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Adding a Full Lining to a Bodice Without Closures

Friday, June 20, 2014




You've recently been seeing a lot of spectacular versions of the Bohemian Babydoll pattern around here since we're in the middle of a pattern tour.  One thing that I particularly love about this pattern is that it has no closures whatsoever.  Talk about an easy on, easy off dress (and an easy sew!).  A couple of of the tour participants whose skills I respect and admire (thank you Marta and Rachel) both made the suggestion to check out an alternative way to sew the lining to the bodice.  And because I'm always up for learning new ways to do things, I did a bit of research and some testing.  And here you have it: an alternative method for attaching the lining to the bodice, with or without the sleeves.  It's kind of one of those magical methods where you look at it and think "how in the world is this going to work?!?!" (at least I did!), but then when you actually try it out, it's a bit mind-blowing!  

I'm going to more or less let the photos speak for themselves, but here's the basic idea for the version with sleeves.  Keep in mind that these steps are after you've sewn around the neckline (steps 4 & 5 in the pattern).  You'll be skipping steps 6, 7, and 8 with this method, since you'll be sewing the side seams afterwards.  You will also be omitting steps 14 - 19.
1.  Sew each sleeve to each armhole on the outer fabric only, right sides together
2.  Open the bodice and lining on one side, and sandwich the entire bodice with the sleeves in between it.  Not the easiest step to explain in writing, but take a good look at the third and fourth photos below to figure it out.
3.  Then, sew the bodice to the lining.  Be careful not get the sleeves sewn in there!
4.  Pull it right side out.  Repeat on other side...and DONE!!

To watch a video tutorial of these steps, click HERE.






At this point, you would then sew the outer fabric side seams right sides together, and repeat with lining side seams.

Now, it's time to add the skirt, continuing in the pattern from step 20.


Watch a video tutorial of these steps HERE.
Click below for more information about or to purchase the Bohemian Babydoll pattern:

Elegance & Elephants
6 comments on "Adding a Full Lining to a Bodice Without Closures"
  1. Thank you! I have been trying to figure out how to do this for an adult dress I'm working on.

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  2. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE - I knew there had to be a way, you should have seen me pulling and creating a variety of different holes trying the figure out how to do it when I made my babydoll... This is awesome!

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  3. Oh my God, this tutorial just saved my life!!! Thanks so much, this is EXACTLY what I was looking for :).

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  4. oh my gosh... so much neater than the original way... but such a tight tight squeeze for a size 2!! I wasn't sure I was going to make it!

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