Let's Talk: Linings

Normally, once I blog about a finished item, you don't see it again on the blog unless it is paired with an even newer garment. But today I thought we'd do something a little different and revisit the trousers that I sewed back at Thanksgiving and finally blogged about in March. 

I loved lining them in in a poly charmeuse print from Janky Store that was in my stash. I had sewn a top with it way back in 2011. The top is still going strong, by the way.  

Anyway, I wore these trousers yesterday. They get worn almost weekly.  When I took them off, however,  I noticed that there was some damage to the lining on the inseam at the high thigh area. So, I turned them inside out and this is what I found. 

The seam was totally shredded. Now, I think of this as an area of high stress on my trousers.  It's not the first time I've seen a lining fail in that area, albeit never one that I have sewn myself.  However, my second discovery was surprising.

This is the outseam. And not at a spot that you would think places any stress on the seams. It's also not on the side where I carry my purse or anything, so it's not like there would be friction. Anyway, the long and short is that this is a complete and utter fabric fail. The poly completely shredded.  

So, while I re-line these trousers, let's talk about linings. This definitely was not a fabric designed to be a lining, but I thought in both weight and feel it would be a good choice. It certainly felt nice on, helped my trousers glide on and off, and smoothed over any lumps and bumps. It was also heavier than Bemberg, which has always been my go-to for bottoms, and therefore warmer on those cold winter days (it was a bit warm to be wearing yesterday.)

So, how do you choose linings and what to you generally use?  

After my very first lining experience, in which the poly or rayon lining I was using was so thin and slithery that - novice that I was at the time - I found it challenging to cut and impossible to sew, I used only Bemberg linings for the longest time. I still like Bemberg, but I have branched out too. 

I've used silk charmeuse for things like my leather jacket (two thumbs up)... 

My Magnum Opus Jacket with silk lining

And china silk to line chiffon, like this top...

Cotton batiste for summer linen and seersucker trousers...

And even cotton lawn to line a jacket, which was not my best idea,  to be honest. It makes it hard to pull on over a top, lovely though the print is. 

Recently, I've tried some poly linings, too, like these gold wool trousers. 

And here is where the verdict is out for me. I've never had a natural fiber disintegrate the way poly has occasionally done for me. 

So, what are your experiences with linings?  Do you have a strong preference or a range of purpose or weather-specific preferences? Do tell.  And seriously, what the heck...