Since I started sewing this summer, I haven’t quite gotten an invisible zipper right. They keep turning out wavy, bubbling and puckering the garment, never laying flat. With back zippers, I think the problem might be that I have swayback, and hadn’t thought to do swayback alterations, but my side zips are turning out mighty strange as well. Maybe I need to interface them, and maybe it’s something else. I put up pictures to illustrate what I mean, and an article begging for help on my blog mollytov.com

Any advice or helpful links would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all so much! I’ve been creeping this forum and all your projects for some time now, and it’s been super helpful to me in starting my own sewing journey! Mucho love Burda homies!

Edit: fixed the link

Sep 30, 2012, 07.55 PM by mollytov

Img_6292a-495x660_large

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  • Logo4957b_large

    Oct 1, 2012, 05.03 AMby jenss-1

    It’s kind of hard to tell from the photos, but looks like the first ones are primarily a fit issue, rather than a zipper issue. You may be right—it may be a swayback adjustment. I’m not sure why the side zipper was wavy. Is the skirt tight in that area? Or was the fabric stretched when the zipper was sewn in?

  • 985f0154fdefdf284531d76b36fbffee7a42548e_large

    Oct 1, 2012, 10.49 AMby katexxxxxx

    I’m guessing that all those zips fit into a seam that is cut on a curved, flared, or bias seam, or stretchy fabric. Looks like you are stretching the fabric to fit the zip…

    Take a look at this technique I used for fitting a zip into a bias cut dress (and what happens when you get it wrong!). try this on your garments: it works for any curved, bias, or stretch seam. What you are aiming for is perfection ON THE BODY. Forget what it looks like on the hanger!

    http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/KatePages/Learning/Bridesmaid_horror_story/a_bias_cut_disaster.htm

  • Img_6292a-495x660_large

    Oct 2, 2012, 11.44 PMby mollytov

    Thank you guys!

    I didn’t make control marks when I sewed the zippers into the fabric, i just went for it. So there’s a good chance I was stretching the fabric as I went.

    And I don’t think the skirts were too tight where I had the zippers on the sides, but they were snug, so next time I’ll use a little more ease too.

    And Kate, I’ll definitely interface my zipper tonight when I try another one. Your story about those poor girls dresses was pretty amusing in a really sad way. As if they actually paid her good money for garments that looked like that! I’m embarrassed to wear mine out of the house with their wonky zippers, I can’t imagine trying to sell them to innocent people :P

  • Missing

    Nov 18, 2012, 11.15 PMby arisaid

    Make sure you get an invisible zipper foot for your machine. It makes a world of difference and looks so professional.

    1 Reply
    • 985f0154fdefdf284531d76b36fbffee7a42548e_large

      Nov 19, 2012, 08.34 AMby katexxxxxx

      Nah… I never bother. I get better results with the ordinary zip foot on my Lily. If you have a machine with one of the wide hefty modern zip feet and multiple needle positions, it just takes a little practice.

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