Insert an invisible zipper (11622 Views)

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  Step 1 of 3

  I chose to use an invisible zipper here because I couldn't get a perfect colour match for my fabric and I wanted to downplay the zipper in such a luxe top. To insert an invisible zipper, I first marked 5/8 inches away from the center back edge of my two back pieces (the chalk doesn't have to last long here, so hence my not hand sewing the marking). I then pinned one side of the invisible zipper face down on the right side of the fabric and used an invisible zipper foot to sew as close as humanly possible to the teeth. If you don't have an invisible zipper foot, you can do this with a regular zipper foot but go slowly and try to sew as close as possible to the teeth (it may also help to baste it first!). I then pinned and sewed the other side of the zipper on, as before.

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  Step 2 of 3

  Because the zipper I'd bought was too long for my top, I needed to create a new stop and shorten it (if in doubt, always, always buy a longer zipper than you need because you can always shorten a long zipper but you can't lengthen a zipper that's too short!). I first created a new stop for the zipper by taking some thread and sewing around the zipper coils a few times above the place where the zipper will meet with the seam. With the stop safely in place, you can then just cut the rest of the zipper off, though be careful if you've got a zipper with metal teeth that you don't ruin your scissors! (You can shorten a metal zipper by pulling out a few teeth with a pair of pliars before cutting the zipper tape)

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  Step 3 of 3

  Finally, with the zipper sewn in place and properly shortened, I then sewed the last remaining inches at the top of the shirt to complete the center back seam.