[meleliza]

Im starting on a summer verizon of music box as a party dress. I love the pleats and the higher waist line for this project, but am debating how to go about lining. The dress fabric is one of those silky designer voiles and I think I’ll line it with plain ivory cotton voile but am thinking of adding a little tulle for fun, a la the Fairy Tale dress. So do you think the lining needs to have pleats as well? Or can I maybe just gather it up, maybe in one step with the tulle to keep it simple?

[mkhs]

I just went to look at the 2 that I’ve made, and I think I would underline the skirt, leaving the hems free.

editing to be more specific– I’d sew up the skirt lining on the side seams, then treat it as an underlining when making up the pleats. Hem a quarter inch shorter than the dress, and catch the back edges of the lining inside the placket fold. I think it would all come out ok as long as the lining is shorter than the stitch line at the bottom of the placket. I’ve done it with a hem facing, but not a lining. The pleats lie quite flat, and I think would look odd with a gathered layer behind.

[cybele727]

I would make the lining flat, no pleats. I would sandwich the tulle between the lining and dress.

[with love Heidi]

l would gather the lining as it will need movement because the skirt is pleated. it may be worth making a seperate tulle skirt to use underneath as then you can use it for more than just this dress.

[Liesl Gibson]

I’m about to do this on a pleated skirt for myself, and what I’ve done in the past was to add a flat, slightly A-line lining that stays open along most of the side seams. The sides of the lining are sewn together only at the top few inches and then hang freely. If you want to add tulle, I’d suggest gathering it and sewing it part-way down the lining. That way you get the fullness at the hem but not at the hips. Does that description make sense?

[meleliza]

Yes, thank you, Liesl, that does make sense. Keeping fullness at the he, rather than the hips is exactly what I need to think about. Maybe I’ll even add a little ruffle to the tulle petticoat style. Thanks evyone for the feedback!