Inserting a Side Zipper

Use for side zippers in skirts or dresses.

  1. Select the stitch below.

    Make sure you sew using the middle needle position.

  2. Attach presser foot “J” and sew straight stitches up to the zipper opening. Change to a basting stitch and sew to the top of the fabric.

    1. Reverse stitches
    2. Wrong side of fabric
    3. Basting stitches
    4. End of zipper opening

  3. Press the seam allowance open and align the folded hem along the teeth of the zipper, while maintaining 3 mm (approx. 1/8 inch) of sewing space.

    1. Zipper pull tab
    2. Wrong side of fabric
    3. Zipper teeth
    4. End of zipper opening
    5. 3 mm (approx. 1/8 inch)

  4. Remove presser foot “J”.

  5. Align the right side of the pin in zipper foot “I” with the presser foot holder, and attach the presser foot.

    1. Right
    2. Left
    3. Needle drop point

  6. Set the presser foot in the 3 mm (approx. 1/8 inch) margin.

  7. Starting from the end of the zipper opening, sew to a point about 5 cm (approx. 2 inches) from the edge of the fabric, then stop the machine with the needle lowered.

  8. Pull down the zipper slider, then continue sewing to the edge of the fabric.

    Raise the presser foot to allow the zipper pull to pass under the zipper presser foot.

    1. About 5 cm (approx. 2 inches)
    2. 3 mm (approx. 1/8 inch)
      CAUTION

      Make sure the needle does not strike the zipper during sewing. If the needle strikes the zipper, the needle may break, leading to injury.

  9. Close the zipper, turn the fabric over, and sew a basting stitch.

    1. Front of the skirt (wrong side of fabric)
    2. Basting stitches
    3. Front of the skirt (right side of fabric)
    4. Back of the skirt (right side of fabric)

  10. Remove the presser foot, and reattach it so that the left side of the pin is attached to the presser foot holder.

    • When sewing the left side of the zipper, the needle should drop on the right side of the presser foot. When sewing the right side of the zipper, the needle should drop on the left side of the presser foot.
    1. Right
    2. Left
    3. Needle drop point

  11. Set the fabric so that the left edge of the presser foot touches the edge of the zipper teeth.

  12. Sew reverse stitches at the bottom of the zipper, then continue sewing.

  13. Stop sewing about 5 cm (approx. 2 inches) from the edge of the fabric, leave the needle in the fabric, and remove the basting stitches.

  14. Open the zipper and sew the rest of the seam.

    1. Basting stitches
    2. Reverse stitches
    3. 7 to 10 mm (approx. 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch)
    4. About 5 cm (approx. 2 inches)

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