Constructing the Lining/Facing Unit

There's no need to go into great depth on this step.  Much of the construction is done just like the outer jacket.  However, there are a couple things I do differently from the pattern instructions, so I took some pictures to show.

Depending on your fabric and the finished feel you're going for, you may want to interface the front facing and upper collar.  I'd originally intended to leave mine without interfacing, but decided that the lapel could do with a bit more body, so I ironed on some very lightweight fusible (ProSheer Elegance Light).

Once that's done, stay stitch the entire inside edge of the facing.  Here's where my construction differs:  I always cut some bias strips from my lining and use them to make a Hong Kong finish at the last 6" of that inner bottom edge.

Start by sewing the ease pleat on the back piece according to the markings on your pattern.  Sew the vertical dart and trim it, then sew all the vertical seams of the lining like you did on the outer and press those and the dart open. No need to use the tailor's board and clapper here :-)

Finally, sew the front lining edge to the facing, leaving the last 6" of that seam open.  Press the lining away from the facing instead of pressing that seam open.  I generally sew ALL the vertical seams/darts/pleat and then take the whole thing to the ironing board.

Sew the shoulder seams and press them open, then stay stitch all around the neck line between the circles.

Sew the upper sleeve seam and press it open.  Then turn back the hem allowance and press it.

Make your gathering stitches on the sleeve cap, then sew and press open the remaining sleeve seam.

Pin the sleeve to the lining/facing unit right sides together, matching notches and dots and pulling up the gathering stitches to fit the cap into the armscye.  Sew this seam the way you did on the outer, with one exception:  at the underarm, taper the seam allowance between the notches so that there is only a 3/8" allowance at the bottom.  You can see in the photo below that I forgot to do this the first time and had to pick out my first seam and redo it!

Bringing up the seam gives the lining a little extra room at the underarm to go up and over the underarm seam allowance on the outer of the jacket.

Stitch a second line between the notches like you did on the outer, 1/8" from the first, and trim as before.

Here's my dirty little secret:  when I insert the lining sleeves, I don't worry at all about gathers and puckers.  No one is ever going to see them, so why fret about it?

Here's what we've got so far:

As you can see, at this point I also press up the hem allowance at the bottom.

Next we attach the top collar.  This is done in exactly the same way as we attached the under collar to the outer jacket, so I won't go over it all again.

Don't forget to do this!  It's important!

Once that seam is sewn to your satisfaction, clip into the large dot just like you did on the outer:

Then trim the neck seam allowance, remembering to keep the lapel seam allowance intact.  Press it open on the tailor's board.

Here's how your finished lapel area should look:

See how that lapel seam allowance can flip all the way up?  You need to make sure to clip far enough in so that bit can open up as much as possible.  It will make sewing the collar and lapel MUCH easier and help you get a good join at the lapel notch.

The next step is to join this unit to the outer jacket.  We are getting SO close to finishing now!