Threads’
staff seamstress shares her technique BY NORMA BUCKO
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nvisible zippers are the sweethearts of all garment sewers, and they deserve the perfect finish at the neckline, too. After a good many years of altering ready-to-wear garments professionally, I’ve settled on a method for installing an invisible zipper and finishing the garment at the zipper’s top edge. My method minimizes bulk at the top edge and gives a
clean finish on the wrong and right sides. It couldn’t be easier because there is no hand sewing with this method—it can all be done with your machine. Once you’ve mastered this technique, you’ll never want to u se traditional zippers again. Norma Bucko is Treads’ staff seamstress.
Put your best foot forward To sew the best invisible zipper possible, you need the right foot on your machine. Use the invisible zipper foot made specifically for your sewing machine. This foot is generally available through your local dealer. Avoid using generic plastic invisible zipper feet, as they are not stable enough to produce good results. You also need the standard zipper foot and your regular multipurpose sewing foot. Use these to close the seam below the zipper and to attach the lining to the garment.
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MULTIPURPOSE FOOT
STANDARD ZIPPER FOOT
INVISIBLE ZIPPER FOOT
The invisible zipper foot has two grooves for the zipper coils to glide through.
If an invisible zipper foot is unavailable, you can use a standard zipper foot. Before sewing, open the zipper and press the coils flat and away from the tape. Stitch close to the coils, but do not sew on top of them, as this hinders the zipper from closing smoothly.
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From the zipper’s wrong side, press the coils flat.
Using a standard zipper foot, sew close to the invisible zipper coils.
Zipper coil
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Apply the zipper Now you see it—now you don’t. Follow these steps to sew a truly invisible zipper. Then follow the instructions on the next page to finish the top edge. Sew the seam
Lay the open
1 that the zipper
2 zipper over the
Mark the lower zipper stop location.
will occupy. Sew from the hem to 2 or 3 inches from the zipper position.
WS Stitch from the hem to 2 inches from the zipper stop.
seam allowance with right sides together. With top edges aligned, place the zipper teeth along the seamline. 5 The ⁄ 8-inch-wide seam allowance will extend about 1 4 inch beyond the ⁄ zipper tape.
Position the garment and zipper right sides together, with the teeth along the seamline.
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Match seamlines before sewing the second side. If you need to
3 zipper foot to
4 match a seamline, such as a waistline seam, baste the second side
sew the zipper to the garment. Sew from top to bottom. As you stitch, the zipper coils fit into the foot’s groove, so the stitching can stay close to the coil. To facilitate this, gently roll the coils away while sewing. Repeat on the opposite side. If you have a waistline seam, go to step 4 first.
1 inch above and below the intersecting seam. Then close the zipper to check that the seam matches. If it does not, there is only a short portion to unsew. When it matches, finish step 3 to sew the zipper in place.
Use the invisible
ZIPPER RESOURCES AtlantaThread.com Ghees.com TheZipperLady.com ZipperConnection.com ZipperStop.com
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Basting
Sew with the coils in the foot’s groove.
Waist seam
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Close the zipper. With
5 the standard zipper
foot, sew the open seam section below the zipper. Hold the zipper tape away from the foot while you sew close to the zipper. Open and close the zipper a few times to be sure there are no spots that catch.
Close the opening with a standard zipper foot.
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Hold the zipper tape out of the way.
Get a bulk-free finish For professional results, install the zipper, and then follow the machine-sewn process below. The lining is sewn to the zipper seam before the seam that crosses the zipper’s top edge is finished. These instructions describe the neckline seam, but they also can apply to a waistline seam. Assemble the lining.
1 For the zipper seam,
sew the lining from the hem to where it meets the zipper.
With a standard zipper foot, sew the lining to the zipper. Extend the lining seam 1 4 inch beyond allowance ⁄ the garment seam edge. 5 8-inch Stitch with a ⁄ seam allowance from the lining edge. The 1 4 inch seamline is placed ⁄ from the teeth so they won’t catch the lining.
2
Stitch the garment and lining together with 1 the lining extending ⁄ 4 inch beyond the seam allowance. 1 4 inch ⁄
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1 The ⁄ 4 inch distance keeps the lining from catching in the zipper teeth.
Turn the lining and garment right sides together with the zipper teeth exactly at the fold. Sew the neckline seam.
3
Turn the garment and lining right sides together, with the zip per teeth inside along the fold.
Zipper teeth hidden inside the fold
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Smooth and clean, this bulk-free method gives your garments a professional finish inside and out.
Trim, clip, and
4 understitch around the neckline. Carefully press all the seams.
Understitching
When sewn, the neckline’s top edge is smooth and the zipper teeth are exactly at CB.
RS Finish by understitching the neckline.
WHEN THERE’S A FACING
e r e h t i d e r c o t o h P
Facing pieces may be a bit smaller than a lining, but the sewing process is the same. Simply follow the instructions above for the lining, and substitute “facing” for “lining” for a beautifully finished neckline edge. Remember to first install the invisible zipper, and then add the facing.
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