Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: It's a Sewing Miracle! (Plus Thoughts on Invisible...

Did you know that there are different weights of i...

2010-09-26T20:56:53.358-04:00

Did you know that there are different weights of invisible zippers? #2 is the standard dress weight zipper. These are the ones that split easily. There are #4 & #6 invisibles also. All are available on a knitted tape instead of woven tape. The coil gets bigger as the size gets bigger. The bigger the coil, the easier they are to put into a dress, skirt, pillow or duvet. It takes a couple of tries to get an invisible zipper in, but I have videos on my website & also YouTube to show you an easier way to put invisible zippers in.
Life is Short! Zip it Up!
Alicia
TheZipperLady.com
YouTube.com/user/thezipperlady

I'm an apparel design student and in my drapin...

2010-02-08T00:24:27.199-05:00

I'm an apparel design student and in my draping class last term, i designed and made the pattern for a princess seam pencil skirt. it had these really amazing side pockets that were sort of a headache to figure out, and i was really thrilled with how it turned out in muslin. of course, i didn't sew the muslin together- i pinned it together. and it looked great.

i had a very similar problem. when i made it in my final fabric, i put a 7" invisible zipper in the side seam. it looked great. of course, then i brought it to class the next day and got my dress form out to find that the skirt wouldn't fit over size 6 hips. it took three people to pull the thing on. I think 7" zippers are just not meant for anything that fits at the natural waist.

after the class i ended up ripping the zipper out, taking the waistband off and making a new waistband lower so that it would actually fit me. and i put in a longer zipper.

I love invisible zippers! But, they only work on ...

2010-02-07T08:56:33.413-05:00

I love invisible zippers! But, they only work on the midrange of fabrics - i.e. no thin silks, no heavy wools. I have a stash of zippers, but lately have not been able to find the very lightweight invisible zippers made with a knit tape (instead of twill tape.) These work great and are less likely to buckle.

My zipper issues have more to do with the location of the zipper on the garment. I prefer a side zip to a back zip and will usually adjust a dress to accomodate a side zipper. It just looks so much better. I do not understand formal clothing with back zippers.

Another pet peeve is in RTW where an invisible zipper is incorrectly installed; meaning the bottom of the zipper was never tacked to the seam allowances. This is more of the norm than not. Usually this flaw results in the zipper being yanked from the garment as people try it on.

Both of my DDs have an extreme waist/hip ratio, so I always put in longer zips than are called for. I'm glad you were able to perservere and have ended up with a tres stylish skirt.

I never saw the wonder in invisible zippers, and p...

2010-02-06T14:04:12.110-05:00

I never saw the wonder in invisible zippers, and putting them in was never anything I aspired for. And then, I bought an invisible zipper foot for my machine. OH.MY.GOD. Life changing. I use them all the time now, since they are dead easy!

Hand-picked zippers is one of the few techniques I...

2010-02-06T13:51:19.715-05:00

Hand-picked zippers is one of the few techniques I recall from going to couture sewing school. Love the skirt!

I really, really want to get a tutorial up for you...

2010-02-05T18:45:10.540-05:00

I really, really want to get a tutorial up for you ladies. I feel it is my bounden duty. I'll get it this week.

I'm so glad the skirt turned out wearable! It ...

2010-02-05T15:03:47.063-05:00

I'm so glad the skirt turned out wearable! It sure looks gorgeous!

When it comes to invisible zippers, I'm just confused... I used to LOVE them when I bought my Bernina foot #35 (and from my reasearch, I can only find good words on this foot), but then suddenly something happened: The zipper started to get jammed in the foot, and I was thinking that maybe YKK had changed their dimensions? I haven't found a good, detailed tutorial yet, and that really annoys me. BUT, I felt a little bit better when I discovered that I can use the button-hole foot for the same purpose, although it doesn't "feel fair" to the #35 foot... Another problem I have, is getting the seam below the zipper to be perfect.

So to Bellelass and all the others of you who love invisible zippers, and don't see the trouble, PLEASE make tutorials and spread the word!!!

I'm very excited to see your new skirt, if tha...

2010-02-05T11:56:50.907-05:00

I'm very excited to see your new skirt, if that picture is any indication!

Garnet

I kind of just skimmed after reading the same post...

