Can anybody help me with this? What’s the best method to sew the cloth lining onto the bag so that it’s not visible on the outside?
Depending on the opening some of the inner fabric may be visible all or some of the time. The farther down from the upper edge it begins the less likely it’ll show. Using a woven fabric, with little to no stretch, inside a knit item, which has quite a bit of stretch, can present problems. You might need to work on the bias for the lining. (Crocheted bags are easier to line as they have very little stretch.) You’ll also need to allow for the bag to stretch vertically when items in the bag weight it down. If you make the lining exactly the length of the bag, unweighted, the lining may end up too short once contents are added. I use a blind or hidden hem st around the top, picking up just some of the yarn fibers, where I join the lining to the bag as I don’t like visible thread sts.
Does that help?
cam
Granted, this is crochet bag, but an example of sewn-in lining. (Various other fabrics denote misc pocket flaps.) Not the best pics.
cam
:passedout:
Gosh…I’m seriously in the dark about what to do. So I make some room in the lining for the bag to stretch? And I use a normal thread to stitch the lining to the top of the bag?
I’d sugg you measure the height of the bag empty and then put the stuff in that you’re planning to carry. Measure the height again to see how much it’s stretched. When you cut the vertical fabric pieces, allow for any add’l length. (Thus, when the bag is empty the bottom of the fabric may be a bit lumpy.) If the intended contents have essentially no weight (a few small skeins of yarn and couple needles) adding length wouldn’t be an issue…you could just cut to size. Make sure when cutting pieces you allow for sturdy seam allowances (don’t skimp). The lining takes wear and tear.
Depending on the style of the bag you may need to cut a piece for the shape of the bottom, and then for the sides, OR you may be able to just cut side pieces and seam the bottom edges of those. I always sew the actual lining pieces by machine but then attach to the bag with hand sts using reg merc thread.
cam
Here is a picture heavy tutorial for bag lining that I have used in the past. Good luck!!
Very good tut. One thing I’d do differently, tho, is the ‘hem st’ they used. I find that’s not practical on an edge that has to withstand hands/items passing by. Those lengths of visible thread are prone to snagging. A blind st works better (it’s also virtually invisible) and no thread caught by rings, keys, etc.
cam
Hi don’t want to hijack your thread but I had a quick question for
these experts! 
If I want to keep a knitted bag from stretching
too much would I made the lining the total length I wanted the bag?
Would that keep the knitted part of the bag from stretching out
of shape?
Libbie
The knitted bag and the woven lining are two diff animals. If the st patt of the bag wants to stretch a lot you’d have to attach the lining in enough places to potentially stabilize the knit fabric from doing what it wants to do: stretch. Therefore your lining would need to be extra sturdy, just [I]slightly[/I] larger than the knit bag, and attached in many places (such as along side seams, midway from side seams, bottom, etc.). Depending on the st patt, the sz of the bag, the shape, the weight of the lining fabric (it might be able to take all the weight of the contents and never allow the bag’s knit fab to stretch), etc that might actually cause visible ‘tension’ areas where the lining and bag are joined so you might need to also sew thru the bag and lining in several add’l little spots to essentially ‘lock’ the open areas to the lining as well. Kind of difficult to get into the specifics of what you’d need to do w/o knowing the exact details of the project you’re working on but hope that gives a general idea.
HTH,
cam
Ta-dah! It’s finally done! Admitted not the best work…shoddy, in fact But I had to stitch by hand as I don’t have a machine. oh well…I love it! My first bag! :woohoo:
I have two bags on my needles and have obsessed with lining them. I’m felting them, though, so it will be much easier. I can’t imagine trying to line one that isn’t felted.