Friday, January 21, 2011

Why do zippers hate me?


As you may be able to tell in this blurry picture, this is a broken zipper on my new woven PD. It zipped to the top, but then popped open. If this is your first time reading my blog: I HATE SEWING IN ZIPPERS. I have never been particularly good at it. For some reason, they always pop open after zipped op, and I need to get to the bottom of it. 

I am speaking of invisible zippers, and when one sews invisible zippers, one knows that they have to be ironed first to make them really flat so that the needle on the sewing machine can get really close to the zipper teeth. One of my theories as to why my zippers suck is that I may be ironing the teeth to melt (?). Has anyone else had a problem with invisible zippers popping?? Please tell me what you have learned. I really need it. 

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I had a fitting at Whitney's today for her skirt, and of course I forgot to take photos AGAIN. I ordered the lining I mentioned before, and it probably won't be here for another two weeks, so that project is on hold for now. Maybe I'll remember to get photos of the actual finished project. Don't hold your breath.

3 comments:

  1. I have used invisible zippers but never ironed them and I haven't ever had a problem with them popping so maybe those two are related.. I never knew I should be ironing them. I do have an invisible zipper foot for my sewing machine which makes the zippers so much easier for me to put in.

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  2. I have never had a problem with a zipper, and I have never ironed them. Maybe this is why you like exposed zippers, because they generally have metal teeth that don't melt! Maybe you should be steaming them, or ironing them with a protective clothe instead.

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  3. I have ironed invisible zippers before (especially if they are kind of bent when I get them out of the package) but I only iron them on a low heat...I think the invisible zipper foot helps the most, and just going reaaaally slow. I also do a bar tack (I think that is what it is called...wow, it has been a while since sewing class) at the base of the zipper. That helps hold it together, especially if I've cut the zipper to shorten it.

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