places, it’s hard to know where else to get it!
Must remember to try Fabrics Galore next time! They’re staff are really helpful at answering dumb questions as well
Great post I’ve only used cotton before, I have got some cheapy polyester silk effect, but it would be good to get something a step up from this.
Yeah, I’ve got some cheap stuff, but when I’ve put so much effort unto making something nice it seems a shame to then put that in it! Hopefully I’ll be aleto find something a bit nicer :)
I’ve just bought some Bemberg rayon to try. I hope I’ll be able to use it soon (depends very much on my sewing speed). I bought 2 pieces of synthetic lining fabric early on in my sewing days and every time I take them out because I need a lining for something I find the fabric so horrible that I immediately stuff it back. Don’t think I’ll ever use those pieces…
Ooh, let me know how you get on with your bemberg :) yeah I’m the same, the cheap nasty stuff just never seems right!
I like the feel of bemberg rayon lining the best, but whenever I’ve used it, be forewarned that it does float and slip away from you and your scissors like the dickens!! Best to either pin it down to a board or sandwhich it b/w tissue paper.
I wish it was more readily available over here so I could try it! I’ll have to track some down! Once I do, I’ll be sure to remember those tips, thanks Catja!
(pssssst, I’d be delighted to send you some if you want to email me your snail mail. Just provide colour choices!)
Ahh Catja, you are lovely :) I’ll drop you an email.
I have used the cotton silk from Classic Textiles! It’s really lovely to use in a special dress. They stock it in quite a few colours (I used a hot pink!) and its on the left of the door straight away as you enter, tucked in a cubby hole next to the window. I’ve also used cotton lawn for linings (Classic Textiles also have a lovely selection at the front of the shop) plus A-One Fabrics, which is a couple of doors down from Classic, have some very inexpensive polyester taffetas in a range of colours which are quite similar to bemberg rayon. Probably would only be suitable for certain things and I’m not sure what they would be like static wise…They’re in the left hand side of the shop at the front, behind where all the cotton and polycotton prints are. Hope you find something!
Thank you Fiona, that is amazing, I shall remember all of that! I’m sure it was classic textiles I asked it, but I’ll know where to look next time! Was the the pink stuff what ou used in your amazing tea, Elisalex? Am planning a trip to Goldhawk Road next Saturday, so I’ll be sure to check all of those out!
Like Fiona said, I also got the cotton silk from classic textile. I have used it to line the bodice of a dress and also to line my Beignet skirt. I wouldn’t recommend it actually for lining a skirt, because it is such a frail and thin fabric that I am constantly worried it will break. But for lining a bodice it is fine :) I tried to buy some bamberg rayon in Goldhawk Road the other day, but nobody knew what I meant. I friend told me that probably it is known as viscose in the UK? I also bought some poly lining at UK textiles – its just at the left when you enter the shop. I haven’t used it yet, because I am having troubles to fit its destined dress! Let me know if you decide to come to Goldhawk Road, maybe we can have a little chat :)
I thought I was in the right shop, because I remembered reading it on your blog! I’ll just have to look harder next time! That’s good to know that it’s a bit fragile, I’ll bear that in mind. I hope your dress starts behaving and let me know how you get on with your poly lining. I’ll have to look into viscose a bit then…I am actually planning a trip to Goldhawk Road next Sat (1st) with Claire from iwanttobeaturtle and another sewing friend. If you’re around and fancy joining us it would be lovely to meet you :)
I sent you a PM :)
I’ve only made (& lined) the one completed dress and one skirt in progress so far, but for them & my next few projects I got silk on sale (from Darn it & Stitch, actually). Largely because I love how luxurious it feels & also I want to get as much practice sewing silk as possible because I love it & know I want to make dresses & things in it, so hidden linings seems a good place to start! If you do decide to get Bremsilk, MacCulloch & Wallis sell it at about £8 a metre in the UK: http://www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk/Product.aspx/Linings!2130 . Bright silk cotton mixes sound good for a couple other things I have in my enormous to sew queue, so I might be visiting Classic Textiles as well. Thanks for writing about this, as it’s been on my mind lately!
Someone else just mentioned to me on Facebook the silk in darn it and stitch as well, that sounds good! Do you remember how much it was? I’ll have to go have a look! Good idea to practice sewing silk linings, I also want to see myself a slip so it would be great for that. A couple of us from Oxford are actually going to goldhawk road on Saturday, let us know if you want to come along!
I think the silk was about £10 a metre, so not cheap exactly, but it’s gorgeous handwoven & hand-dyed stuff, so seemed a complete bargain for what it was & for special garments. I’d LOVE to come along to Goldhawk Road but already have plans for this Saturday – bummer! Do let me know about the next trip though, I’ll save up for some fabric shopping specially! ;)
I was trying to find some Bemberg rayon for a lining recently and also came to the conclusion that it’s quite hard to find here! When I’ve lined things so far, I’ve used cotton lawn or the not-so-nice poly stuff. Also, I’ve never used it myself, but I read somewhere (I think it might have been Flossie Teacakes) that Venezia lining is good – Dragonfly Fabrics sell it (the 5 options at the bottom of this page http://www.dragonflyfabrics.co.uk/haberdashery/dress-lining/) but it’s not that cheap! Hope you find what you’re looking for!