How to sew a zipper. How to sew a hidden zipper into a skirt Methods for sewing a zipper

In this article you will learn how to quickly sew a zipper. This is a very simple technique that even a novice master can master. The zipper will fit straight, and you will spend no more than 10-15 minutes on the whole process, and even less if you practice a little.

Using this method, you can sew zippers into any type of clothing and accessories, provided that it is not hidden (like in jeans). Skirt, dress, pillowcase, jacket, trousers, bag... Our step-by-step master class will be useful in any of these cases. You can sew a zipper on ready-made items or on ones you make yourself. It’s convenient to do this at any stage of the creative process, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties.

What do we need?

zipper of the right size
thin tape

Progress

First, you need to fold the two halves of the fabric with the right sides inward. At a distance of approximately 1-2 cm (depending on the size of the zipper), make a continuous line using a sewing machine. Just sew the pieces together in the place where the zipper should be (don't worry, we don't sew the item forever, we'll remove this seam later).

We straighten the piece and smooth the seam, straightening it out.

We apply the zipper to the fabric and secure it with tape in several places. If there is no tape, attach it with safety pins or needles.

Turn the fabric over to the right side and sew a zipper on both sides using a machine.

Please note that there is no need to interrupt the sewing process - you need to sew a zipper at the bottom as well.

All that remains is to carefully rip apart the central part - the same one that we sewed first. It just covers the sewn-in zipper. We do this carefully using a steamer. If you don't have one, try using nail scissors.

A hidden zipper is indispensable when you need a fastener that is invisible from the front side for a dress, skirt, or bag. It is not so easy to sew it in correctly without deforming the product. What do you need to know to sew a hidden zipper?

Features of a hidden zipper

The peculiarity of a hidden zipper is that it is hidden in the seam of the product, and only the slider remains on the surface. In the regular one it is located on the side of the teeth, in the secret one - on the reverse side. But don’t be confused, some regular zippers also have teeth hidden under the braid. You can distinguish it this way: in a hidden zipper, when open, the teeth are easy to bend, in other types - not.

How to choose the right hidden zipper? Pay attention to the width, type and density of the base material. The lighter the fabric of the product, the thinner the zipper is chosen. The length should be 2-3 cm longer than the planned length of the fastener.

Iron the zipper before working. If it is on a cotton ribbon, this is done with steam. The fact is that the zipper tape can stretch or shrink and wrinkle the fabric in the finished product.

“Hidden” foot for stitching

To sew a hidden zipper, a special foot is used, which allows you to sew it as close to the teeth as possible. It is not always included with the sewing machine, but is sold in specialized stores. It differs from the usual one in the shape of the sole: on the surface of the product there are grooves or grooves for the zipper spiral.

To choose the right presser foot, take with you to the store any one that is suitable for your sewing machine. The paws of different models have design features:

on the “leg”;
with removable sole;
with screw fastening.

They can also be metal or plastic. Metal models will last longer. Plastic is a less durable material. Over time, such a foot is deformed by the needle or the teeth of the machine bar, and its sliding deteriorates. But if the foot is needed for one-time work, then a plastic product will do.

What do you need for work?

To sew a zipper you will need:

zipper;
chalk
ruler;
tailor's pins;
needle and thread;
"secret" foot.

Before starting work, check the tension of the upper and lower threads in the machine. If it is strong, then loosen it, otherwise after stitching the zipper will bristle.

Do not use needles and threads that are too thick for stitching.

Non-woven strips

It is not difficult to sew a zipper so as not to stretch the fabric. It is necessary to glue the seam allowances in the place where the zipper is inserted using non-woven strips. For this purpose are intended:

formband - oblique non-woven tape with a central stitch, which is used on oblique cuts or for knitwear and is glued so that the central line coincides with the seam markings;
contentband - a non-woven adhesive strip, cut in a straight line, which is glued beyond the seam marking by 1 mm.

If there is no formband or contenband, strips are cut from non-woven fabric: for oblique cuts and knitwear on the bias, for straight ones - in a straight line.

