Zippers- - - - Love 'Em or Leave 'Em
 

Fess up time! Zippers!

It's not hard if we don't know it's hard, right? Are you ok with patterns that have zippers or are you on the avoid them train?

I had to learn how to insert zippers in high school along with interfacing, darts, and hems. There are so many different techniques to sew them into the projects. They don't bother me.

So zippers - - - love 'em or leave 'em?

I've pretty well given up on all sewing except for quilting. Very specifically machine pieced and preferably strip cut and pieced. Nope, don't do bags even. I did some costuming recently, that was the first my hubby had seen me do anything but minor repairs or quilt, and he's been here over 15 years...

When I was younger, vainer, and shapelier I used to do a lot of garment construction fit specifically to mois-self. I also did a lot of costuming, most of that was custom fit. Could do all sorts of set in things and fancy stuff, but my favorite zipper technique was the easiest -- "invisible", Baste together the fabric, and carefully pin the zipper down the seam line. Stitch all around and rip out that basting thread.

I have put pockets on quilts. No zippers done or planned so far as I can see -- but you just never know.

I've had an aversion to zippers for a long time and I need to get over it so I can make some non-quilty things !!

They don’t bother me. But, I haven’t made clothing in a long time. The cost of patterns got so high that it was cheaper to buy

I guess it’s like anything else, if you know how, then you don’t mind and think it is easy. However, if you struggle then you shy away. I put lots of zipper in because I make lots of bags & purses. The last one I put in a dress was one for my little granddaughter when I recycled a prom dress from the thrift shop into a play ball gown.

Zipper tip for jeans -- if you have a tooth break, just cut off the teeth off both sides of the old zipper leaving everything else in place. Then you just line up your new zipper along the existing sides of the old one and zig zag in place with a good thread color. You do lose maybe half an inch at the bottom, or you can cut in a slit where you can slip in an extra inch or so, put a handle on the zipper head if you do that!

I only sew quilts, days of making clothing or anything else is gone.

I don't mind putting in zippers, but I always found that having a good zipper foot was key. I never liked the foot attachment for regular zippers that came with my machine. I found a generic one years ago that is really narrow and that made things so much easier. And the foot for invisible zippers with the grooves in it? Awesome!

Imagine my disgust when my brother came to visit, bringing all his mending along. Says he, "I know you like to sew, so..." Replacing zippers in his pants was agony!

I have found that Lazy Girl Designs offers some good, easy methods for putting zippers into bags. The "Runaround Bag" has especially easy zipper instructions. Unfortunately, I just can't get the hang of the kind of zipper that uses only one side of the teeth, where you take the pull off and then put it back on again ("Becca Bag").