Mini Tutorial: Finishing Free-Hanging Lining At The Hem

Free-hanging lining is perhaps the easiest of most lining applications to complete at the hem. If you can clean-finish the garment's regular hemline, you can definitely complete the free-hanging lining layer.  

1. Start by finishing the garment layer's hemline using the technique of your choice. In this example, the hem allowance edge is finished with a serging stitch, folded toward the wrong side of the garment, and topstitched. 

2. If the lining is the same length as the garment (same patterns were used to cut both), cut the entire hem allowance off. It helps to transfer the hemline directly to the lining layer then use this as a cutting guide. 

3. Next, clean-finish the lining layer with the hem finishing technique of your choice. In this instance, the hem allowance was folded twice (toward the garment's wrong side) to encase the hem's raw edge and topstitched to complete.

Once both garment and lining layers are finished individually, the lining layer should cover the edge of the garment's hem allowance while still maintaining about 3/4" distance from the garment's (visible) finished hemline. This alignment will prevent the lining layer from peeking through at the bottom. 

4. To complete a free-hanging lining application by the book, you should apply a 1"-1.5" French tack to connect the lining layer to that of the garment at each side seam.

To complete a French tack by hand, insert a couple of 1"-1.5" loop stitched from the lining's seam to the garment's seam (on its wrong side) then apply blanket stitches over these loops to form a chain-like structure. 

French tacks are essential in keeping free-hanging fabric aligned properly on the wrong side of the garment, preventing it from shifting and twisting out of place when wearing or putting the garment on. The extra length provides enough movement between the two layers to prevent tension and pulling in the finished hem.