How to properly sew a hidden zipper

To sew in a hidden zipper, a series of sequential steps are performed.

The first stage is preparation

Measure from the inside 1.5 cm from the cut of the fabric and draw a chalk line on both sides.
Glue strips of non-woven fabric - formband or contenband - to the seam allowances at the stitching site. If the fabric is rough and dense, you can do without interlining.
Baste the seam along the markings.
Seal the edges with an overlocker or by hand.
Iron the seam. In this case, first iron the seam on one side, and then iron it on opposite sides.

Second stage - basting

Place the closed zipper in the center to the stitching site, make chalk marks on the seam allowances and the zipper tape symmetrically on both sides in two or three places. You will need them to sew the zipper more accurately. The top of the fastener should line up with the top seam mark for the waistband for the skirt or neckline if it's a dress.
Insert pins along the marks across the fastener and fasten the zipper with the seam allowances under the teeth.
Baste the zipper over the seam allowances, piercing only one layer of fabric.
Remove the pins, remove the seam basting, and open the zipper.

The third stage - stitching

Sew the zipper on the machine using a special foot until it rests on the fastener. If there is no special foot, use a regular one. Then you need to manually bend the zipper spiral and make sure that the seam goes as close to the spiral as possible without damaging it. If you have little experience, then it is better to attach both sides from above to prevent distortion.
Close the zipper and make sure everything is done correctly.
Continue the side seam so that the bottom bartack is not visible. It should be 0.5-0.7 cm below the end of the seam.
Remove basting.

How to sew in a hidden zipper - video

Features of sewing in a hidden zipper

Depending on the specific product, fabric, cut and place of stitching, there are some nuances. Below are different options for sewing in a zipper.

Bag, pillowcase

The easiest way to sew a zipper into a bag or pillowcase is to sew a zipper to the cut but not sewn parts, and then assemble the product. The zipper should be 5 cm longer than the fastener. Instead of basting, a glue stick for fabrics is also used.

We apply the markings to the front side of the product.
Coat the allowance with glue.
Place the unzipped zipper with the slider down, aligning the spiral with the marking line and press with a hot iron.

To avoid staining the ironing surface, place paper under the part. After this, all that remains is to sew the zipper on the machine and assemble the product.

Seamless circle skirt

The first step is to mark where you will sew the zipper.
Carefully cut the fabric to the length of the fastener, adding 5-7 cm.
We duplicate (glue) the sections with a suitable non-woven tape and overlay the sections.
We sew in the zipper.
We close the rest of the incision with a suture.

Dress

If the clasp on a dress starts below the neckline or armhole, the seam is sewn down in advance before the clasp begins to be released. We carefully combine the details along the waistline, especially in cut-off dresses.

Important! If the fabric is cut on the bias or the cut is curved, duplicate the allowances with non-woven tape. We do the same with thin and knitted (stretchy) fabrics.

How to sew a zipper into the side seam of a dress cut at the waist - video

Sewing a hidden zipper into any product is not so difficult if you know some tricks and secrets. Guided by the described recommendations, everyone can do this without difficulty.

There are many ways to sew in a zipper, I would like to suggest trying one of them - not difficult to perform, but with an unusual order of operations.

Use soap to mark the stitching line for the seam where the zipper will be and pin together the details of the product.

Sew along the marked line using the largest stitch.

This seam will need to be removed at the very end of the work.

Press seam allowances.

Pin one part of the zipper with the right side to the seam allowance, moving the teeth one millimeter away from the seam.

Using a single-sided presser foot, sew a stitch, moving 2 millimeters away from the zipper teeth. .

Fasten the zipper and bend it to the other side. Pin to a width of 5-7 millimeters.

Place a stitch, stepping back from the fold by 1-2 millimeters.

Turn the zipper back to the seam allowance and pin the other side of it with pins.

Place a stitch along the second side of the zipper, moving 2 millimeters away from the teeth.

Turn the piece over to the right side and pin it together, marking the finishing stitch line.

