Zipper Tips for Bag-Making

Today, I’m joining in as part of the Back to School Blog Hop on Hunter’s Design Studio. Sam Hunter is a brilliant teacher and quilt pattern designer, and I’ve purchased several of her quilt patterns (since we’re Doctor Who fans in this house, both her Tardis and Dalek patterns). Sam also has a continuing campaign called We Are $ew Worth It, being paid what we’re worth for our talents and skills while crafting.

My topic for Back to School was on zippers. I contemplated on what to write about, since I’ve touched on this topic before, so I’ve decided to refresh your memory on past zipper tutorials I’ve written and leave you with a great tip that you can use with a common supply that’s lying around in your house.

Zippers 4 Ways – I wrote this post a few years ago after speaking on the same topic at Sewing Summit. In the post, I discuss how to insert a top zipper (like in a zippered pouch), how to insert a zipper into a panel of a bag, two different ways to install a zippered pocket, and how to sew an invisible zipper.

How to Add a Zippered Mesh Pocket – This article was written on specifically how to install a mesh zippered pocket to the lid of my Ansel Camera Bag sewing pattern, however, this same method can be used for a panel in a bag or a bag flap. It’s great for keeping things secure while also visible.

How to Make a Zippered Pouch – Back in 2011, when my blog was less than a year old, my friend Bree from My Crafty Crap wrote a *very* comprehensive tutorial on how to make a zippered pouch as part of my Sewing Back-to-School series. This is a great read if you’d like to make your zipper corners pretty and flat!

How to Make a Recessed Zipper – If you were ever curious how I make a recessed zipper, I invite you to check out my free pattern for the Baker Street Bag. If you’d like to use this method for a larger bag, you can modify the zipper panels and length of the zipper and install it in just about any bag.

How to Insert a Zippered Pocket – I wrote this tutorial for the Craftsy blog on how to insert a zippered pocket into any bag. Here, I have the back of my Lilium Laptop Bag, in which I’ve inserted that white zippered pocket.

And here’s a tip, as promised! When I am teaching, I struggle with how to best instruct a student who may not have inserted a zipper before, because what I would do is not necessarily something I would suggest to a newbie (do as I say, not as I do!). I usually insert a zipper with no pins, because pins can make a zipper very wavy. Stitch Witchery or a glue stick are great to temporarily hold a zipper in place, and even one or two pins will invite some waviness in. A quick an easy solution? You can use washi tape or scotch tape to vertically tape your zipper in place before you begin to sew. As you approach each bit of tape, peel back the tape, sew past it, retape, then continue on. The tape will not leave any residue on your fabric either, so it’s a simple solution to the zipper wigglies.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this look back on zipper methods for bag-making. I invite you to visit Hunter’s Design Studio to see the rest of the Bag to School Blog Hop articles and to visit the rest of the stops!