
The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew – Part Three
Sew it simple. Sew to have fun. How? It’s straightforward after you learn The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew! This time, learn how to insert an invisible zipper. To seamlessly—pun intended—insert an invisible zipper into the seam use this modified approach, attaching the facing before sewing the zipper. It’s a new approach and one of Nancy Zieman’s absolute easiest sewing tips.
How to Insert an Invisible Zipper
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the top or dress.
- Fuse interfacing to the front and back neckline facing fabrics.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the facing pieces.
- Do not stitch the center back seam at this point.
- Align the facing to the garment, right sides together, matching notches.
- Stitch the facing to the neckline.
- Grade the seam allowances, using a pinking blade with a rotary cutter for the fastest and easiest results.
- Press the seam allowances toward the facing.
- Understitch, stitching the seam allowances to the facing. Use a multizigzag.
- Flatten out the zipper tape, pressing the teeth to the outside.
- Place a piece of tape or a pin above the zipper stop on one side of the zipper.
- Mark the 5/8″ seam allowances along both sides of the center back seam. Begin marking at the neckline seam, and continue marking the length of the zipper opening.
- Align one side of the zipper tape to the corresponding side of the dress, meeting the zipper teeth to the 5/8″ marking and placing the zipper top slightly below the neckline seam.
- Pin one side of the zipper to the fabric.
- Attach the Invisible Zipper Foot. Starting at the neckline seam, position the presser foot on top of the zipper tape with the needle stitching along side of the zipper teeth.
- After stitching, close the zipper to check that the zipper stop is directly below the neckline seam.
- Align the second half of the zipper at the top of the neckline, placing the remaining side of the zipper at the same distance from the top of the neckline.
- Align the zipper teeth to the marking; pin. Then, stitch the zipper to the remaining side of the dress/top.
- After stitching, check to make certain the neckline edges align.
- Fold the facing over the zipper tape; hand stitch.
- Pin the lower portion of the seam from the hem to the end of the zipper.
- Move the invisible zipper foot completely to the left of the needle. Stitch from the zipper stopping point to the hem.
- Ta dah!
The Invisible Zipper technique, plus much more is printed in The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew.
Kudos to Diane Dhein, the editor, and Laure Noe, the illustrator, for making this book possible.
All of Nancy’s favorite sewing tips are in one book.
The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew chapters include:
- Sewing Notions
- Sewing Machine Confidence
- Serger Spotlight
- Patterns
- Fabric Facts
- Sewing Basics
- Beyond the Basics
Watch Absolute Easiest Way to Sew (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three) on Sewing With Nancy online.
For your chance to win a copy of The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew from Nancy’s Notions, leave a comment sharing your most common sewing challenge.
Happy Sewing,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.
Gail Beam
Invisible zippers and making buttonholes are my biggest challenges
Lorna
Biggest challenge? Thread tension
Anne Z
My biggest challenge is getting a professional looking hem in knits.
Barbara Beavers
I have learned so much from Nancy and enjoy her Tv shows I am just a woman who enjoys making things for her family ie: quilts, purses, scarfs I just wish I could learn to work with knits better, they seem to cut crooked for me and stretch a lot.
Karen King
My biggest challenge in garment sewing is fly fronts of jeans as far as sewing goes. My other challenge or obstacle for beginning a project is fitting, I have however been trying to use Nancy’s method with some success.
Kathryn Buisker
This would be great for my granddaughters! Thank you for the videos and tips!
Susan
It’s ironic that zipper installation was shown because that is where I can run into issues. As a child, I was shown a different method of zipper insertion and this looks so much easier with amazing results! The instructional booklet would be a fantastic guide.
MoeWest
Sewing challenges keep things interesting! My next one will be making a slipcover for an upholstered chair. I have some quilted fabric that I want to use for it but first I will make a pattern from an old sheet and to get the right fit.
Ann West
Indeed getting in zippers perfectly is my biggest stumbling block. This book could help immensely!
Bonnye
Buttonholes are my biggest challenge.
Gail K
Still having trouble with turning-out precise corners; i.e., collars, waistbands, any/all corners, ha ha! Getting better, I think though. 😉
Karen Patterson
I need the easiest and fastest way to sew because I make most of the gifts I give in order to make them extra special. Right now I have 3 baby gifts to make with a baby shower in 2 days!
