Creating A Facing And Lining Pattern

I am currently in the middle of sewing the B6453, an oldie but a goodie Gertie pattern. The pattern comes with facing, which is a great option. However I prefer to also line my dresses.

Often, if you are like me you will make certain tweaks to you pattern, which then means you can't use the facing pattern pieces that it came with, without making the same tweaks. So... here's how to take your pattern piece and create a facing and lining pattern.

Why use facing and lining I hear you ask?! Well I prefer this option because if the lining fabric isn't a perfect match it doesn't matter if it pops out the top slightly, plus I think it gives it a really professional finish. It's also a perfect place to insert a label or some embroidery.

 

Here's how:

1. Take the pattern pieces that you will need to create a facing and lining pattern piece for. My dress has a bodice with a princess seam so I needed to take my centre front, side front and back pattern piece. 

Then mark your seam allowance on to your pattern piece. This pattern had a 1.5cm seam allowance. Below you can see the centre front and side front pattern pieces. I also repeated these steps for the back pattern piece. 

 2. If yours is a dress with a princess seam like mine as a result you will have two front pattern pieces (centre front and side front), pin the pattern together along the stitching line at the top, like so.

3. Take your ruler and mark 5cm down from the stitching line at the top, run this line across both front pattern pieces.

 4. Place a piece of tracing paper over the top of the pinned pattern pieces and draw around the shape of the facing piece. It is useful to add a notch on the facing piece where the stitching line on the side front and centre front meet. See. the red mark on the second photo. This will help at lot the sewing stage.

5. Take the facing piece that you have just traced off and add seam allowance to the bottom. 

6. The unpin the pattern pieces from step 1. The blue line should look something like the picture below.

7. Place another piece of tracing paper over the top of the pattern pieces and trace off the shape up to the facing stitching line (shown in blue). You will need to do this for the side front, centre front and back pattern pieces. 
8. Then add seam allowance to the top of the lining pattern piece where it will attach to the facing piece.

When you finish you should have:

  • The original pattern pieces (for me one centre front, one side front and one back pattern piece)
  • Facing pieces with added seam allowance at the bottom (one front and one back)
  • Lining pieces with added seam allowance at the top (one centre front, one side front and one back pattern piece)

In the picture below you can see the front facing piece, side lining piece and centre front lining piece.

 

9. Once you have your pattern pieces cut out you are ready to start sewing. Start by sewing the lining pieces together.

10. Then sew the facing piece to the top. Before doing this I snip a notch in the centre of the lining piece at the top (fold the fabric in half to find this point). I also create a second notch in the centre of the bottom of the facing piece.
Due to the curves you might find it easier to clip into the facing piece at the bottom to help it to fit.
11. Then sew your back lining piece to your front lining piece at the side seam. Make sure the that facing on your back pattern piece is the same height as the front facing piece so where it joins under the arms there is a smooth line.

 

 

 

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