Hi!

Welcome to Sewing School! Today we are going to learn How to Sew a Zipper.  Are you excited?  The lesson today is part of my “Sewing Lessons”  blog series sponsored by Bernina.  

Just a note, all of the instructions today will be based on using a Bernina 710 machine, but you can use ANY  brand sewing machine and follow the SAME directions.   I will say things like “adjust your stitch length to 6″ , if you don’t have the same sewing machine as me, you’ll just need to know how to adjust your stitch length. If you’re not sure, pull out your user manual.

This sewing technique is one that I picked up in a class at my local sewing shop, the Smocking Shop.  They have a masters class and this was featured as one of their mastery techniques. They have graciously agreed to let me share the technique with you here today.

This technique might be a bit different than one that you have learned in the past, I think this one so much EASIER than how I learned to put in a zipper originally.

Before we get started a few things:

• For teaching purposes, we are going to pretend you want to add a zipper to a skirt.
• I picked crazy colors so that they would show up for illustration purposes. This is not a real skirt. I know that nothing matches :)
• STOP being scared of zippers!  Your fear is going to hold you back more than anything. Try it, if you fail so what. You can unpick it and do it again.  You’re only going to learn this by DOING.

First up.

Start with a zipper that is at least 2” larger than the one called for in your pattern. It can be even bigger than that, but go for at least 2” longer.

From your pattern, mark where the zipper should stop. (You can see it in the photo above, it’s the purple mark)

On your sewing machine adjust your stitch length to 6 (or as high as it will go, it might only go to 5). On the 710 it’s super easy, just turn the bottom dial and watch the stitch length get longer, stop when you get to 6.

Here’s a trick, see that red tape? That’s washi tape.  I use it to mark my seam allowances when I’m sewing. For this technique we want to use a 1/2” seam allowance. (that’s 1/2 from the needle to the edge of the fabric)

Begin sewing at the top of your skirt, you are basting the seam. When you get to the purple mark where the zipper should stop, change your stitch length back to 2 1/2. Don’t take your fabric out of the machine, or cut your thread.

Finish sewing the remainder of the seam with a 2 1/2” stitch length and a 1/2” seam allowance. Stop when you get to the bottom of the skirt.

Press the seam open.

Take your zipper and place it on the seam. Have the top of the zipper at least 1” above the fabric. Mark the top of the fabric on the zipper and the place that the zipper should stop.

With the right side of the zipper facing the seam, pin one side of the zipper to the edge of the fabric.  Your zipper is 1/2” wide on each side and your seam allowance is 1/2” , it should match up.

Change to a zig zag stitch. On the 710 I set my stitch width to 4.2 and my length to 3.5. Just find a zig zag stitch on your machine.

Zig zag the zipper to the seam allowance. Your stitch will go over the edge. Stop when you get to the mark you made for the zipper stop.

It will look like this when you are done. Do the same thing for the other side.

Here’s what it will look like. You can see the marks I made for the zipper start and stop points.

Put the zipper foot on your machine. Most all machines come with one. Check your manual if you’re not sure which one it is.

On the 710 in the sewing advisor select woven medium, then zipper.

Check on your machine if you need to move your needle over. You don’t want the needle to hit your foot.

Starting at the top, sew 3/8” from the seam. I eyeball this, you just want a straight line all the way down, and for it to be the same on both sides. You can use your zipper foot as a width measurement if you like.

When you get to the point that your zipper should stop, put your needle down and pivot. Sew over the zipper (yes you can do that) and stop on the other side of the seam.  Do one back stitch.

Do NOT pivot and go back up the zipper, your fabric will bunch up. Start again at the top of the zipper on the other side, and sew down until you get to the stopping point.  Do one back stitch.

It will look like this. Unpick the basting stitches. Now don’t be confused that the zipper is ABOVE the skirt top, we will get to that.

Move the zipper pull down so that it’s at least 2” below the skirt top.  Now just cut off those zipper ends.

Now, if you didn’t put a facing on your skirt, the zipper pull would come right off, not a good thing.  Next let’s put the skirt facing on, and you’ll see how it all comes together.

Sew your skirt facing to the skirt, make sure that the facing is at least 1/2” longer than the skirt (usually a facing is interfaced but I skipped that part). Stop sewing at the edge of the zipper.

Press this seam up. Sew a “stitch in the ditch” 1/4” up from the seam. This will keep your waist band from rolling up.

Press under the extra facing fabric.

Turn it down and press. Hand stitch the facing to the zipper to secure. (and so your facing doesn’t get stuck in your zipper)

You’re done! Feel free to leave questions in the comment box, I’ll be sure to get them.

Follow this blog to get updates on the rest of the Sewing Lessons this year!

The post How to Sew a Zipper appeared first on The Polka Dot Chair.

ONE:

Does anyone remember “the incident” from a few years ago?  Fast forward to today and this fun new rotary cutter shows up in the mail, and my husband says “do they know you’re not to be trusted with those things?”

Well apparently OLFA does trust me to use a rotary cutter because they sent me one of their new models. Besides the fact that it’s so pretty, it has a much better system to change the blade.

No more washers! Just click the lever on the back and the blade pops off.  Easier, and quicker, which is good for me (as I’m a klutz).

TWO:

If you’ve ever been wanting to try a class at Craftsy, now’s the time. It’s Craftsy Free Class Day !

I love the Craftsy format, you can take the classes at your own pace and go back and review them whenever you want.  I’ve got a long list of “want to take” classes.

THREE:

Last weekend was the Lulu Life Soiree! I had so much fun teaching with Gretchen and Natalie of LuluBelles. I so admire them for taking the leap into bringing creative events to the Louisville area.

Everyone had fun making their banners and I loved seeing all of the different combinations of embellishments that they chose.

FOUR:

Speaking of teaching, I can’t believe I forgot to mention that I’m teaching at the Sewing Summit this year!! I went 2 years ago and had such a fabulous time! I’ll be teaching a beginning English Smocking class! I love to smock just don’t blog about it too much,  you can see read about it a bit here.  Registration is open and if I’m not mistaken there are still a few seats left.

FIVE:

Last weekend was also my oldest daughter’s prom. I know I’m totally biased but doesn’t she look amazing? She picked out the dress and I’m so happy with it. I think it’s timeless and the way it compliments her complexion just makes me smile.  She’s graduating this year, so between turning 40 and having a high school graduate I’m sure I’m due for a mid life crisis soon *wink* (I’m kidding of course, well maybe).

The post Five things on a Saturday appeared first on The Polka Dot Chair.

This week I turned 40 years old. To be honest I’m really not sure how I feel about that, it could take up a post all in itself.

For my 40th birthday gift, my Mom sent me the cutest thing! It was such a fun and unique idea that after I had opened a couple of the packages I thought “I HAVE to stop and take pictures of this!” It was such a nice idea that I wanted to share it with you here today.

Last week 2 big boxes showed up in the mail.  I set them aside to open on my actual birthday.

Inside each box I found individually wrapped and numbered gifts.

The gifts were numbered 1-40. One gift for each year.

The first few gifts were framed photos of significant times in my life, my wedding, my kids being born and a few of me as a baby.

The rest of the gifts were all things that I had done or liked to do. There were paint brushes, crayons, kitchen gadgets, travel charms, notebooks, candy and all kinds of other fun things.  I was seriously so touched by all of the effort and thought that she put into the gift.

The last gift was 40 one dollar bills that were bound together like a notebook (you can get them at the bank like this).  Something tells me this will get spent on fabric :)

After I opened a few gifts I waited until the kids all got home so they could help me open the rest. They got such a kick out of seeing what was in all of those packages!

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