Gaynor Marshall | Illustration and Surface Pattern Design

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Zips, Part 3: Concealed Zip

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Welcome to Part 3 of my series showing you how to insert various types of zips into your sewing projects.

This week we’ll be tackling concealed zips.

What is a concealed zip?

With this method one fold of the fabric covers the zip entirely.

concealed_zip

  • useful for cushions where you do not wish the zip to be visible
  • to allow pattern matching for a seamless look
  • to protect delicate fabrics from being caught on the zip pull / slider
  • jeans / trousers

As before, a standard zipper foot should be used if you are sewing with a machine.

Did you know?

YKK are the largest manufacturer of zips in the world with over 40% of the market share. Each year they produce enough zips to wrap around the world 50 times!

Materials

  • fabric
  • thread
  • zip
  • zipper foot

Method

  • Cut your fabric pieces to the correct size and place right sides together.
  • Position the zip on to your fabric and mark a point at the base of the zip.
  • Machine stitch the seam from the bottom to the base of the zip position.

machine_stitch_to_base_of_zip

  • Decide which side of the seam you want to cover the zip and press a continuation of the seam line in that side only and tack.

press_fold_in_seam

tack_fold_in_top_seam

  • On the other side turn under the seam allowance 3mm / 1/8″ from the seam line, making the seam allowance smaller. Tack along the seam line.

tacking_in_top-seam

  • Place the zip right side up and lay the second (smaller) fold against the teeth of the closed zip. Tack in place.

tack_zip_as_shown

  • Starting at the bottom, machine stitch along the length of the zip close to the fold of the fabric.

stitch_zip_as_shown

  • Bring the wider fold over the teeth until it meets the original seam line of the first piece of fabric. Tack zip in place.
  • Tack the fold of the fabric that covers the zip in place on the right side of the fabric.

tack_the_fold_to_the_zip

  • Machine stitch in place starting from the bottom.
  • Press carefully and remove tacking stitches.
  • Snip the seam allowance at the base of the zip to allow it to lie flat and hand stitch raw edges to prevent fraying.

machine_in_place_and_remove-tacking

The zip is completely hidden using this method and it gives a very neat finish.

Catch up

If you’d like to catch up on the series so far you can find the relevant information here. Part 1, is about invisible zips and Part 2 is about semi-concealed zips.

I hope you are finding these guides useful and if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch. Pop a comment below or send me an email here.

Next time: exposed zips.

Until then…happy sewing!

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