Sewing zippers is an important skill for any seamstress, as many garments and fabric accessories require a zipper. Attaching zippers to an item usually requires several steps and a few important pieces of equipment. A zipper foot for a sewing machine is a must for sewing zippers. If an invisible zipper is being used, a special foot should also be used.
Before the zipper can be attached to a garment or accessory, the seam should be basted together. Basting the seam involves sewing with a long stitch. The long stitches are easy to remove later on, exposing the teeth of the zipper. How long the seam is depends on the length of the zipper, which in turn depends on the project. For example, a 7-inch (18-cm) zipper is ideal for a small skirt, while a jacket requires a longer zipper.
Some seamstresses like to attach a piece of interfacing to the seam to reinforce it when sewing zippers. The interfacing makes the fabric near the zipper thicker and more stable, making it easier to use the zipper. Fusible interfacing should be ironed onto each edge of the seam before it is sewn together.
After the seam is basted, it should be ironed flat so that the zipper can be placed on it. The seamstress should line up the teeth of the zipper with the basted seam so that, when the project is finished and the stitches removed, the zippers teeth are visible. The method of holding the zipper in place when sewing depends on the seamstress’s preference. Some argue that gluing the zipper to the seam is a lot easier than pinning it in place. When sewing zippers, the pins have to be removed before the needle goes over them.
Using a zipper foot when sewing zippers isn’t very difficult. The feet vary from machine to machine but are often very easy to understand. Unlike a standard presser foot, zipper feet are one-sided so that the zipper teeth can glide under the machine easily. Most feet can be switched from the right side to the left side, depending on which half of the zipper is being sewn.
An invisible zipper requires a special zipper foot, which allows the sewer to bring the needle and thread right next to the teeth of the zipper without damage. Sewing invisible zippers can actually be simpler than sewing a basic zipper, as there is no need to baste the seams first. Invisible zippers are sewn against the right side of the fabric with their teeth open.