A little something I learned about invisible zippers

Picture from Vogue Fabrics

I was at my sewing group last week and found out about invisible zippers and my invisible zipper foot that I didn't know.

I know that zippers can come in different coil sizes and different lengths.  However I found that the largest coil size I can use with my Bernina is a #3 coil size. 

A fellow seamstress was installing an invisible zipper and was having problems with it.  That's when the shop owner bought up the fact that invisible zipper coils come in varying sizes. So of course I had to do some investigation.  So let me share some of that I've known and learned:

1. The coil size of a zipper, is the width in "mm" (millimeters) of the coils of the closed zipper.
2. The zipper size you find in your local sewing shop is a #2 (2 mm) coil size
3. Invisible zipper coil sizes range in #2 thru #6
4. The larger coil size is recommended for heavy fabrics, etc and NOT garments.  When sewing in one of these you should use your standard zipper foot and straight stitch plate.
5. If the zipper coil size is too big, the invisible zipper foot can't get close enough
6. Lightly pressing the coils, makes it easier to get coil into grooves.  Do this with a low heat so as not to damage the coils, but to make the coils easily accessible.  (I do this with every invisible zipper installation, it makes it so much easier).
7. Use a grossgrain ribbon as a facing for your zipper, to prevent it from pinching your skin when opening and closing. (Nothing hurts, and I mean HURTS!!! more than this).  I use 1 1/2 inch wide ribbon for this, and make the facing about 1 inch longer than my zipper area. Here is a description of the process from an article at University of Kentucky. 
   

   

   From: Zippers by Marjorie M. Baker, University of Kentucky

    

   
   

   
   

   To access the entire article go to Zippers, it's a "everything you ever wanted to know about      zippers!" type of article
8. I always make my invisible zippers at least 1 inch longer than the opening. It makes the installation a lot easier.
9. To shorten my zippers I tend to shorten from the bottom if it's an invisible zipper.  Some use a bar tack across near the cut end to secure the zipper end. But because invisible zippers are using a coil, I cut it from the bottom, use a bar tack and then wrap the cut end with some fabric to avoid the cut ends from catching and scratching my garment.  If you have a copy of  "The Sewtionary: An Z to Z Guide to 101 Sewing Techniques and Definitions" (page 244), it has an excellent description of the process. (You can access the entire book for free by clicking the link above.)

Happy Sewing . . . . .