The Basic Method: Pin, Sew, and Turn

Sewing lining into a dress means attaching a second layer of fabric to the inside of your garment so the seams and raw edges stay hidden. The most common method is to sew the lining to the dress at the armholes and neckline, then turn the whole thing right-side out through an opening you leave in the side seam. This gives you a finished edge all around without any visible stitching on the outside.

Start by constructing your dress and lining as two separate pieces. Both should be cut from the same pattern and sewn together at the side seams — dress to dress, lining to lining. Press all seams flat. Place the dress and lining with right sides together (the pretty sides facing each other), then pin around the neckline and armholes. Sew these edges with a 5/8-inch seam allowance, the standard for garment sewing.

Before you turn the dress right-side out, trim the seam allowance down to 1/4 inch and clip into the curves at the neckline and armholes — small cuts perpendicular to the seam, stopping just short of the stitching. These clips let the fabric lie flat when you turn it. Reach through the opening you left in the side seam, grab the dress at the shoulder, and pull it through. Press the neckline and armholes flat from the inside, using the tip of your iron to crease the fold.

Key Takeaways

  • Construct the dress and lining separately, then pin them right sides together at the neckline and armholes before sewing.
  • Leave a 4- to 6-inch opening in one side seam of the lining so you can turn the dress right-side out after sewing the neckline and armholes.
  • Trim seam allowances to 1/4 inch and clip into curves before turning to prevent bulk and may support smooth edges.
  • Close the opening in the lining by hand with a ladder stitch, which is nearly invisible from the outside.
  • Press the finished dress from the inside to avoid flattening the fabric and to set the seams permanently.

Preparing Your Dress and Lining Pieces

Both the dress and lining should be cut from the same pattern pieces. If your pattern includes a facing at the neckline or armholes, you can skip it when cutting the lining — the lining itself will serve that purpose. Sew the side seams of the dress first, from hem to underarm, using a 5/8-inch seam allowance. Do the same for the lining. Press both sets of seams open or to one side, depending on your pattern instructions.

Check that both pieces are the same width at the neckline and armholes. If the lining is slightly smaller, it will pull the dress inward and create puckers. If it is larger, it will bunch inside. A difference of 1/8 inch or less is usually fine and will ease out during pressing, but anything more should be corrected before you pin. Try the dress on inside-out to see how it feels; the lining should sit smoothly against your body without pulling.

Pinning and Sewing the Neckline and Armholes

Place the dress inside the lining with right sides together — the outside of the dress facing the outside of the lining. This is the opposite of how you might expect it to look. Pin the neckline first, starting at the shoulder seams and working around. Use pins spaced about 2 inches apart, and make sure the shoulder seams of the dress and lining line up exactly.

Pin the armholes the same way. If your dress has sleeves, the lining stops at the armhole; the sleeve will be attached later. If your dress is sleeveless, the lining goes all the way to the armhole edge. Once everything is pinned, sew around the neckline with a 5/8-inch seam allowance, using a straight stitch and a thread color that matches your dress fabric. Sew the armholes next, using the same seam allowance.

Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to lock the stitches. Sew slowly around curves so you can follow the line smoothly without veering into the seam allowance. If you are nervous about sewing curves, you can mark the seam line with tailor's chalk or a fabric pencil before you sew, then follow the line as you go.

Trimming, Clipping, and Turning

After sewing, trim the seam allowance down to 1/4 inch using sharp scissors or pinking shears. Pinking shears cut a zigzag edge that prevents fraying, which is especially useful for lining fabric that tends to fray. Trim all the way around the neckline and both armholes.

Now clip into the curves. At the neckline, make small cuts perpendicular to the seam, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Stop just short of your stitching — you want to cut through the seam allowance but not through the seam itself. Do the same at the armholes, especially at the inner curve where the armhole dips deepest. These clips let the fabric spread out and lie flat when you turn the dress right-side out, preventing the seam from puckering.