2010-02-05T07:05:29.815-05:00

I kind of just skimmed after reading the same post over and over. I'm just so shocked that invisible zippers are so widely hated. They aren't hard, it isn't difficult to make them perfect if you know what you're doing. They are plenty durable, and yes, I use them all the time in my "poured into" dresses and skirts.

I used to avoid zippers altogether for such a long time, its a shame really. Hmm.. Maybe I'll make a tutorial. Can't believe so many people hate them... You just haven't been taught properly. :)

Really hate invisible zips. I know there are those...

2010-02-04T19:21:59.056-05:00

Really hate invisible zips. I know there are those that swear they are more professional or rtw, but I see so many that look way more "homemade" than a beautiful handpicked zip. I rarely use them.

I love this skirt! The shaping is very sweet. As...

2010-02-04T18:54:59.191-05:00

I love this skirt! The shaping is very sweet. As for zippers, I never use anything but invisible (except in fly fronts where I use regular). I purchased a specific foot for my machine that sews them right first time and I never have any problems. I buy zips several inches longer than I need and sew them in after the seam, like a regular zip. This was it eliminates any problem at the bottom of the zip. I wear all my clothes very fitted and so far have never had a problem with them breaking. It's worth paying more for a better quality zip, though. If you can get the ones with the cloth tape rather than the wispy nylon tapes, you might find them easier. I interface the fabric where I put the zipper also. I hope we get to see a picture of you in this skirt.

I never use anything except invisible zippers. Ma...

2010-02-04T18:42:33.047-05:00

I never use anything except invisible zippers. Maybe I have just been lucky and one day I am going to have a bad wardrobe malfunction.

Hooray for the rescue! I'd never been great a...

2010-02-04T16:44:08.530-05:00

Hooray for the rescue!

I'd never been great at zippers, any kind. Since I started school, I've thoroughly embraced the invisible zip. Though I haven't used it on a very fitted garment, or one made with fine fabric, I find the method we learned super easy. I'll try to get around to posting a tutorial, but in the meantime, here are the basics:

1. Mark your fabric and zipper where the opening should end (if you have horizontal seam lines to match, mark your zipper for those too.) Make sure they line up when you sew.

2. Stitch down the centre of the zipper tape before going for the gold.

3. If you have one of those zipper feet with the two channels underneath, use the same one on both sides of the zipper. Your needle tends to be closer to one side of the hole than the other. Go as close to the teeth as you can without catching them. In thicker fabric, it's nice to leave a little millimeter. The fabric will roll a little to cover the zip. Don't press flat.

4. When sewing the rest of the seam, stop 2mm below the end of your zipper insertion, but still in line with that seam. This is a little tricky, and at first I found it easier to do this seam before putting in the zipper. This little hole keeps you from getting a little pook, and also keeps the zipper pull from cutting the threads of the seam below.

Invisible zippers are fantastic in wool skirts, let me just say. My next challenge is to make my regular zippers less Becky-Home-Ecky!

I've had it with invizible zips. They are disg...

2010-02-04T15:54:36.051-05:00

I've had it with invizible zips. They are disgraceful. The one's I've used on things I've made are impossible to zip up, have holes right next to the teeth or can't stand the bulk of fabric. Even when you use the invisible zipper foot which uncurls the sipper so you can sew right next to the teeth.

My cousin made my formal dress and went through 5 invisible zips because they all broke when she tried to zip it up, it wasn't even on a body or a maniquin it just broke. She finally got one to stay and it takes 3 people to get it done up.

Your skirt looks amazing, I think I might get that pattern myself.

Three comments: 1) I always use a longer zipper, o...

2010-02-04T15:46:13.855-05:00

Three comments: 1) I always use a longer zipper, often trimming it at both ends. 2) I've heard YKK invisible zippers are the only ones that don't break, separate, etc. 3) I took a course in the Islander series on inserting all kinds of zippers. They teach invisible zippers without a special foot. If you have access to such a course, I'd advise you to take it. Maybe it's on their CD?

About the little bump on the bottom of invisible z...

2010-02-04T14:54:02.634-05:00

About the little bump on the bottom of invisible zips, I noticed this on a couple of RTW skirts and have used this tip ever since. Get a slightly longer zip; stop sewing before you reach the bump; stitch the teeth together at the point where you've stopped sewing; cut off the bottom part of the zip 1/2 inch below the stitch; enfold a little piece of fabric around the raw edge and hand-baste it flat so that it isn't scratchy. It's really easy to do and the result is very neat and flat.