Place a finishing stitch, while catching the zipper.

Iron the knot from the front side.

Delete the very first line.

Voila! Everything turned out beautifully and neatly!

Another option for sewing in a zipper:

Place one end of the zipper face to face on the seam allowance of the product, which has been previously overcast (here in the photo it is not overcast, since the product was sewn on a lining) and stitch, stepping back from the edge of the zipper by 2 millimeters.

Turn back the seam allowances on the product and stitch along the product 1-2 millimeters from the fold.

Sew the second side of the zipper in the same way. In the photo there is a valance detail or placket under the zipper.

And one more option. This involves attaching a zipper from the front side to the product.

You also need to stitch the seam and iron the seam allowances. If necessary, overcast or edge the allowances.
Then turn the piece over to the front side.

Place the zipper and pin it over the seam connecting the parts.

Sew the zipper with a zigzag or other finishing stitch.

Delete the first line to connect the parts.

Hello, my dear readers)). Today I want to dwell on a fairly important topic in sewing accessories and consider everything in detail types of lightning, what they are and how to choose the right zipper when sewing clothes.

A zipper is necessary for fastening clothes or various decorations for clothes.

The zipper can be used as the main part - on the fasteners of skirts, dresses, jackets, or can be used as an additional element when fastening pockets, some unusual folds, on accessories.

All zippers work on the same principle, but have different tooth shapes. Lightning is divided into 3 types:

spiral
tractor
secret

Zipper teeth also differ, they can be of two types:

plastic (plastic)
metal

Lightning can also be:

detachable
one-piece
with two locks

One-piece zippers put on dresses, skirts, trousers, pockets, they unfasten only on one side.

Detachable zippers used when sewing jackets and furniture covers; they unfasten on both sides.

Double zippers There are also one-piece and detachable ones. Detachable ones are used in jackets and covers, and non-detachable ones are used in tents, backpacks and bags.

When choosing a zipper, you should consider that each has its good and bad sides. Synthetic zippers are not susceptible to corrosion and are very elastic. But still, metal zippers are reliable and durable; it is not without reason that they are used on sports and heavy clothing (when increased strength is needed).

Components of lightning

Runner (“dog”)- a lock that, moving along the zipper, closes and opens the zipper, closing the teeth.
Lightning links are actually the teeth of lightning themselves.
Zipper tape is a special strip of fabric on which zipper teeth are attached along the edges.
A rivet clip is a metal or plastic plate that prevents the lock from slipping off the zipper. There are two clips at the top of the zipper, and one clip at the bottom of the permanent zipper. And there are two clips on the detachable zippers at the bottom.

Types of runners (locks)

There are three types of zippers:

Automatic - there is a mechanism inside the lock that prevents the zipper from opening in any position of the tongue on the lock.
Semi-automatic - when the tongue is lowered down, the zipper does not unfasten due to the stupor.
Haberdashery - a runner without fixation or stupor.

Application of types of zippers when sewing clothes

Spiral zippers are used in summer and spring clothes and bags.

Tractor zippers are often used when sewing outerwear, backpacks and bags.

Tractor zippers with rhinestones are often used for decoration.

Iron zippers are used to sew jackets, jeans and bags.

Concealed zippers are indispensable when sewing clothes from thin and light fabrics.

It is very important to choose the right zipper when sewing a product, otherwise a not very pleasant situation may result. I sewed men's windbreaker made of raincoat fabric, and I had a zipper prepared for it - a plastic tractor one, and when I sewed it into the jacket, the zipper began to lie in a wave, that is, for a thin jacket made of raincoat fabric it was necessary to take a light spiral zipper, and not a rough tractor one. But who knew?! This all comes only with experience.

It should also be noted that zippers vary in quality. A good zipper should be sealed with a special mesh, the zippers are of high quality, and the zipper should be unfastened very easily. All these qualities are necessary so that the lightning can withstand long-term load.

