Do I really have to do a zipper?

This is for the seamstress without the invisible zipper foot and a basic machine. I personally hate putting in zippers. Me & my sister joke that we will take $20.00 off your order if you put in your own zipper. I've changed up the way I do them and wanted to share to help a customer who is on the road to becoming an seamstress. I've seen her projects and am quite impressed with her natural abilities.

Look at the zipper lurking at me saying I'm not going to line up...but I'm going to wait until you finish sewing me so you have to take me apart. I've been doing pretty good with this method. I pinned the zipper rights together.

Now I sew close to the edge of the jagged edge of the zipper. I take the pins out as I sew and keep the edge of the zipper lined up to fabric.

 Tough part at the end. You want to lift your pressure foot and zip up the zipper to be able to go all the way to the end. These are sometimes my throw a  fit moments as I can't zip the zippper and bang my fingers.

This is what it looks like when it is sewn and zipped. Seams and piping detail look lined up! This dress is fully lined so now I must attach the zipper to the lining. I've seen dressmakers using an invisible foot and zipper leave the zipper as pictured and then slip stitch the lining. Standard zippers don't look so nice so we better hide it more. Nor did I use a invisible zipper foot.

I've pressed my finished edges of the lining all the way to where the zipper ends. Now it's time for some good old fashion hand basting. If you are better at pinning than I am I'm sure you can pin it. I prefer to hand baste it to make sure I have it perfect. 

We are now ready to stitch our zipper. When completed just take out the basting threads.

 Here is the finished zipper. No need for hook & eye because the zipper goes all the way to the top. Beautiful on the outside and inside! Just needs a little pressing

 Just in case anyone thinks I actually did this on one try I didn't. My goof you ask? I forgot that I had black lining so I sewed the entire zipper with grey thread instead of changing my bobbin thread to black. Not the end of the world but it would be so nice to do something once. Well it has happened once in a while.

Happy Sewing!