Invisible Zipper: Sewing Techniques Edition

Learn how to easily install an invisible zipper with this step-by-step tutorial. This video covers essential tips, including ironing the zipper tape, pinning and attaching the zipper to your fabric, and sewing it in place for a flawless finish. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced sewer, this guide will help you master the invisible zipper installation technique with ease.

Transcript

Hi everyone, my name is Teria with Peace & Make, and today I have a very special video for you. I’m going to do a tutorial on how to install an invisible zipper foot. I was really inspired by your comments on my video about the pink flower dress. Some of you mentioned that you were having trouble getting started with putting in an invisible zipper, so I wanted to create this video to help. I’m going to break it down into three easy steps.

First, let’s go over the supplies. You’ll need:

• Scissors or a rotary cutter (I personally prefer scissors for more accurate cuts, especially for garment sewing, though you can use either).
• Pins to pin the zipper to the fabric.
• An invisible zipper foot for your sewing machine.
• Thread (I’m using a bright pink thread so it’s easier to see on camera).
• Invisible zippers (I have two zippers here, and I’ll decide whether to use the green or blue one for the demo).
• Muslin fabric (I’m using this for my demonstration because it’s a neutral color that will show up well on camera).

Now that we have the supplies, let’s move to the next part.

Step 1: Ironing out the curl in the zipper tape. If you open your zipper and look at the teeth, you might notice they curl inwards. You want to iron them flat. I’ll show you the difference by ironing just part of it.

For example, here’s a zipper with curled teeth. I’m going to iron it flat. I won’t iron the entire thing right now, but I want you to see how much better it looks when the zipper tape is flat, rather than curled. This step will help the zipper lay better when you sew it.

Once I iron it, you’ll notice the teeth don’t curl in so much anymore—they lay flat. This makes the zipper easier to work with when it’s attached to your fabric.

Step 2: Attaching the zipper to the fabric. First, unzip your zipper about halfway. I’m using a long 20-22 inch zipper here, but you can use a shorter one depending on your project. Next, I have a test piece of fabric. I’ve already sewn the bottom part of the seam (you can see that here), but the top part is still open. This simulates a garment like a dress or pants where the seam will eventually be sewn, leaving the top part open for the zipper.

I’ve also labeled the fabric to help keep track of which side is which—this is the wrong side of the fabric, and these two are the right sides.

Now, I’ll take the left side of the garment and position the right side of the zipper tape against the right side of the fabric. You’ll nestle the zipper tape into the seam where the fabric is joined. Pin the zipper in place, but instead of pinning vertically, I’m pinning horizontally because the zipper tape is so thin. As I sew, I’ll remove the pins.

Make sure the right side of the zipper tape is facing the right side of the fabric. You can see that the zipper is already starting to disappear into the seam. This is the look you want for an invisible zipper.

Now, let’s do a quick test. You want the two pieces of fabric to come together like this once the zipper is sewn in. Even if it gets stuck a little from the pins, the goal is for the zipper to blend into the seam as much as possible.

Step 3: Sewing the zipper to the fabric. For this part, I’m using my Baby Lock Jubilant, but I also have a Juki machine I use for other projects (I’ll link the model in the description). I’ve attached my zipper foot to the machine, and I’ve adjusted my stitch length to 4.5 for better visibility in the demo (I usually keep it at 3.5).

When I sew, I like to fold the zipper down like this, so you can see how it’s starting to look invisible. Now I’ll sew down the first side of the zipper. Don’t worry if it takes a few tries—this is a skill that gets easier with practice, and even I still make adjustments sometimes!

It’s important to take your time and not be too hard on yourself. I’ve been sewing invisible zippers since around 2009-2010, and not all of them look perfect. If someone notices a small imperfection, they’re probably looking too closely. The key is to make it as neat as possible, but don’t stress over perfection.

I’ve finished sewing down one side. Before moving on to the other side, double-check that the edges are lined up correctly so the zipper will sit straight in the seam.

Now for a quick zip test—look how the zipper is starting to disappear into the fabric! It zipped up without any issues, which is great. One thing to note: there’s a small gap near the top of the zipper because the sewing machine won’t reach all the way to the zipper tape. To fix this, you can go back and sew from the last point you sewed up to close the gap.

I’m going to iron the zipper one more time to flatten it out. I know some tutorials skip showing this part, but I wanted to bring you back to the iron so you can see how it looks when pressed.

Let me know in the comments how you like to see tutorials structured—this is my first one, so I’d love your feedback on how I can improve future videos.

And now, we have our finished invisible zipper! Sometimes, I like to sew from the bottom of the garment to the top because it’s easier to even out the fabric this way. If you sew from top to bottom, you might end up with uneven fabric, which can cause unwanted lines. I’ve made that mistake before, so sewing in the same direction on both sides helps prevent it.

And there you have it—our invisible zipper is installed. You can see the right side of the fabric showing, and everything is in place.

I hope this tutorial helps you get started with invisible zippers. Remember, they may not be perfect the first time, but with practice, you’ll get the hang of it. Be kind to yourself during the learning process!

If you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. Turn on your notifications so you don’t miss any future videos. You can also follow me on Instagram @peaceandmake (same as my YouTube handle).

Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video. Bye!