The Sewing Place

Advice for quick and dirty zip

charlotte

Advice for quick and dirty zip
« on: February 24, 2021, 10:09:18 AM »
Any advice for how to sew in a quick and dirty centred zip?

I'm half way through a batch of garment bags and the long zips are a pain. I've been machine tacking the seam closed, pinning the zip over and topstitching from the wrong side, then ripping the tacking open.

My problems are:
- the longest stitch on my machine is still pretty small, it's really tricky to get all the threads out once the back of the stitching is enclosed, and seems to take ages.
- The stitching sometimes 'runs off' so it's not straight on the front, which is fine, but on a couple of occasions it actually ran to the wrong side of the seam so I had to unpick.
 
Any suggestions? Should I tack and press the seam and unpick before pinning the zip in? Stitch from the right side? I don't really want to hand tack!

It doesn't need to look especially neat and pretty, it just needs to work.

Lachica

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2021, 10:20:15 AM »
I'd press the seam allowances then pin the zip on the WS. Stitch using your zip foot (not an invisible zip foot) from the WS which will keep your stitching lined up with the teeth. Pin parallel to the zip teeth with heads towards you so they're easy to remove, don't attempt to stitch over ten as that will make the stitch line wobble. It won't look especially pretty on the RS but will be adequate I think. (Apologies if the pin thing is teaching you to suck eggs as I've seen your beautiful wedding dress workmanship)
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

toileandtrouble

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2021, 10:46:26 AM »
Do you have an overlocker?  I'd give myself a little extra room outside the zip tape then overlock catching the tape That's really quick and fabric doesn't move much on an overlocker. Then if you want you can sew closer to the teeth on your sewing machine. Another step but I think you will find it is  quicker in total, and easier.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

Ohsewsimple

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2021, 10:59:57 AM »
I always use wash away basting tape for zips.  Keeps everything straight and where it should be.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2021, 11:10:31 AM »
I think you are using the easiest method really, the only thing I'd possibly think of adding in is some wondertape to hold the zip in place.  Also, can you snip the tacking in just a couple of places then pull long threads out?

RJR_38

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2021, 21:32:11 PM »
I use wash away tape for all my zips - holds them in place so they don’t budge and very easy to stitch then. You can get multipack cheap rolls on Amazon

charlotte

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2021, 10:12:23 AM »
Thanks all! Lots of suggestions here for me to go away and try.

I was overlocking the edges before putting the zip in, but I like the sound of overlocking the zip and fabric as one! Also, Bodgeitandscarper's suggestion made me think that if I reduce the tension, the tacking should be easier to remove... (So obvious once you think of it...)

I'm sure I'll find the best method as I put together the last of my bags, and have forgotten it by the next time I need to make one!  :D

And @Lachica - I have very bad habits regarding pins and sewing over them.  :|

toileandtrouble

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2021, 12:07:37 PM »
The advantage of the overlocker is that is needs only a few pins to hold it in line.  When that's done, it doesn't need tacking for the closer stitching.  I love an easy life.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

charlotte

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2021, 10:54:03 AM »
I have now finished all 11 garment bags!  :dance:

After a couple of experiments, I did most of the zips with this method:

Machine tack the seam
Press
Mark across the seam at regular intervals with heat-removable pen
Undo the tacking
Sew the zip in from the right side, matching the marks when sewing the second side (and not using any pins  :scream:)

Thanks for all the advice!



PollyWally

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2021, 23:53:05 PM »
I am amazed by the lovely sewing that you are doing for your wedding, those garment bags are very special.

Esme866

Re: Advice for quick and dirty zip
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2021, 10:39:05 AM »
As you're making several of these, it is possible to play with your thread tensions a bit so that one is loose enough to allow the other thread to be pulled out easily rather than have to pick the stiches.