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4:40 pm
January 7, 2009
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RosieC
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| posts 4 |
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Hi - i am a complete beginner, having got a sewing machine for Christmas so I thought Id get a clothkit to teach me how to use it.
I've just got my first skirt and it has a zip in it. The instructions say “put the one-sided zip foot onto your machine”. My machine has a zigzag foot and a buttonhole foot. Are either of these the correct one to use, and if not, what should I do?
Sorry for asking such a daft question
Rosie
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9:02 am
January 8, 2009
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Kay
Moderator
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Hi Rosie! It sounds like you do not have a zip foot in your kit (you would recognise it as being long and thin!) - so two suggestions. You could either get one for your machine, or alternatively hand sew this part. Anything that can be done by a machine can be done by hand! As the zip is only 20 cm long, it won't take too long to do this way. I would suggest that you double up the thread for extra strength too. Hope this helps!
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11:25 pm
March 22, 2009
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topcat
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Post edited 11:26 pm - March 22, 2009 by topcat
This may be too late for you Rosie, but it might help others who haven't sewn a zip in by machine before, as well as those of us who need a reminder. The links shows tw0 methods of inserting a zip into a skirt - but there are plenty of others, if you have a favourite way please share 
Scroll down and you can see a pic of one kind of zip foot too
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=87
here is another slightly different way of doing it if you don't like the first one
http://thesewingdivas.wordpres…..ne-method/
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http://topstitched.wordpress.com = my blog http://www.thesewingforum.co.uk = sewing questions answered
http://www.morsbags.com = fun and whales
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11:31 am
March 24, 2009
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RosieC
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Thanks Topcat
I have actually finished the skirt, but I've bought another one to sew as it looks so great. I got a zipper foot, but the zip is sewed in a bit skew - I basically started at te htop and went round in a U-shape, so it looks a bit peculiar at the bottom. I like the idea of gluing it in place and sewing both sides in the same direction, so I will definitely do that for the next one.
Do you have any tips on sewing the lining to the zip? I ended up doing that by hand as it seemed to be really tricky
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9:55 am
March 25, 2009
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topcat
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RosieC said:
….
Do you have any tips on sewing the lining to the zip? I ended up doing that by hand as it seemed to be really tricky
Sorry Rosie, I prefer the finish when the lining is handsewn to the zip so that is what I do too.
It is so easy to get the zip a bit on the wonk if you take it straight to the machine. I don't use glue, I usually tack it by hand then do the machining (although if you hate hand sewing the glue would be very tempting).
Which skirts did you get?
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http://topstitched.wordpress.com = my blog http://www.thesewingforum.co.uk = sewing questions answered
http://www.morsbags.com = fun and whales
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8:35 am
March 26, 2009
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RosieC
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Oh well, back to the hand sewing.
I got the cerise hold-me skirt (which looks great - I've had loads of compliments on it, and not just when I've said “isn't this skirt that I made myself marvellous”) and the loganberry big-birdie one
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I use a glue method to insert my zips, can't see if it is the same as that SMS blog one as their tute has gone.
The method I use is described in detail in Sew What Skirts (a great book), but in a nutshell:
- Pin the seam which the zip is going into
- Hold your zip up to the seam so that the stops at the top (opening) end of the zip are just below the top of the seam
- Mark just above where the bottom of the zip is - I use a different coloured pin.
- Sew from the bottom of the seam up to the marked point for the bottom of the zip. Backstitch/lock stitch or otherwise secure your threads
- Change to a long/basting stitch length & stitch from that point up to the top of the seam. No need to secure either end of this basting stitch
- Press the seam open well
- Grab a pritt stick and apply some pritt to the fabric bits of the zip
- Place the zip face down in the right place on the seam, so that the teeth are laying over the bit you basted earlier.
- Press the gluey zip into place to temporarily secure it
- Flip the skirt over so it is right side up and stitch down one side of the zip, stopping with the needle down at the bottom & rotate the fabric by 90 degrees to take a couple of stitches across the bottom, needle down and rotate again & stitch up the other side of the zip
- Using a seam ripper, put the bobble bit ont he inside of the seam and run down the zip to cut open the basting stitches
- Et voila! One neatly inserted zip. Happy days.
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