UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII . COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE' HOME ECONOMICS CIRCULAR 352 ZIPPERS ACKNOWLEDGMENT Thanks are due to Mrs. Helene Horimoto for her cooperation in serving as the mod e 1 for the photographs, as well as for her secre­ tarial assistance. The professional coopera­ tion in photography by Masaru Miyamoto of the Office of University Relations and Develop­ ment is also acknowledged. , ZIPPERS GERTRUDE P. HARRELL Extension Specialist in Clothing Zippers are being used in a large majority of our garments today. Various types of zip­ pers are on the market and one needs to select the kind that is most suitable for the garment. The coil zipper is thinner and is good to use in your synthetic garments and especially with the wash and wears, because hot iron will not come in contact with the zipper. If you are making a garment that is going to be ironed or pressed with a hot iron, it would be preferable to select a metal zipper or a coil zipper with tape backing. In selecting the length of the zipper, check your pattern, since most will give you the desired length; but you must consider if you will need just a little longer zipper in the back of a garment if you plan to step into and out of it. Some times a 22-inch zipper is not quite long enough and yet a 24 -inch zipper is too long. Put in a 24-inch zipper and Simply let the extra 1 inch of the zipper remain unnoticed and unstitched from the outside. The following gives directions on inserting a zipper in the back of a dress, on the side seams, or anywhere a lapped seam may be used. I FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 APPLICATION OF ZIPPER The center application is suggested on a look when finished. One of the ways to make number of patterns, but one may use the lap­ a flat zipper would be to pin the zipper to the ped application which is much more satisfac­ seam line starting at the top and let the zipper tory and looks better because the zipper is be slightly rounding over the seam lines of the less conspicuous. In the center application it fabric as you pin it all the way down to the is very difficult or next to impossible to have bottom of the zipper. See FIGURE 2. By a garment stitched and not have the metal or handling the zipper this way, you will allow a coil part of the zipper showing. Because the little more zipper to the material than if the lapped application can be used in more places, zipper was placed flat on the material. we will go into more detail on this. However, some of the techniques can be used in the cen­ Two methods are suggested for attaching ter application, especially in the first steps. the zipper to the material in the first line of stitching: One is as illustrated in FIGURE 3A, When a garment is ready for the zipper, where the zipper is open and the teeth of the the bottom part of the seam should be back­ zipper are placed on the basted seam line and stitched so that it will not open up at any time. then pinned as instructed. The other method See FIGURE 1 at pin. From the back stitch­ is to keep the zipper closed with the edge of ing, machine baste on the center seam line or the zipper as close to the basted seam line as what may be called the fitted line. After the possible. See FIGURE 3B. For very thin zip­ garment is basted is an ideal time to give the pers, the closed zipper may be used, but if seam the best pressing job possible. At this the zipper is on the heavy side, the open zip­ time you can give a more clean cut line on the per method is better. zipper than after the zipper is inserted. The first line of stitching the zipper to The fabrics of today need special hand­ the seam line is a machine basting. This may ling to keep the zipper from having a puckered be done by using a zipper foot on the machine 2 FIGURE 3A FIGURE 38 or your regular presser foot. See Figures 3A per but not so close that the material will hang and 3B. The regular presser foot of a zig-zag into the zipper. In all of the stitching of the machine is wider so swing the needle over to zipper to the seam line, hold the zipper taut the left side. This makes it possible to stitch with the fabric to prevent puckering. on the tape of the zipper to a better advantage. When using the zipper foot avoid stitching too All of the lapped seam zippers may be close to the teeth allowing material or the done in the s arne direction. That is, start thread to get into the teeth. stitching from the bottom of the zipper having the large part of the garment on the lefthand The next step is to stitch with regular side of the machine. The basting of the zipper stitches after you have turned the zipper down and the second line of stitching with regular next to machine with the seam allowance un-· stitches can be done in the same direction and der. See FIGURE 4. The fold of the seam will allow the fabric to remain on the machine allowance must be left in the zipper at all with little handling and prevent the material times and this fold should come near the zip- from getting tired looking. 3 FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 FINISHING--MACHINE OR HAND Many of the zippers are stitched on the several colors of thread in the length of the right side by machine or stitched from the zipper the stitching will be less conspicuous. underneath side by machine using the blind­ The zipper will hold with this hand stitching hem method. Adjust machine so that a very of a single thread provided the garment is small amount of material is caught. Top lay­ properly fitted and one isn't stretching the er should be caught 3/8- to l/2-inch apart. garment tightly over the body. To remove Whichever way this is done, car e must be the basting that was put in the garment on the taken so that the pleat in the seam line re­ fitted seam line, clip the basted stitches be­ mains as a pleat and not stretched over. If it fore the zipper is inserted so that it will be is, then the second line of stitching on the zip­ easy to pull out short sections of the thread. per with regular stitches will show when the zipper is completed. The most professional The crossing at the bottom of the seam and custom look to a zipper can be accom­ line 0 r the lap is not necessary as it draws plished by using a hand -stitch method. Use a more attention to the end of the zipper than if single thread with a fine needle (No.9 or 10) there is just a parallel line coming from the .' and make a small back stitch. See FIGURE 5. bottom of the zipper straight up to the back of I This can be done quickly and it will be less the neck or wherever the zipper may be placed. conspicuous than any machine stitching. Re­ If it is possible to insert a zipper down the frain from pulling the thread tight arid making back of a dress before it is joined to the front .. dimples in the material. If the material has part of the dress it will be easier to handle. a design on it, the design may be followed as The job is quicker and there is less handling far as color is concerned. Even if you use of the total garment. 4 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 ZIPPERED NECKLINE FINISH The facing at a neckline may be put on or this facing may be sewed by hand on the before or after the zipper has been inserted, wrong side of the zipper. The machine stitch­ depending on the unit construction of your gar­ ing is easier and will hold better than hand ment. The seam allowance at the neckline stitching. The lapped part of the seam over should be trimmed very closely at the zipper the right side of the zipper may be finished lap after the understitching of the neckline so with a diagonal line from the top of the neck­ that there is no extra bulk. line to the tape of the zipper as illustrated in FIGURE 6. The diagonal line of facing should The zipper side that has the understitch­ be machine stitched near the edge and stitch ing may be finished as follows: Fold facing to over the line of understitching at the neckline the left of the zipper neatly down and in line for a half to three -fourths of an inch- -this with the regular stitching that has already will insure the facing remaining the same been put in on the zipper side. See FIGURE 6. size. The lower part of diagonal line is hand Another line of machine stitching may be made stitched to zipper tape. 5 FIGURE 8 FIGURE 9 TOP FASTENERS Hooks and eyes are frequently used at over the ball part just as if you were snapping the top of the zipper closing to keep it together it at any time, then sew two holes of the snap but there is a great chance that the hook will to the bias line.