Secrets of sewing Invisible Zipper successfully for the first time | Sewing skills for beginners, by Tale Handmade on YouTube. 5 min 55 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 55 s
- Time to do it
- 25 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Press the zipper tape flat with a warm iron and no steam. Open the coils as you press so they lie flat, then let the zip cool before you sew.
Finish the raw edges of your seam allowances with a zigzag or overlock stitch. This stops the fabric fraying once the zip is stitched in.
Baste the seam closed where the zip will sit and press it open. Mark the seam line and the point where the zip stop ends.
Fit the invisible zipper foot and lower the needle. Place the zip face down on the right side of the fabric, coil against the seam line.
Stitch down the first side with the coil running in the foot groove. Backstitch at the top, then stop level with the zip slider.
Zip up and check that the waistline and any pattern seams match. Pin the second side, lining the coil up with the same seam line.
Stitch the second side the same way, from the top down to the slider. Keep the needle just beside the coil so the teeth stay hidden.
Remove the basting stitches with a seam ripper. Zip up to test, press the seam flat, then sew the rest of the seam below the zip.
Tips and common mistakes
Sew a test zip into scrap fabric first, so you find the right needle position before touching your garment.
Press the zipper tape before sewing, never the coiled teeth, or they will warp and the zip will stick.
Keep your fingers well back from the needle and unplug the machine before changing the foot.
If the teeth peek out, unpick that section and move the stitching 1 mm closer to the coil.
Questions
Can I sew an invisible zip without a special foot?
Yes, but it is harder. A regular zipper foot works if you uncurl the coils with your fingers as you sew and keep the needle close to the teeth.
How long should the zip be?
Long enough to let you get the garment on and off comfortably. Measure your opening first, and buy a zip the same length or slightly longer, which you can shorten.
Why does my invisible zip show?
Usually the stitching sits too far from the coil, or the seam allowance was not pressed open first. Move your needle closer and press the tape flat before sewing.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
