Here you will use the jumper/sweater you wish to line, the pattern pieces you have already made to suit this and some lining fabric.
Have the pattern pieces you made for the sweater ready (fig. 1).
Mark out the neck opening on the pattern
Measure the length of the neck opening and mark that on the pattern piece (on the center front of pattern piece- opposite side seam) (fig.2).
Cutting out the fabric pieces and making the pleats
The front piece has an extra pleat of fabric in it to make it more comfortable. This requires a little extra work when cutting the fabric.
Fold the fabric you have chosen for lining in half and press the fold lightly with an iron so you get a slight crease there. Measure about 2 cm from the crease and pin along that line. Lay your FRONT pattern piece fabric lined up straight on the pinned line. Add 1 cm seam allowance all around the outer edges and cut out. NOTE! Cut straight across when you get to the folded edge. Do not divide the folded parts! (fig. 3).
To make the neck opening start at the neck point and cut along the pinned line (fold side) giving no seam allowance. Cut UNTIL you get down to the point you marked on the pattern (see fig. 2). Then cut directly across to the folded edge (fig. 3).
Make the pleat on the center of front piece Take the fabric of the pinned fold (below the cut out for neck opening) and press so it lays flat straight over the pinned line – 1 cm on each side. Pin the flat folded fabric tight at the neck line and use small stitches to attach it. You have now created a pleat at the center of the front piece (fig. 4).
The BACK piece also has an extra pleat of fabric in it to make it more roomy, so it needs to be cut in similar fashion to the front.
Fold the lining fabric in half and press the fold lightly with an iron so you get a slight crease. Measure about 2 cm in from the crease and pin along that line. Lay your BACK pattern piece along the pinned line (2 cm in from the fold). Line it up straight on the pinned line. Add 1 cm seam allowance all around and cut out. NOTE! Cut straight across when you get to the folded edge. Do not divide the folded parts! (fig. 5).
Now you are going to make a pleat along the pinned line 2 cm in from the fold on the back piece. To make the pleat you will follow the illustrated instructions.
Take the fabric of the pinned fold and press so it lays flat straight over the pinned line – 1 cm on each side. Pin the flat folded fabric tight at the neck line and use small stitches to attach it. You have now created a pleat at the center of the back piece (fig. 6).
The SLEEVE piece needs to be cut out in a similar fashion to the FRONT and BACK pieces. You need to prepare 2 pieces of lining fabric big enough for the sleeve with added space for the pleat (4 cm extra width).
Fold the fabric pieces and iron lightly to create a crease. Pin along a line 2 cm in from the crease/fold.
Instead of leaving the piece folded in half when cutting open the piece out flat. Lay the pattern piece with the pinned line running right down the center of the sleeve pattern. You may need to cut each sleeve individually as it is easier than trying to line up the lining fabric pieces. If you are using fabric with front- and backside make sure you cut the sleeve so they mirror each other.
Cut the sleeve with approximately 1 cm seam allowance all around. Remember to mark on each sleeve where the front and back are (fig. 7A and 7B).
Follow the illustrated instructions to get the pleat in the center of both sleeves. You do this exactly as you did the pleat in the center of the front and back pieces (fig. 8).
Sewing the lining together.
Attach the FRONT pieces to the BACK piece at the shoulder seams (if fabric has front and back side lay front side against each other). Sew approximately 1 cm from the edge. Press the seams open (fig. 9).
Attach the SLEEVES, making sure you place them on the right sides (front side of fabric facing down/inwards). Sew approx 1 cm from the edge. Press both seams towards the sleeve (fig. 10A and 10B).
Sew a seam along the bottom of the sleeve and continuing down the side of the body. This will join the sleeve edges to each other and the front pieces and back piece together. Sew approximately 1 cm from the edge. Press the seams open (fig, 11).
Fold and press the cuffs of the sleeves about 1 cm in. (fig. 12).
Lining piece is now finished and ready to be sewn into the jumper/sweater.
Attaching the lining to the sweater/jumper
Turn the jumper/sweater inside out. Turn the lining right side out (fig. 13).
Slip the lining onto the jumper/sweater. Right side of the lining should be facing out (fig. 14).
At the bottom of the neck opening, just above the front pleat, cut small slits in the corners of the lining (fig. 15).
Along the neck of the lining cut small ¾ cm slits about a cm or less apart. This helps to make it easier to turn the edge so it will fit on the sweater’s neckline.
Make sure that the lining is lined up properly on the jumper/sweater (use the shoulder seams as a guide). Fold the neck line of the lining under while matching it with the seam of the jumper/sweater. Fold it all the way around the neck and down the and around the front neck opening and pin it to the neck line. Hand stitch into place (fig. 16 and 17).
Anchor the lining piece to the sweater with pins at the under the sleeves, at the bottom where the side seams are and at the sleeve cuffs where the seams are.
Line up the (already folded under) cuff of the lining with the cuff of the sweater and hand stitch into place. You will need to gather and pleat the fabric of the lining a little so that it fits the sweater’s cuff. This is because the extra 4 cm of fabric used in the center pleat of the sleeves’ lining (fig. 18).
Fold up the bottom of the lining to the length required to match up with the bottom of the sweater and hand stitch into place just like the sleeve cuffs. You will need to gather the fabric a little here too (because of the extra fabric that the pleats of the lining’s front and back pieces) (fig. 19).
Use some small stitches to anchor the lining to the jumper/sweater where the seams meet at the top of the sleeves and bottom of sleeve hole. OBS! Remember to remove all pins before turning right side out! (fig. 20).