Your book would be such a help to me because I would also like to make me a dress or two and I know Nancy was so talented. She has taught me a lot over the years.
TERi
Sewing knits and elastic are my biggest challenges.
Dixie
Zippers are a challenge for me.
Phyllis Morris
Nancy Zieman tips and instructions are so easy to follow. I love her show and would love to win a hard copy of her directions to make my sewing better and easier.
Clovis
Zippers.
Noreen
Beautiful buttonholes are still a challenge for me. I love Nancy’s approach to sewing!
Kathryn E
My biggest challenge was buttonholes until I just stopped making anything with buttonholes.
Ruth L
I LOVE buttons, but adding buttonholes to a garment intimidates me! I know I simply need more practice, and I’m working on it, but it’s heartbreaking to put many hours into making something and then ruin it with improperly placed or cricked buttonholes.
Janet
Hems and buttonholes. They are ok but could be better.
DebbieW
My most common sewing challenge is working with knit fabrics.
Sandra C
Zippers are always a pain for me and I didn’t know about that zipper foot you have in the pictures above. I only have the metal one that came with my machine. I can see where that “groove” fits on the zipper feet and would make it much easier to sew. Would love to have this book even though I am not a beginner but I always like help and easy and Nancy always has great tips to help me.
Bev Bolduc Aldridge
Threading the sewing machine needle with my limited eyesight. The holes on the needles I need to use for very fine sewing are way to small and many times frays the thread.Keep up the helps and ideas Team Nancy Zieman.
Julie Kill
My biggest challenge is remembering Nancy’s tips from the shows!
I have this book and it’s wonderful! If i would win, I would give it to my daughter. She’s a budding sewist!
Lorraine Alves
So many challenges with sewing but I’d say my biggest challenge is accurately aligning the two halves of a zipper. Nancy had so much skill in explaining easy ways to sew that I know her books and videos make the craft of sewing much easier to accomplish and more joyful.
Teresa M Edington
Zippers. Gah!
Sandy Saffell
I have a hard time with regular zippers and buttonholes….ugh….I make alot of purses and getting those zippers to lay right . Buttonholes never come out right,so I put zippers in back…lol. I have never done an invisible zipper,cause of getting it in right with a regular zipper foot. I have been sewing since high school and I am now 71 and just finished 3 weddings and one more wedding in October. The October brides dress is now too tight cause of medical problems and I need to make it bigger so she can get it zipped. I love a good challenge…..
Martha O.
I avoid zippers and buttonholes.
Sharon King
I have a hard time getting a good finished look to the bottom of a zipper. I usually get it crooked across it. I have a time remembering Nancy’s responses on how to do things. A book would be nice to have.
Marylou Wahl
Zippers are a challenge for me-always seem to get the top of the garment crooked !
DeAnns S
Buttonholes seem to be a problem for me. I always have trouble with alignment.
Corinne Shoulders
Collar stands and especially the button in that lumpy tight spot.
sonja
straight top stitching and lapped zippers
Maria Allen
I would have to say that one of my challenges is working with knits. I get intimidated by it because it has to the stretch of it. I know that you need to be careful to not stretch it as you are sewing with it. I know this type of fabric doesn’t bite, but for me, I get a bit nervous about it.
Marta
My challenge is sewing anything that has a bias seam to be sewn…armholes, inside seams on slacks legs, and/or neckholes. Love to see Nancy on the rerun TV programs, but still missing Nancy.
Virginia
Lining anything!! Never have been successful….yet!
Jean Morgan
After sewing for over fifty years my biggest challenge is still neat looking bound buttonholes. I solved most of the other issues with practice and purchasing a, for me, very expensive machine that would make buttonholes automatically. And also do beautiful replicas of handmade crazy patch quilting stitches, which I often use to topstitch seams in contrasting coloured threads!
Bonnie
My biggest sewing challenge is pattern alteration. With numerous diagrams and easy to follow directions this book would be a wonderful source of information for many projects. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Donna Fecteau
zippers
Ruth
Facings that will stay in place without topstitching them have always been a problem for me. (My granddaughters are constantly putting them down inside the backs of my garments, bless their hearts.)
Debra Ingle
Any type of clothes is a challenge for me, cant seem to get everything to line up. Thanks for giveaway,,
Carol
Time. A challenge for me is finding the time to gather every together and then to finally start the project.