Bag Lining: Going through the seam

Keep in mind that we are making a tube which allows the garment to be turned inside out.
1. We have two coats that have been sewn together and the seams have been pressed. The green
coat will be the lining and the red coat will be the shell.

2. First we are going to take your lining piece and open a few seams. Pick one of your side seams
and take out about 3 of stitching (if you are using a thicker fabric you may need it opened a
little more). Do the same on the forearm or elbow of each sleeve. You want to make sure this
opening is in the middle section of your seam and does not open when were the hem of your
garment is going to be. If you need to tack the seam at each end of the opening so that it does
not open any more on its own. Later on we will be turning the garment out through these areas.

Note: There is no need to serge your seams as they will

be within the garment.

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August 2016

3. Turn your shell wrong side out and your lining right side out. Then place the lining inside the
shell so that the right sides of the garments are facing each other. Start by matching up your
seams and pin the two together around the neck, down the front opening, and around the hem.
We will not be doing anything with the sleeves for the moment.

4. You may notice that the length of your lining and your shell do not quite match up. This is ok. At
this time take a moment to true up your edges. (Fancy way of saying make them the same
length). Dont forget to re-pin after trueing.

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August 2016

5. Now that everything is lined up it is time to sew them together. On this garment I am using a
seam allowance which is usually the edge of the presser foot on your machine. I like to start on
one side of the center opening but you can start anywhere on the seam that you have pinned.
Sew the hem, front opening, and collar all as one seam.

6. Clip the seam allowance around the collar, cut your corners, and press the seams open. I like to
press toward the lining.

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August 2016

7. It is now time to turn out your garment. Go to the side seam that you opened in Step 2 and turn
the garment right side out

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August 2016

8. Push the lining sleeves into the shell sleeves and you are ready to press the seams again. A
straight pin can be used to help pull the seams out so that the corners and edges are crisp.

Baroness Lote Winterborn

August 2016

9. It is now time to finish the hem of the sleeves. Turn the coat so that the lining side is facing out.

10. Fold both edges inward at the seamline and pin. When you turn your seam wrong side out in a
moment this will help you figure out where to begin pinning so that your sleeves do not get
twisted up.

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August 2016

11. Reach into the seam that you opened in Step 2 and pull the hem through.

As you see here the hem is popping out of the seam split and is wrong side out while the rest of the
garment is right side out.

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August 2016

12. This is where the pin from Step 10 comes into play. The pin is a placeholder to help you not get
one sleeve twisted. With right sides together you can start at the seam and pin the fabric edges
together. The two sleeves will be in the shape of kissing each other than lying beside each other
when you do this.

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August 2016

13. Lightly press the seam toward the lining and push the sleeve hem back through the seam
opening. Press again.

14. You can now stitch the open seams at the sleeves and the side closed. I like to use a slip stitch or
a whip stitch.

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August 2016

You are now finished. As you can see this coat is reversible and can be worn with either side
facing out.

Baroness Lote Winterborn

August 2016