Making skirt lining

I made the skirt lining similarly to the outer shell. Once I had sewed the sides together, still leaving a gap for the zip on the left side, I pinned the top hemline to the corresponding hemline on the skirt. I then sewed along this hemline with a machine.
I slipstitched the lining to the skirt at the lower hemline. Finally, I slipstitched the lining right up to the edge of the zipper to give it a neat finish, and ironed the seams flat.

Cutting skirt fabric

I made the pattern for the skirt myself by making an initial toile which I tested for size and shape by trying it on myself. I pinned the pattern pieces onto the velvet fabric and cut them out. Then I pinned them together and sewed with a machine alond the side seams leaving space for a hidden zipper on the left side.
I pinned the hidden zip into the seam and sewed with a zipper foot.

Making and Attaching the Extension

Unfortunately I lost the piece of the paper pattern for the extension so I made one up myself in order to stay on time. I cut a rectangular shape out of my houndstooth fabric and the interfacing which I then ironed on. I folded it in half vertically and sewed the two opposite edges together and turned it the right way round.
Next, I pinned and sewed the extention onto the corset on the lining side. I used a sewing maching to attach them.
Then I cut the hook and eye bands to size and sewed the eyes to the outershell of the corset. I slipstitched the extention to the corset under the hook band.

Slip-stitching Armholes

Now I needed to stitch the armholes which I had left unsewn. I started by folding the lining and fabric over on themselves by around 1 cm. Then I pinned the lining to the fabric in this position, ready to be slipstitched.
Then, I slipstitched both armholes carefully. I did not need to re-do this stage.

Trimming and Ironing seams

Once I had finished sewing the lining onto the corset I trimmed the seams to 1cm wide. This was so that when it comes to turning it inside out the seams will be flatter and more aesthetically pleasing. At the armholes I trimmed off slightly more and trimmed the corners off the perpendicular seams to stop the fabric bunching up at these areas.

Next, I turned the lining to the inside of the corset by pulling the fabric through a gap I left on the front left side. I needed to iron the corset flat at the seams so that none of the lining showed from the outside. I pinned the lining to the fabric leaving a small amount of the outer fabric visible to ensure no lining would be visible from the outside.

Sewing together

I found this stage tricky as the fabrics slid out of position in some places meaning I needed to unpick part of the seam to re-do it.

Once I'd got it right I ironed the seams so that a small bit of the outer fabric was showing from the inside, ensuring no lining would be visible from the outside.

Preparing to attach lining to corset

Now I needed to prepare the lining and corset to be sewn together. I lightly marked the seam allowence (1.5cm) all the way along the edges with a pencil. Then I checked with a measuring tape that it was the same width all around.


Once I'd done this it was time to pin them into place. It was difficult to get them lined up accurately but I tried to pin it securely so that the fabrics wouldn't slide out of place while sewing.