Reach through the opening in the side seam of the lining and grab the dress at the shoulder seam. Pull gently and steadily until the dress comes through the opening and is right-side out. Smooth it out as you go so the fabric does not twist. Once the dress is turned, use your fingers to push the neckline and armhole seams out to their full width, creating a crisp fold. Press these edges with an iron set to the appropriate temperature for your fabric.

Closing the Opening and Finishing the Lining

The opening in the side seam of the lining is now the only raw edge left on your dress. Close it by hand using a ladder stitch, also called a slip stitch. This stitch is nearly invisible because the thread runs inside the fold of the fabric rather than across the surface.

Thread a needle with thread that matches your lining. Knot the end. Bring the needle up through the fold of one side of the opening, so the knot stays hidden inside. Take a tiny stitch — just 1/8 inch — directly across into the fold of the other side. Slide the needle along inside the fold for about 1/2 inch, then bring it back out and take another tiny stitch into the opposite fold. Continue this pattern all the way along the opening. The stitches should be small and spaced evenly, and the thread should run inside the fold where it cannot be seen from the outside.

When you reach the end, take two small stitches in the same spot to find the thread, then run the needle inside the fold for an inch or so before bringing it out and cutting. This way, the thread ends are hidden and will not come loose.

Attaching Sleeves and Hems

If your dress has sleeves, attach them now, after the lining is in place. The sleeve seam will go through both the dress and the lining at the armhole, holding everything together. Pin the sleeve to the armhole with right sides together, matching the underarm seams and the shoulder points. Sew with a 5/8-inch seam allowance, then trim and finish the seam allowance as you would for any sleeve.

The hem is the last step. Fold the dress hem up to the desired length and pin it in place. The lining should be about 1/2 inch shorter than the dress hem so it does not show at the edge. Sew the hem by hand using a blind stitch, or machine-stitch it if your pattern calls for that. The lining hem can be finished separately with a narrow zigzag stitch or a serger, or left raw if the fabric does not fray badly.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

If the lining puckers at the neckline or armholes after you turn the dress, you did not clip deeply enough into the curves. You can fix this by carefully opening a few stitches, clipping more, and re-sewing. If the lining is pulling the dress inward, the lining is too small; you may need to let out the side seams slightly or add a small gusset of fabric at the underarm.

If the ladder stitch is visible from the outside, your stitches are too large or too close to the edge of the fold. Practice on scrap fabric first — the stitches should be tiny and run inside the fold, not on the surface. If the opening keeps coming undone, you may not have secured the thread ends well enough; go back and take a few extra stitches at each end.

Puckers can also happen if you pressed the seams in the wrong direction. Always press seams open or away from the lining, never toward it. If the dress feels stiff or uncomfortable, the lining may be too heavy for the fabric; consider using a lighter lining next time, or choose a more fluid fabric like cotton voile or silk charmeuse instead of a dense cotton.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sew the lining to the dress after I have already hemmed it?

Yes, but it is more difficult. You will have to work around the hem, and the opening you leave for turning will be harder to close neatly. It is easier to attach the lining before hemming, then hem both the dress and lining together or hem them separately afterward.

What if my dress does not have side seams?

If your dress is cut in one piece or has seams only at the shoulders, you can still use a lining. Leave an opening at the center back or side instead, sew the neckline and armholes, turn the dress right-side out through that opening, and close it by hand. Make sure the opening is at least 4 inches long so you have room to work.

Do I have to use a ladder stitch to close the opening?

No. You can also sew the opening closed with a machine stitch using a thread that matches the lining, or you can fold the raw edges inward and topstitch them closed. A ladder stitch is invisible, but if you prefer a visible stitch or want to work faster, either of these methods works fine.

Should the lining be the same weight as the dress fabric?

Not necessarily. A lighter lining often feels better against the skin and reduces bulk. Cotton voile, silk charmeuse, and rayon are common choices. Avoid lining that is much heavier than the dress fabric, as it can make the garment stiff and uncomfortable.

What happens if I sew the lining to the hem instead of leaving an opening?

You can do this, but you will have a visible seam at the hem where the lining meets the dress. It is neater to leave an opening in the side seam, turn the dress right-side out, and close the opening by hand, because the seam will be hidden inside the dress.