Working with Linings: How to Line Skirts, Dresses, and Jackets

A lining is a separate fabric layer sewn inside a garment, finishing the inside cleanly and improving how the garment hangs. It’s one of the small details that distinguishes a tailored garment from a homemade-looking one — the inside of a lined dress is as clean as the outside, with no visible seam allowances, no zigzagged finishes, and no fraying edges showing.

Linings introduce a few techniques that don’t appear in unlined sewing: the burrito method for turning a lined garment right-side-out through a small opening, the bagging-out technique for finishing a lined hem cleanly, and the question of when to attach the lining vs. leave it free at the hem. This guide covers all of them.

Why line a garment

Several reasons:

Cleaner finish

The inside of a lined garment is fully finished — no raw seam allowances, no zigzagged or serged edges visible. This matters for garments where the inside might be seen (when changing, when the wind blows, when the garment is tried on) and for garments meant to last and look professional.

Better drape

Linings add a small amount of weight and structure to a garment, helping it hang correctly. A skirt without a lining sometimes drapes irregularly; with a lining, the drape becomes smoother and more controlled.

Easier to wear

A lined garment slides on and off easily over other clothes (tights, trousers, dress shirts). An unlined fabric can stick or bunch.

Comfort with rougher fabric

Heavy fabrics — wool, tweed, brocade, silk — are sometimes itchy, sometimes overly stiff against bare skin. Linings make these fabrics wearable as garments.

Hides construction

If your garment has interior bulk (boned bodices, structured waistbands, corded edges), a lining hides the construction from view.

Choosing lining fabric

Lining fabric is its own category, separate from fashion fabric. The properties matter:

Acetate / Bemberg (cupro)

Traditional lining fabric. Smooth, slippery (slides on/off easily), drapes well, breathable for natural fibre, often available in many colours.

Pros: classic finish, easy to find in fabric stores, breathable.

Cons: can be slippery to sew, frays easily, dry-clean only is common (Bemberg is washable in cold).

Polyester lining

Cheap, durable, easy to sew, stable. The default modern lining.

Pros: inexpensive, washable, doesn’t shrink, available in many colours.

Cons: less breathable than natural fibres (can feel sweaty), thinner versions are too lightweight for some garments.

Silk lining (charmeuse, habotai)

Premium option for tailored garments. Slides beautifully, hangs well, breathes.

Pros: high-end finish, breathable, naturally fluid drape.

Cons: expensive ($25+/metre), delicate, needs careful handling — see our sewing with silk guide.

Cotton lawn or batiste

For lined garments where slip-on is less critical (lined skirts, lined kids’ clothes). Comfortable, breathable, easy to sew.

Pros: comfortable against skin, easy to handle, washable.

Cons: not as slippery as traditional lining, can be too thin for heavy garments.

For most beginner-to-intermediate lining projects, polyester lining or cotton lawn is the right choice. For tailored garments (blazers, coats), Bemberg or silk is the standard.

Cutting a lining

The lining usually has the same pattern pieces as the outer garment, with a few modifications:

• Lining is slightly smaller than the garment in some patterns (about 0.5 cm smaller around the body) so the lining doesn’t push through to the outside.
• Lining hems are sometimes cut shorter than the garment by 1–2 cm. This prevents the lining from showing below the hem line.
• Lining doesn’t need facings — the lining itself replaces the facings (areas that turn over to finish edges).
• Pocket bags typically attach to the lining, not the outer fabric, so additional pocket pieces may be required.

Follow the pattern’s lining cutting instructions. Most patterns specify lining adjustments separately.

When to attach the lining (the basic order)

The construction order varies by garment type:

Lined skirt

1. Sew the outer skirt (without the waistband).
2. Sew the lining the same way.
3. Insert the lining into the outer skirt with wrong sides together.
4. Attach the waistband across both layers.
5. Hem the outer skirt.
6. Hem the lining separately, with the lining 2 cm shorter than the outer skirt.

Lined dress

1. Sew the outer dress bodice (without sleeves).
2. Sew the lining bodice.
3. Use the burrito method (covered below) to turn the lining inside the bodice cleanly.
4. Attach sleeves (set-in or flat method).
5. Sew the outer skirt portion.
6. Sew the lining skirt portion.
7. Attach skirt-to-bodice for both outer and lining.
8. Hem outer and lining separately.

Lined jacket or coat

1. Sew the outer jacket (with darts, set-in sleeves, lapels, collar).
2. Sew the lining (which mirrors the outer construction).
3. Bag out the lining (sew most of the lining and outer together, then turn through a small opening).
4. Hand-finish the small remaining areas.

The exact order varies. The pattern walks through it.

The burrito method (for lining a small bodice or vest)

The burrito method is the technique for joining a lined bodice through the shoulders and necklines without leaving any raw edges visible.

Step 1: Construct outer and lining separately

Sew the outer bodice (with shoulder seams unsewn). Sew the lining bodice (also with shoulder seams unsewn). Place them right sides together, with the necklines and armhole edges aligned.

Step 2: Sew necklines and armhole edges

Sew the neckline and armhole edges with both layers right sides together.

Step 3: Roll the back through the shoulder

This is the burrito step. Take the back of the garment (lining and outer joined at the necklines) and roll it through the shoulder opening of the front piece. The garment “rolls” through the shoulder until the front pieces are also right-sides-together, with the front shoulder edges aligned.