These points are especially important when sewing children's jackets and lighter clothing, since the child should under no circumstances break the lock and other components of the zipper. Therefore, you need to approach the issue of choosing accessories for children's clothing especially responsibly.

How can you sew in a zipper?

There are several ways to sew a zipper into clothing. Now we will look at each of them in detail.

And also a useful video on this topic:

How to sew a zipper into a “frame”?

A zipper is sewn into the seam of a dress or skirt, as well as in various children's clothing - overalls, sweatshirts, etc.

This zipper looks very beautiful, so this method of sewing in a zipper will be very useful to you.

This method is indispensable when processing the codpiece on trousers. The principle is that the zipper is sewn under the bar and is not visible from the outside.

And a detailed video about the fastener on trousers:

I hope the article was useful to you, and see you soon on the blog.

Currently, in stores, in addition to the usual zipper, you can also buy a secret zipper. This is a very popular type of fastener used in various dress models. Secret - that is, invisible and unnoticeable. This quality allows it to be used for sewing many products.

So, in order to sew such a fastener, you will need certain sewing skills and perseverance. You also need materials and tools. First, you need the hidden zipper itself. In appearance, it resembles a regular one, only it has teeth on the reverse side. From the inside it is the same as a regular zipper from the front. The hidden zipper has a groove near the lock itself, along which it should be sewn. The seam can be laid further from the groove, but not closer. The clasp must be approximately 2 cm longer than the slit. Secondly, you will need a needle, thread and a sewing machine with a special foot for sewing a zipper (single-foot). Thirdly, we need a product to which we will sew a zipper. In our example, this is a skirt.

Before sewing the fastener into the skirt, you need to decide where it will be located - in the side or middle seam. The technique of sewing into all seams is the same. The hidden zipper and threads must match the color of the product. After choosing a location, we get to work. We'll look at how to sew a hidden zipper into the middle back seam of a skirt.

First, on the skirt, mark the finished length of the lock with chalk or a pin, it is about 20 cm. Then we sew the middle seam from this mark. Before stitching, the sections must be overcast using an overlocker or sewing machine. If the product is made of stretch fabric, then before stitching, the place where the zipper is sewn in should be glued with strips of dublerin so that the fabric does not stretch.

After the sections are glued, overcast, the seam is sewn and pressed, we begin to sew in the fastener. We place it on the fabric so that the upper tails are free. This will be required to process the top cut. First, pin both sides of the zipper to the fabric, and then baste cut to cut, departing 0.5 cm from the edge. Having done this, make sure that the secret lock is not skewed.

Then we install a special foot on the sewing machine for sewing in the zipper. We place the skirt so that one side of the fastener is under the paw. We start the line from the fastener and lay it strictly along the groove to the place where the middle seam of the skirt begins.

We sew the other side as well. After sewing in the zipper, you need to close it and see if there are any distortions anywhere. To do this, carefully, so as not to damage the stitching, first pull out the tail and then the dog itself through the free space below.

Sometimes you need to sew a hidden zipper into a skirt made of stretch fabric with a lining without a belt. The lining in skirts is used to prevent the back of the product from stretching out during wear and to better preserve its shape. Also, thanks to the lining, you can avoid the skirt sticking to your legs and causing electricity. In addition, such a skirt will last much longer and will wrinkle less.

Now let's talk about how to sew a hidden zipper into a skirt made of stretch fabrics. As mentioned above, first we glue the place where the lock will be sewn in with strips of dublerin 2 cm wide.

Then we do everything in the same way as on a skirt made of regular fabric. Only then is it necessary to sew a facing with a lining on both sides of the zipper. The facing and lining are sewn in a circle before the secret lock is sewn in. Having laid the seam from the inside out to the fastener, we grab the free tail that we left earlier. We sew the lining to the seam allowance, where the hidden zipper is already sewn. We finish the seam at 0.5 cm of the middle seam of the lining. We also do the other side.

Now everything is sewn. All that remains is to turn it inside out and iron it through a damp cloth. We figured out how to sew a hidden zipper into a lined skirt.