For me, I have found a way to insert an invisible ...

2010-02-04T14:52:35.869-05:00

For me, I have found a way to insert an invisible zipper with a regular zipper foot--you iron out the vertical 'roll' of the zipper around the teeth, then insert, and when you zip it back up again the zipper rolls to the back of the garment. It works on everything but very fitted garments, in which case the material pulls away from the zipper enough to be able to see the zipper tape, which drives me crazy. I just learned how to do hand-picked lapped zippers recently, and I enjoy the technique, although I'm still perfecting my form. :P

Congrats on your skirt save! I'm with you on i...

2010-02-04T13:33:48.661-05:00

Congrats on your skirt save! I'm with you on invisible zippers. Even with the right foot, they're still a pain, particularly if the placement is in the middle of a side seam. There's just no room for error there & I'm always puckering at the top or bottom.

LOVE that skirt! Beautiful! I like invisible zippe...

2010-02-04T13:27:46.595-05:00

LOVE that skirt! Beautiful!
I like invisible zippers. I use them quite a bit, on almost every dress I make. But I also try to use old metal zippers that I pick up in thrift stores. I always use metal zippers for pants. I agree with some of the other gals that the invisible zipper foot makes the world a better place. lol. I wouldn't even try to put one in if I didn't have the foot for it. I did once and it made me want to scream and cry and throw things. But I have a strange machine foot fetish... the beauties.

count me in with the small army of invisible zippe...

2010-02-04T12:28:42.802-05:00

count me in with the small army of invisible zipper lovers. i ALWAYS have problems with regular zippers - they go in crooked, or with weird bumps, and it always takes me several times to properly insert one. invisible zippers are easy peasy to put in, and they make everything look so nice and neat (i think).

i found that getting the proper invisible zipper foot for your machine really does make a difference, though. i bought one for my pfaff, and even though it was $30+, it was worth every.single.penny.

Wow, count me in the minority of invisible zipper ...

2010-02-04T12:18:29.047-05:00

Wow, count me in the minority of invisible zipper lovers! I always use them when I can (though I can see how they wouldn't work when you need something sturdy). These are the extra steps I take to ensure that it works (all outlined in my sewing bible, the Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing):
* Run a basting line along the seamline of each side to use as a guide
* Baste the zipper in, making sure that the teeth fall right along your guideline
* Use an invisible zipper foot to sew in the zipper! (My Viking foot was about $30 and has paid for itself many times over.)

There's no way around the fact that getting around the little bump at the bottom is a bitch -- it just takes patience, determination and a willingness to curse and rip out seams!

So glad your skirt issue was not a fit issue and y...

2010-02-04T12:13:42.536-05:00

So glad your skirt issue was not a fit issue and you got it figured out.

I've only done an invisible zipper a couple of times. I need to practice, practice, practice so I'm no afraid of them.

I am so glad we are not bound to the old undergarments. And now you know and are happy with control top tights and Spanx and can rest easy. It's good to try things and get it out of your system.

I agree with you completely - I hate invisible zip...

2010-02-04T12:13:42.185-05:00

I agree with you completely - I hate invisible zippers for things like skirts, pants, etc. You're just asking for trouble. Not a fan of them for any zipper that might be under some strain on something very fitted!

Wow, I never knew there were so many invisible zip...

2010-02-04T12:00:17.768-05:00

Wow, I never knew there were so many invisible zip-haters. I love them and use them so much I buy them in bulk (20 at a time). When they are put in correctly, invisible zippers really ARE invisible. I alsmost never use regular zippers unless it is in pants or jeans.

Congrats on working out a solution to the skirt! ...

2010-02-04T11:58:23.683-05:00

Congrats on working out a solution to the skirt!

I just discovered a way this weekend to insert an invisible zipper super-easily: I sewed the back of the skirt as I would for a normal zipper - i.e. I basted to the circle then regular stitched the rest of the skirt back seam. I pressed, then ripped out the basting. The pressed seam allowances left a *perfect* 5/8" line to follow. It also made the insertion so easy because I could see exactly where the zipper needed to lie (I would always get it screwed up when putting the zipper onto 2 separate, free-hanging pieces).

Seriously - the zipper went in in under 2 mins. I've spent hours getting it to work before. I'm going to sew up a few more pencil skirts next week to test if this is a good method.