Step 4: Sew the shoulder seams

Sew the front shoulder edges together (going through both outer and lining).

Step 5: Pull the back out

Pull the back through the shoulder to unroll. The garment is now lined, with all shoulder, neckline, and armhole edges fully enclosed.

This sounds complex on paper. Watching a video tutorial (Closet Core, Tilly and the Buttons, Coletterie all have free ones) makes it clear in 30 seconds. Once you’ve seen it done, the technique becomes intuitive.

Bagging-out method (for lined hems and skirt bottoms)

The bagging-out method joins the lining and outer at the bottom hem with no hand-stitching needed. Used for lined skirts, jackets, and coats.

Step 1: Construct outer and lining separately

Sew the outer skirt; sew the lining the same way. Don’t hem either yet.

Step 2: Place outer and lining right sides together

Pin or clip the outer skirt and the lining together at the bottom edge, with right sides facing.

Step 3: Sew the bottom edge

Sew with the appropriate seam allowance (typically 1.5 cm), but leave a 10–15 cm gap unsewn somewhere along the bottom for turning.

Step 4: Turn through the gap

Turn the entire garment right-side out through the unsewn gap. The lining is now inside the outer, joined at the bottom hem.

Step 5: Hand-stitch or topstitch the gap closed

Either hand-slip-stitch (covered in our 10 essential hand stitches guide) or topstitch the gap closed.

The result: a fully lined hem with no visible stitching from the right side. The hem is “bagged” inside.

Hand-finishing options

Some lined garments use hand-finishing for the hem rather than bagging out. Hand-finishing offers a more refined look and is the traditional method for tailored garments.

Slip stitch hem (with lining hanging free)

The lining is hemmed separately from the outer. The lining hem hangs freely inside the garment, attached only at certain points. This gives the garment a more drapey look and is common in dressmaking.

Done by:

1. Hem the outer separately.
2. Hem the lining separately, 2 cm shorter than the outer.
3. Anchor the lining to the outer at the side seams (a few small invisible stitches).

Hong Kong finish for individual seams

If you don’t want a full lining but want a clean inside finish, you can use a Hong Kong finish: bind each seam allowance with bias tape (covered in our bias binding guide). Each seam is individually finished, but the garment has no continuous internal layer.

Common lining problems

The lining shows below the outer hem

The lining wasn’t shortened enough. Re-hem the lining 2–3 cm shorter than the outer. Or hem the lining at a higher position so it sits well inside the garment.

The lining bunches inside

The lining was cut larger than the outer, or wasn’t tacked down at key points. Take in the lining slightly, or add tack points at side seams to anchor it.

The lining tears or pulls at stress points

Lining fabric is usually thinner than outer fabric. At stress points (armholes, crotch, shoulders), reinforce the lining with extra stitching or use a sturdier lining fabric.

The lining doesn’t slip on smoothly

Wrong lining fabric. Cotton lawn or natural fibre linings can be sticky against skin. Switch to polyester or Bemberg/cupro lining for smoother slip.

The lining fabric is too lightweight

The lining wrinkles or shows through to the outside. Use a slightly heavier lining fabric (mid-weight rather than ultra-thin).

Burrito method confused you

It’s easier to watch than read. Search “burrito method [garment type] tutorial” on YouTube — visual demonstrations make it click.

Lining vs interfacing vs underlining (the differences)

Three terms that beginners confuse:

• Lining: a complete separate inner garment, finishing the inside.
• Interfacing: a stiffening layer fused or sewn to specific areas (collars, waistbands, button bands) for structure. Doesn’t cover the whole garment.
• Underlining: a layer of fabric sewn to the wrong side of the outer fabric, treated as one piece during construction. Used to add weight, opacity, or structure to the outer fabric. Covered in our underlining guide.

A garment can have all three: a fashion fabric outer, an underlining behind the fashion fabric, interfacing in collars/waistbands, and a full lining inside.

Lining as a design choice

Some sewers use linings as a design feature:

• Contrast lining: a brightly coloured or patterned lining that flashes when the garment moves.
• Print lining in a solid garment: an unexpected pop visible at the cuffs or hem.
• Same fabric on inside and outside: looks more like an underlining but constructed as a lining.

Modern indie patterns increasingly include design-feature linings as a creative element.

What lining unlocks

Lined garments you can sew once you’ve mastered the technique:

• Lined dresses with invisible zippers (a common pairing — see our invisible zipper guide).
• Lined skirts with structured waistbands.
• Lined jackets (introductory tailoring, see our advanced tailoring roadmap).
• Lined trousers for cooler weather.
• Lined wrap dresses with sophisticated drape.
• Lined kids’ clothes (durable and comfortable).

Closing thought

Linings are a small additional construction step that dramatically improves the appearance and longevity of a garment. The first lined garment is the trickiest — the order of operations is unfamiliar, the burrito method feels counterintuitive — but each subsequent one is faster and cleaner.

The techniques here (burrito method, bagging out) transfer directly to advanced tailoring. The lining of a tailored coat uses the same fundamentals as the lining of a simple skirt; the complexity is just in the size and number of pieces.

For where lining fits in the broader intermediate skillset, see our complete intermediate techniques roadmap. For the advanced techniques that build on lining knowledge, see our advanced tailoring roadmap.