How to Sew a Zipper: Tips for Sewing Zippers on to Fabric

You don't have to pay a seamstress to fix those little sewing problems you may have. With some simple and easy instructions you can be sewing like a professional in no time flat.

Sewing zippers is an area I always had a lot of problems with. Either they weren't straight or I'd have them on the wrong side of the material. That is until I learned a few simple and easy tips that helped me immensely in my sewing endeavors.

1. The first step when beginning a zipper sawing project is choosing the right zipper that coordinates with your material.
2. Then you want to pre wash the zipper by itself in cold water. This will prevent shrinking once it's sewed onto the material and the material is washed. Most zippers are made from all natural fibers,
such as cotton.
3. Then use an iron on gentle heat to gently press the zipper. Make sure the iron is on a very low heat. This will prevent melting.
4. You will then need to interface the zipper seam area. Using a fusible lightweight interfacing cut in 1 inch strips.
5. Iron the interfacing to the zipper seam. Make sure they are very well aligned.
6. Using your sewing machine baste the zipper to the seam allowances.
7.flip the material over so the right side of the fabric is facing up.
Use the zipper foot on your sewing machine to add a topstitch to the seam through all the fabric layers. Making sure and sew from the bottom to the top. This prevents the fabric from rippling.
8. You will then need to remover the basting stitches holding it in place.
Your zipper should be sewed and ready to use.

Remember to purchase a zipper that is slightly longer than your seam and then install so the excess zipper is hanging above the edge of the seam. Cut off any excess and use a whipstitch on your machine to make a zipper stop. Some people even use a glue stick to hold the zipper in place. Of course you can also use double sided invisible tape.

When sewing a zipper by hand some of the basic rules for machine sewing still apply. You'll need to choose a zipper making sure it's the right color, size and material. You'll also need a few supplies consisting of A Tape Measure, Needle, Thread of choice color, Zipper, the Material you want to sew the zipper onto and an 8 by 12 Interfacing.
1. To begin you'll want to layer the material and zipper on top of each other so the right side is visible.
2.iron them together using an iron on low heat. This fuses the zipper and material together. Pin the zipper to the wrong side of the material to keep it secure.
3. Unzip the zipper halfway. Start your stitches and begin to sew. Move zipper up halfway and continue with your stitches. Pin the zipper to the opposite side of the material of the material and begin to sew. Now pin the sides and sew each side. So that basically what you are doing is sewing the zipper in a counter clockwise motion. First the top. Then the bottom. Then sewing the sides of the zipper. After you have sewed the complete zipper onto the fabric unzip the zipper and turn right side out.
Your zipper is complete. For information on sewing visi
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