Showing posts with label stretch lining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stretch lining. Show all posts

09 December 2012

Stretch vs. Non-stretch Linings

I have a lot of wool.  A lot.  Wool sews nicely and is very warm in these cold arctic climates.  But, this fabric is very expensive to clean.  So I decided that I needed some more washable clothes and recently bought a whole bunch of rayon-poly-lycra stretch woven suitings from Fabric Mart.

Their website doesn't mention the percentages of rayon, polyester, or Lycra, but it did state that the fabric had 4-way stretch - which brings me to my dilemma.  Since I plan to make jackets, skirts and pants out of this fabric, I'll want to include a lining.  I see three ways to make this happen, but they all have their pros and cons.

Option 1:  use a non-stretch lining sewn with smaller seam allowances
  • Pros:  I stock up on lining whenever there's a sale or when I have a coupon, so I have plenty on hand.  Plus, my lining is all rayon and breathes/sews very well. 
  • Cons:  It doesn't stretch. I don't know if simply cutting the same pieces and using a smaller seam allowance will help preserve the benefit of the fabric's stretch.
Option 2:  use a stretch polyester charmeuse or satin as lining
  • Pros:  It stretches and is readily available.
  • Cons:  It's polyester.  What can I say?  I'm a fabric snob when it comes to linings. 
Option 3:   use a non-stretch lining cut on the bias
  •  Pros:   I'll have comparable stretch.
  • Cons:  I'm not sure how the bias will behave in the long run.  Will it hang correctly with the rest of the garment?
What are your thoughts?  Have you lined stretch wovens before?  The fact that this fabric has both crosswise and lengthwise stretch is a bit of a concern.  Though it appears to have good recovery, I wonder how the knee and seat area will look after a full day of wear.  Hmm...

L

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