5 steps to carefully sew a zipper

Are you tired of never being able to sew a zipper perfectly? I will reveal the five steps I follow to obtain an impeccable result. You don’t need to be a sewing expert: just follow these few tips to master the art of zipping.

Step 1: Prepare the material and fabric

Before starting, it is essential to gather all the elements necessary to sew a zipper:

• The zipper of the right length and type (invisible or classic)
• The fabric on which the zipper will be sewn
• Thread to match the fabric and zipper
• A sewing machine, equipped with a special zipper foot
• Pins
• A serger
• Chalk or erasable marker to mark the fabric

Now that everything is ready, remember to leave an adequate seam allowance on the fabricusually 1cm wide. It is essential to have an even seam allowance to obtain a clean and precise result.

Step 2: Mark the location of the hinge

Start by marking where you want to sew the zipper onto the fabric. Because of this, Mark both edges of the fabric with an erasable marker or chalkmaking sure to stay within the seam allowance. Also remember to mark the location of the bottom of the zipper so you know how far to sew.

Trick :

If you want the zipper to be invisible you can make a template, which is a small piece of fabric sewn between the zipper and the main fabric. The shape prevents hair and clothing from getting caught in the zipper when it is closed.

Step 3: Baste the zipper in place

Once you have marked the location correctly, you can place the zipper on the fabric. Make sure it is well aligned with the marks drawn previously and secure it with pins. After, build the zipper by making some stitches by hand so that it does not move while machine stitching.

This step is essential because it guarantees that the zipper does not slip during machine stitching and that the result will be flawless.

Step 4: Sew the zipper

Now that the zipper is securely fastened in place, it’s time to move on to machine stitching. To do this, equip your machine with a special zipper foot, so you can sew as close as possible to the zipper teeth without damaging them.

Start stitching on one end of the zipper and continue sewing a few millimeters from the closing teeth, respecting the margin traced previously. Be careful not to go too fast, and don’t hesitate to use your machine’s stitch-to-stitch function if it has one.

Trick :

When you reach the bottom of the zipper, stop a few centimeters before turning the fabric 90° and making a few perpendicular stitches to solidify the seam and prevent it from tearing.

Step 5: Check the result and finish sewing

After sewing the zipper, take the time to check that the result is well aligned and clean. If not, use the seam ripper and repeat steps 3 and 4 until you get a flawless result.

Once you are happy with the sewing, finish folding the excess fabric inward and sewing a few invisible stitches by hand to hold the fabric in place. Next, open the zipper to check that it is working properly and voila, the zipper is now perfectly sewn!

By following these 5 steps and applying the tips mentioned, you will know how to accurately sew a zipper onto any fabric, making your sewing projects much easier in the future! Furthermore, you can adapt these tips to different types of zippers (invisible, classic) and get equally good results.

About the author

Clarisse Mercier

As a sewing lover, I manage the editorial side of ZoneCouture and share my discoveries and advice around this art here.