how to sew in a zipper
How to Sew in a Zipper
Whether you are sewing a dress, blouse or even a simple pouch, you need fasteners to hold it in place. Zippers are one of the most versatile of garment fasteners and here, we are going to teach you how to sew a zipper.
- Fabric piece
- Needle
- Thread
- Zipper
- First align the two fabric pieces on which you want to sew the zipper on your work table. Place one fabric over the other with a seam allowance of 5/8 inches and baste the seam together with a running stitch. Make sure that you baste the seam with medium-sized stitches, so that it is easier to remove the stitches later.
- Next lay the zipper over the seam of the fabric, with the teeth of the zipper aligned over the edge of the seam. Make sure that you do not unzip the zipper before sewing it to the fabric.
- Pin the tape of the zipper (i.e., the fabric edge) to the seam allowance of the fabric with small sewing pins. This should be done on both sides of the zipper tape and the pull tab of the zipper should be aligned towards the top of the fabric seam.
- Once you are done pinning the zipper tape in place, sew back stitches on one side of the zipper tape, making sure that the stitches are inside the seam allowance and the basting.
- Repeat the same step on the other side of the zipper tape.
- Sew another row of back stitches on both sides of the zipper tape, this time going a little closer to the zipper teeth.
- Next sew the zipper tape flat by stitching cross stitch over the entire length of the zipper tape on both sides. The stitches should be small and not to tight so as to snag the fabric.
- Now, turn the fabric over and remove the basting stitch by carefully loosening them with a seam ripper.
- Open the zipper to make sure that it works well and opens and closes with ease.