https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 15 May 2026 15:57:14 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-595145 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:27:25 +0000 mrseccentric 595145@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, no idea this would be of such interest! Manidipa, that 'blow' test is brilliant! And Elly and Suz are correct, in Joanne's you get that stiff, ultra-sized dressmaker muslin which is sadly not the muslin of the Edwardian lingerie dress and croquet party. Look for cotton organza or better yet, cotton voile or lawn to get that soft, breezy feel. However, cotton won't 'slip' against your hose, skirt, or legs the way silk, nylon, and poly will.</p> <p>Joanne's sells lots of poly charmeuse and crepe for use as blouses and dresses, any of these would make a very nice slip. The thicker fabric might get hot in warmer temps, it also depends on how you react to the fabric. So get a thinner satin or crepe, a gauze or organza will be too floaty to do anything. You can also try the nylon/spandex powermesh. It's the stuff they use to 'fill in' ice skater's and pro dancer's racy costumes! but i find nylon cooler than poly to wear, and you can't beat mesh for breathability.</p> <p>Claire, at your size you could make a nice half-slip out of a yard of 45" material (you might even have some left over!). Just get a very nice silk crepe and cut it on the straight grain, with fabric that drapey you don't need the bias cut many recommend. I have rec'd excellent service and outstanding product from Thai Silks, a no cal company that's been in business since i was a girl. </p> <p><a href="http://www.thaisilks.com/index.php?cPath=1_18&#038;page=2" rel="nofollow">http://www.thaisilks.com/index.....038;page=2</a></p> <p>Their 8mm 45" crepe de chine is very reasonable at $12.65 a yard, so is their 14mm at around 20 (call them first, 14mm might be a little heavy for a slip). You can dye it however you like if you get white. It's a slip, that's the beauty of it - a few stains don't matter, silk that weight dries overnite after you dunk it in the sink, you can wear it 5 days a week and no one will know. You'll just feel cool, calm and collected!</p> <p>and don't forget to keep an eye out for silk you can re-purpose while you're out thrifting!</p> <p>Hope this helps, and best of luck!! steph </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-594435 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:15:39 +0000 Ana 594435@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, Steph! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-594432 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:13:55 +0000 Suz 594432@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, this is fascinating. Thanks, Steph! And Claire, I will second what ManidipaM says about muslin; lots of fabrics so named are NOT the real deal. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-594359 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:14:44 +0000 Elly 594359@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What they sell you in Joanne's or similar shops as muslin (bleached or unbleached) is a dressmaker's muslin that you would use to adjust a pattern before cutting it out of expensive cloth, Claire. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-594135 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:46:01 +0000 ManidipaM 594135@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Steph, this is such a great post! Thank you. Like Fruitful, especially want to thank you for the idea to use the old lining as pattern --- not everyone realizes that!</p> <p>Claire, another issue to watch out for with 'muslin' --- it's often not muslin at all, but calico or similar that is being called 'muslin'. Not everything that is thin or sheer cotton deserves the name, and real muslin ought to be quite gauzy (great filter cloth!), a little like cheesecloth, and crush down very fine (the proverbial 'passes through a ring'). There are a couple of other cotton weaves that are good for this too --- I'm afraid I don't know what they're called in English </p> <p>A good test is to hold it up and blow on it, or stand in front of an air-conditioning vent or fan. If the air can be felt a little on the other side (it will still billow of course), it's worth trying for hot weather. If not, it's going to stifle! (Yes, I am aware you will get *looks* in the shop when you try this...! I have to say this is the kind of stir I quite enjoy causing sometimes!)</p> <p>Though as Steph says, silk will be cooler and actually helps the garment fall better too. If only it could be treated for stains too! (Cotton's a bit hardier that way)</p> <p>ETA: Just remembered! Dressmaker's muslin, for pattern cutting, are *not* the ones to use for a slip. Real muslin is awful for pattern templates because it warps very easily. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593767 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:10:15 +0000 mrseccentric 593767@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>yay, i'm glad this is useful info to you!!</p> <p>In my experience, the nicest all around slips are made of a lighter-weight silk crepe de chine. Heavier than a gauze, but still blouse-weight. Silk is cool and also doesn't stick to legs, tights, or clothes. If you handwash crepe de chine and hang to dry you don't even need to touch up iron. It's truly fabulous!