Sewing 101: Your 7 Step Program to Inserting a Zipper

Alvin Littlepaw enjoying his new giraffe pillows.  

When making pillow covers the other day, I realized that sewing in a zipper can seem daunting, but not anymore, thanks to a fabulous sewing teacher I just had.  

Step One: Placing the right sides of fabric together, machine baste a 1/2 to 1 inch seam where the zipper is going to be inserted. (If you're using a pattern, go by the pre-determined seam allowance).  You must baste, because you'll be ripping this seam out later on.  


Step 2: Open up the seam and press open. Did you remember to baste the edges with the right sides together? It's ok, sometimes I forget to too! If not... rip it out and do it again. 


Step 3: Ready?  You see that little seam you made? Place the zipper, closed and centered, on top top of that seam, with the front of the zipper facing down.  "But the seam is closed," you exclaim! "Why am I placing a zipper on a closed seam?"  Not to worry, we'll get there...

Step 4: Pin that baby down.  Make sure the pins are facing the zipper head (zipper pull, whatever you want to call it). We're going to sew the zipper next and its VERY IMPORTANT to only sew UP the zipper, not down.  Why? I honestly don't know why, that's just the way I was taught, that's the way my sewing teacher was taught, so I'm not going to mess with that.  

Interlude:  Meet the Zipper Foot, your zipper's best friend.  It makes sewing in zippers so easy because it allows you to get as close as you can to the zipper without sewing through the teeth.  While there technically are also "invisible zipper feet" for your invisible zippers, I don't find them necessary.  

Interlude Two:  

Zipper #1 (Chevron Print)

Zipper #2 (Center Line) 

Get to know your zipper.  Zipper #1 has a neat little chevron print and zipper #2 has a center line running through.  If you have the first kind, that you'll use the center chevron point as your seem guide.  If you have the second kind... well, follow the line, and you'll be fine! This part is useful for Step 6 - so don't use these guiding lines for Step 5, OK? You're going to rip these seams out later as well.  

Step 5: Set up your zipper foot according to your machine's directions.  When you are sewing on the left side, the foot will sit on the left, and vice versa for the right. 

OK - we're not ready to put in the permanent seem yet.  Let's machine baste the sides first - more work, but trust me, it'll be worth it.  Baste the zippers on the far left and far right sides of the zipper. Remember:  ignore the chevron/middle line, you'll sew that after. 

Step 6: Set your machine on a regular/tighter stitch and medium tension. Keep your zipper foot on, and NOW you can sew a straight line down the center of the zipper.  Go slow, take your time.  You don't want to sew over the teeth.


When you flip the fabric over to the right side, it should look like this... hopefully your seams will be neater than mine ;)

"But where's the zipper," you exclaim! It's just hiding, like a present waiting to be unwrapped...  

Step 7: Grab your seam ripper, we've got a lot of ripping(gentle ripping) to do. First, rip out the basted seems on the far sides.  Then, start ripping out the center seam. It's like opening a present, right?

I like to sew the zipper tails into the rest of the fabric by machine, or you can hand tack as well. 


And there you have it!  You'll be a zipper pro in no time. Questions, comments, recipes of the month?  Let me know!  Thanks, NS