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Lauren Venell writes in:
I have a wool peacoat that has held up perfectly on the outside, but the lining is literally in shreds. How can I replace the lining in time for winter without having to sew the whole thing in by hand? I cannot for the life of me figure out how the lining was sewn in by machine without stitches showing on the outside of the coat.
Coat linings are sewn in with the coat entirely inside-out. Just like a plush toy, a small opening is left somewhere so that it can be turned right side out, then the hole is hand sewn shut. This hole is usually somewhere along the bottom edge of the lining. Open it up with a seam ripper and reverse the entire thing. You’ll then see that the lining is sewn by machine to the outer layers of the coat. Use your seam ripper again to free the old lining, and even use it to construct a pattern for the new lining. Best of luck to you! As you can see from these pictures, I’m facing the exact same problem with my vintage peacoat.
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