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How to Remove an Acetate Dress Lining

The University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service describes a lining as "a separate, but attached, supportive or inner garment fabric or fabric construction which conceals or covers the inside garment construction." Linings protect the interior of a garment from wear and stains, as well as eliminate the need for an undergarment. When a dress lining becomes damaged or stained, it may be removed and replaced. You can make a new lining or replace it with a similar undergarment. Acetate is a lightweight synthetic fabric with a crisp, shiny finish that allows clothing to glide over the body.

Things You'll Need

Small, sharp scissors
Seam ripper
Ironing board
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  Turn the garment inside out and examine the inside. Note where the lining is attached to the garment and how it's attached. Often the lining is sewn into the sleeve seams and attached to the shoulder seams and hems with cords of knotted thread. The lining is also typically basted to the dress around the zipper.
- 2
  Snip all of the cords that are close to the dress fabric with scissors.
- 3
  Use a seam ripper to help you cut and remove the basting threads that attach the lining to the dress around the zipper.
- 4
  Cut up the center of the lining in the front and the back to allow easy access to the armhole seams. You may skip this step if want to reuse the lining fabric.
- 5
  Pull the lining up and away from the sleeve and the body of the garment. Allow the sleeve and body to hang down out of the way as you cut off the lining around the armhole. Cut the lining 5/8 of an inch from the armhole seam using the scissors. Cut the lining around the other armhole in the same way. You will be leaving a 5/8-inch piece of lining around the seam. Cutting at the seam line is risky because you might clip the dress. Leave enough of the lining that you can press it toward the seam where it won't irritate your skin.
- 6
  Press the remaining 5/8-inch edges of the lining at the armhole toward the sleeve. The lining will be pressed toward the sleeve with the rest of the seam allowances.

Sewing