Invisible Zipper Tip

Today I learned a tip to putting in an invisible zipper. I was at Hancock Fabrics today looking for a few extras I needed to finish a couple dresses for my girls. I asked about Wonder Tape (a tip I heard about on #talknt for putting zippers in). She told me they didn't sale it, but her grandmother (who could look at a Vogue pattern picture and then draw/cut out the pattern out without opening the package...) used this method all the time.

What you need:

1. fabric
2. zipper
3. masking tape
4. basic sewing supplies
5. Alchohol and q-tips (to clean adhesive off the needle)

For those who don't know, masking tape is similar to painters tape. My dad always had drafting tape (which isn't as "sticky") around that we played with when he was drawing up house plans.

1. You take the edges of the fabric and put them together. I would suggest ironing down the seam allowance and aligning the folds together. Tape the fabric on the side that would be showing (or the top/outside of the seam).
2. Then you lay your zipper along the inside where your seam allowance is and tape the zipper down on both sides.
3. Now, you draw on the tape where you want to sew. This way there is no guess work.
4. Sew along the lines. Using the alcohol to clean the adheasive off of the needle as needed.
5. The masking tape will be perforated at this point. Simply remove the tape and voila you have an invisible zipper.

Now if you are doing a bag and there will be a lining, my suggestion would be to do a basting stitch to hold the first fabric in place and then remove the tape from the zipper and then repeat step #1 with your lining fabric and lay that over the basted on zipper. Possible leaving a little gap between the lining fabric so that there isn't any fabric to snag the zipper on. I will have to test that out and get back to you on it. I will also post pictures tomorrow for the different steps.


I can't seem to find it right now, but I found a tutorial last month where she showed how to do an invisible zipper for a pillow. In the tutorial, she basted the two pieces of fabric together and then ironed them opposite each other. She then pinned the zipper on the basted seam and sewed it on. Removed the basted thread and you had an invisible zipper. I'll keep trying to find it.




Here is a different invisible zipper tutorial from Stitched In Color.