​Sewing A Lined Garment: No Front/Back Seam

The lining techniques shown below is used when the garment doe snot have a fully separating front or back seam. 

1. Start by sewing the sides seams on the garment and lining compartments separately. Iron all seams with the seam allowance layers flat. Leave the shoulder seam edges open on both compartments. 

2. Place the lining layer on top of the garment pieces such that fabric face sides are touching and all edges align. The neckline and both armhole edge should align perfectly and the lining and garment side seams should perfectly overlap. Insert pins through all edges of the armholes and neckline to keep them aligned during machine stitching, 

3. Machine stitch all edges at the designated seam allowance- 1/2" in this case. remove each pin as you approach it. Leave a 1/2" unstitched portion at the beginning and end of each stitch which naturally corresponds to the open shoulder seam area. 

4. Once all edges are stitched, the shoulder seam edges should have a 1/2" unstitched portion on each end as pictured above. All 4 seam edges should have this unstitched portion. 

5. Before flipping the garment on its right side, clip wedge notches into the curved areas of the seam allowance along both armhole and neckline edges. These notches are essential in releasing tension and bulk, encouraging the curved finished edges to lay smooth and flat. 

6. Flip the garment on its right side and iron the lining seams with the seam allowance layers directed toward the lining layer. All seam allowance edge should be positioned directly underneath the lining. It is easiest to iron on a sleeve board or seam roll so you can reach the narrower seams at the shoulder area.

Understitch each edge by applying a straight stitch through the lining and seam allowance layers underneath at about 1/8" from the seamline as shown. Understitching is essential in maintaining the lined edge structure and flatness. 

m7. Last but not least, let's complete the shoulder seams: Align the garment's shoulder seam edges with face sides touching and insert pins perpendicularly through both edges to secure. Move the lining layers out of the way for now. 

8. Stitch the garment seams at the designated seam allowance (1/2" in this example) being careful not accidentally catch the lining layers in the process. Repeat the alignment, pinning and stitching process on both shoulder seams.

9. To complete the lining layers at the shoulders, fold the lining seam edges inward to enclose all raw edges, and pin the lining's abutted fold to secure them in preparation for stitching. Using a hand-applied slipstitch, seal the lining's folded edges together (or to the garment seam allowance underneath) to fully encase all shoulder seam allowance edges. 

10. To complete the lining application, iron the garment finished neckline and armhole edges. It is easiest to iron on a sleeve board or a tailor's ham.