</p> <p>The reason is that's it's not a flat weave, at the really small level the threads are twisted like in a boucle. So it gets plenty of air flow and even resists wrinkles. Muslin is a flat, tight weave and can get really hot because of that! </p> <p>Claire, let me look around on Joannes website and give it a think. Feel free to send me a pm if i haven't gotten back here with some ideas in a day! heehee, i was wondering what 'DCO' meant! steph </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593753 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:56:10 +0000 Anonymous 593753@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Steph, thank you for this! In my case the dress had so many grommets and baubles that I think it still would have had to have been dry cleaned (along an annoying side zip and some very involved tailoring). </p> <p>OTH, I made myself a full cotton slip out of muslin once and it was unbelievably hot! I will look for silk half slips in the thrift store, but what fabrics do you recommend making a slip from? I only have access to a Joanne's and a Walmart craft section. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593747 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:48:20 +0000 Fruitful 593747@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Steph, great idea to use the original lining as a pattern - not obvious to the sewing illiterate! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593735 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:32:36 +0000 Kristin L 593735@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for the tips! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593729 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:26:34 +0000 Isis 593729@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Super useful information!</p> <p>What would be the coolest lining? silk? or a loose-weave cotton? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593725 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:19:14 +0000 mrseccentric 593725@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Isabel! </p> <p>Ana, personally i've not had that experience. As a seamstress, i can see where it could happen - because of kind of sloppy dressmaking. If the fashion fabric is not strong enough to hold the desired shape, it should be either interfaced or interlined in order to achieve this shape. The interfacing or interlining is separate from the lining, so if you remove the lining it shouldn't affect the drape.</p> <p>All i can offer in terms of advice for any similar situation you run into in future is to 'poke around' in dress before you remove the lining, and don't do anything you can't re-do later! Good luck! steph </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593703 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:33:37 +0000 Ana 593703@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Steph! Wow, great tips. Question: have you ever had a dress not fit/hang quite right after you cut out the lining? I'm just curious, because sometimes it seems like the lining adds integrity to the shape of the dress. For instance, a sheath dress or one with a lot of shaping/darts. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593695 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:26:59 +0000 Isabel 593695@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow !!! What great tips ! THank you . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-to-save-natural-fibre-dress-with-synthetic-lining#post-593688 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:20:43 +0000 mrseccentric 593688@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Claire's comment on Angie's post today really spoke to me: "You’ve also helped me save so much money! Just yesterday I was at Ross trying on a Calvin Klein white linen sleeveless safari dress (similar the one Jayne asked about recently). At first glance, it would have been a perfect choice for my climate, but the fact that it was lined with synthetic material and DCO meant that it couldn’t serve as an everyday dress for me."<br /> ETA link to Angie's post:<br /> <a href="http://youlookfab.com/2012/04/11/adapting-your-wardrobe-to-your-climate/" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/2012/04/.....r-climate/</a></p> <p>Natural fibre dress simply ROCK in hot climes - how uber-frustrating when some dingleberry lines one in a synthetic : 0 </p> <p>Happily, i've come up with some good workarounds over my years of living in a hot summer climate, sewing my own clothes, and having access to free clothes that i've been able to experiment on (!) Read on if that piques your interest!</p> <p>Many dresses can have the lining removed (cut out or you can rip the seams) and will work out just fine. If the facings are made of the fashion fabric (the outside fabric which you see), this is simple to do. If the fashion fabric is a little thin, see-through, or clingy - wear a slip. You can find full and half slips in natural fabrics. Silks are the best and can be thrifted sometimes, too. Even a novice sewist can easily make a half slip - look in thrift stores for old 80's style blouses in silk for a really cheap slip. Dye the fabric, cut out your slip and sew it up, add some elastic and lace, and va-voom!</p> <p>Another option is to rip out the synthetic lining and re-line the dress with cotton or silk. This seems like a bigger deal than it actually is, as you use the torn out lining as a ready to go pattern for the new lining. I'm in the process of doing this with a slvlss black silk blouse - both the blouse and the silk crepe (from an old shell) i'm using to line it were thrifted, so i'm mostly out my time and effort. A tailor would be able to do this easily, and if you shop around for lower-cost fabrics for them to use (JoAnne's has regular sales), you can get what you want for less expense.</p> <p>Just wanted to put these ideas out there for those of you who are new to trying to dress for hotter climates. A nice natural fibre dress can be a real life-saver, but they can be so difficult to find! I've learned that these tricks can increase your dress options. </p> <p>Best of luck and chime in with your own workarounds! steph </p>