An invisible zipper gives your projects a professional look and ensures a smooth surface. It is particularly suitable for garments such as skirts, pants and dresses where a visible zipper is undesirable. In this article, we will show you how to sew in an invisible zipper.
For beginners, this may seem intimidating at first, but with the simple, illustrated instructions and a little practice, you will be able to sew in a skirt, dress or trouser zipper with ease.
If you would like to sew along, you can download the sewing pattern for a dress with invisible zipper, for example.
Content:
1. Required materials
2. Sewing the zipper
1. Require materials for sewing an invisible zipper
- Fabric of your choice to match your chosen pattern
- Invisible zipper in the appropriate length and color, e.g. invisible zipper (Ad)
- Pins or fabric clips, e.g. pins (Ad)
- Sewing machine
- Invisible zipper presser foot, e.g. invisible zipper presser foot (Ad)
- Regular zipper presser foot, e.g. zipper presser foot (Ad)
- Iron
2. Sewing the zipper
Preparation
Open the zipper and place it with the upper side on the right side of the fabric. The first teeth should start 1cm (7/16in) from the edge.
Pin the first side of the zipper
Pin the zipper so that the edge of the zipper lies exactly on the edge of the fabric. Mark the end of your zipper with a cross needle.
Sew in the invisible zipper: 1. Part
Change the presser foot of your sewing machine to an invisible zipper presser foot. Make sure that the teeth of the zipper are in the groove provided on the presser foot.
Sew in the invisible zipper: 2. Part
Place the second half of the zipper on the right side of the fabric as you did with the first half. Pay attention again to the 1cm (7/16in) distance between the teeth and the edge of the fabric. Pin the zipper in place and mark the end with a cross pin. Sew the second side of the zipper.
Pin open seam (e.g. side seam or center back)
Next, pull the zipper closed and place the two right sides of the fabric that are underneath the zipper (e.g. the side seams or center back) on top of each other at the open edge. Pull the end of the zipper out from between the fabric and pin the two edges without binding the end of the zipper. Start at the end of the already sewn seam.
Sewing the open seam
Now change the presser foot of your sewing machine to the regular zipper presser foot. The seam should start as close as possible to the end of the already sewn seam.
Iron seam
Press the seams open and then smooth from the right side of the fabric.
We hope that these instructions have helped you to master sewing in an invisible zipper. With a little practice, you’ll find that it’s a great technique that will take your sewing projects to the next level and isn’t difficult at all.
You can find out in even more details how to sew in an invisible zipper by watching the video tutorial for the midi dress sewing pattern The Rory Dress from minute 38:50.
Have fun sewing invisible zippers!
