Now, now, zippers aren’t that bad! Here’s some hints: Buy the zipper at least an inch, better two, longer than what is called for. You will install it with the extra sticking out at the top end. The bottom is right where it should be. This prevents you from having to sew over a lump, aka zipper pull, or manuevering the pull out of the way which never gives you a smooth stitching line. When the zipper is all in , lower the pull tab to the bottom, and do a few zigzag stitches at the top of each zipper side right after the seam line. These are your “stops” to keep the zipper pull from coming off. Now you can cut the extra zipper hanging off the end. MAKE SURE THE PULL TAB IS AT THE BOTTOM AND THE ZIPPER IS OPEN until you have put in a cross seam such as a waistband or facing. I like to do center lap zippers for the most part. Stitch your seam with regular stitches until you get to where the zipper starts. Then switch to a basting stitch. You will use the basting stitch for the length of the seam where the zipper goes. Iron the seam open. Use Wonder Tape, not pins to secure the zipper to the seam on the wrong side. Careful to center the coils over the seam line. If you use pins it will distort the stitches. Once the zipper is taped down, flip it over. I like to topstitch the zipper from the bottom up on each separate side. This helps prevent buckling of the fabric. One side that you stitch going up will have to include starting at the very bottom and going across the bottom and then stitching up. By starting at the bottom you won’t be left with a bubble at the end. So that’s my Zippers 101. I have done a million of them I think but rarely on childrens clothing. I just think a placket is so much prettier so choose that way instead, like Nonie and Betty. If you ever need a real real easy way to do a fly zipper, get at the library Sandra Betzina’s Power Sewing. If you follow her directions it will be done in five minutes, no kidding! Worth the price of the book. Bunny_________________

Watch your thoughts,They become words. Watch your words. They become deeds. Watch your deeds. They become habits. Watch your habits. They become character. Character is everything. -Ralph Waldo Emerson