Everything from replacing broken ones to adding an invisible zip…
Zips – or zippers if you prefer – are notoriously difficult to add, replace or alter. Zip-related sewing tasks are just so fiddly!
So we’ve made searching out some tops tips for you a priority in this blog article. And take heart – there are many more out there in internet land! In the meantime, here are five of our favourite articles that will make life easier for you – and will no doubt help you keep those frustrations to an absolute minimum.
And even enable you to have – whisper it if you dare – a little fun whilst mucking about with those pesky zips!
Invisible zips
The far side of the world to start – to the wonderful Colette, of Tessuti Fabrics in Sydney, and her excellent Invisible Zipper Tutorial.
This is a great step-by step how to, with plenty of clear photos.
We like: “This method of basting the invisible zipper tape to seam allowance helps to get your invisible zipper positioned correctly, in particular when making a garment with a waist seam.”
Lace zippers
Ali has posted a great how to on the Lorelei Jayne website Sew a lace zipper tutorial. She demonstrates how to make pouches with lace zips.
We like: “I also recommend some awesome fabric glue. I use sewline glue for my zips and it works great!”
Replacing a broken zipper
Our next port of call is one of our faves – one of our regular go-to site, the wonderful Threads.
And in the context of this article, one of the most useful tutorials we could find was the groovy How to Replace a Broken Zipper – something that we all have to attempt every now and again!
It’s certainly not one of our favourite tasks, but this online lesson will make the process just that little bit easier.
Top tip: “Remove the zipper without undoing any of the visible topstitching, and slide a new zipper into place. You’ll hand stitch one side to attach it invisibly.”
More invisible zips
This excellent step by step delight is from the website with the best name ever – Tea and a Sewing Machine – could anything be more to the point?
Anna Wilson has written the terrific How to Sew In an Invisible Zip. Replacement zip sewing can be really fiddly – but this series of top tips certainly makes life much easier.
Our favourite bit: “As is often the case with this kind of thing, the proper way of going about things often not the easiest way. Yet if you do things the easy way, most of the time there’s no obvious difference than if you did it the proper way.”
Shortening zippers
The Apple Green Cottage site has a lovely article – How to Shorten Zippers and Make Zipper Tabs.
This will help you present a really great look for your zipper bags, shorten the zip and sew fabric tabs to the end.
We like: Fantastic use of colour!
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