Fly Zipper With Facing

Avoiding Zipper Hell Part VI

This time I'm starting with the finished product.  I grabbed this pair of trousers out of my closet so you could see how flat the front lays.  Yes, it's a fabric that can hide things, but in real life, this is really what these look like.  Zoom in as close as you like--it's that tidy.

This zipper application is appropriate for: shorts, trousers, purses and handbags, as a design element on the front of a top, sleeves.

This zipper is not appropriate for: a zipper on the very edge of a fold, like a duvet or pillow cover.

Sewing Tip #1: It matter less that you do it 'right' and more that you do it consistently.  That way, you know what you did and can make workable changes when things don't turn out quite the way you wanted them to.

Sewing Tip #2: Check - Your - Work.  It's better to spend 2 seconds checking that you are happy with the step you just completed than to discover at the end that you are unhappy with the work done at step 2.  In zippers there are plenty of little steps.

Sewing Tip #3:  Be aware of your material, perhaps test a scrap.  In this case I mean that pins play a big part of how I put in zippers and not all materials can be pinned without consequence.  The biggest one that comes to mind is leather.  Included in this class, though, is Ultrasuede and vinyl.  Every hole is permanent.  Silk charmeuse also shows every hole.  Pins need to remain in the seam allowances for any silk and most satins.  So, for silk charmeuse, I would recommend an invisible zipper or a different kind of closure, completely.

Sewing tip #4:  A brand new needle will fix most stitch problems.  Most of the remaining problems can be fixed by re-threading the machine.  Do it this way when you are having troubles: snip the thread near the spool.  Then, reach down near the needle (or lack of needle =D ) and pull the thread out of the machine  in this direction.  This keeps little lint balls from being dragged into even more difficult places.  The goal is too keep your machine out of the shop ($$).

Onward and upward!

First off, I did find, and learn from, a wonderful video done by Threads magazine.  Before going farther, I highly recommend watching this.  I do a slight variation on her process, but if you want to stop with her information, be my guest.  This is about a 5 1/2 minute video.

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3831/video-an-easy-flat-fly-front-zipper

What I do differently is that I like to face my zippers.  It's a classy thing to do, and it keeps things out of the zipper coil.  If one is using a metal toothed zipper, a facing is a must.  

The best way to deal with lined pants and a zipper is to just treat the lining and the fabric like one piece.  I've done all kinds of fancy things to get a more polished look inside, but so far, it's just a lot of work.  That means that these instructions, both the video and mine, would be exactly the same for a lined or unlined pair of trousers.  Just FYI, lining helps keeps knees from bagging, makes the pants last longer and provide warmth.  It's worth it for winter (or white!) trousers.  No one needs to know if you have pink hearts on your underwear.  In fact, they don't WANT to know.

Here are my front pattern pieces.  If you don't have a facing pattern, it is pretty much just the fly area + 2".  See the next photo, for more. It makes life easier if the curves match.

Here I've pinned the zipper facing to the pattern, matching the curve and it extends about 1" beyond what will be the center of the trousers.  The exact amount does not matter.

In this photo I have the facing pattern folded in half in order to get the interfacing the size and shape I want it.  Cut two, just like a regular pattern.  I like the interfacing to extend into the lap of the zipper to help make sure things do not stretch as I'm sewing them down.

The unfolded facing pattern is used to cut the facing itself.  If the facing fabric is really flimsy, like poly charmeuse, use very light interfacing and cut this same way to give it some body.  A flimsy facing will just get caught in the zipper, becoming pointless.  I do tend to use loud facing fabric.  It makes me smile when I pull on my trousers.  Classy is not necessarily boring.

As per my usual, I have rounded the inner corner of the interfacing to help it not show on the right side.  Now is the time to fuse the interfacing to the zipper fly flap.

 Here I show several steps.  Starting at the left, you  see the zipper is longer than my fly. This way I don't have to deal with the tab.  In the middle, the zipper fly has been tacked to the circle, backtacked and then sewn with a regular stitch half way down the curved seam.  I like to do my crotch seam in the round. so leave the ends loose.  Crotch seams done this way lay better.  The top half of the curved area below the fly also is already serged or finished.  Later it will be impossible to get to this area.  On the right is the zipper fly facing folded and ironed in half, with the bottom and a bit up the curve serged.

 

On the non lap side, in this case the right side, as I am right handed (there are no rules here, if you are left handed, do this the opposite way =D), I have trimmed the interfacing right at the seam.  It would just be bulky, here.

Naturally, gently press the seam open.

On the lap side, finish the edge.  Sometimes this needs firm pressing to get rid of ripples.  It is better to do that as a single layer rather than risk creating a visible ironed in bump on the other side.

Now it's time to line up the zipper.  I centered this one, but a little off to the non lap side is even better as the lap will cover more of the stitching lines.  Another way to do this is to set the needle position well inside the zipper foot.  As always, only sew about 1" at a time and reline up your coil with the center seam as you go.

This just shows that the needle is in a ways into the zipper foot.  I wish I had gone farther, but it all worked out just fine.

 If  you've been reading along with the lap zipper, this will look familiar.  Sew along this little roll to make the zipper lay flat.  If you are feeling really adventurous, you can do this at the end.  I'll show you.

The double check to make sure nothing got caught in those seams shows me all is well.

 It is time to attach the free side of the zipper.  The only things that should be on the right side are the lap facing and the free edge of the zipper.  Every thing else is on the other side.  There is more room in a fly zipper than a lap zipper, so I have not pinned everything out of the way as I've not had trouble with bits of fabric getting caught.  It doesn't matter where you sew on this pinned side of the zipper.  It isn't going to show.  I tend toward the outer edge, but it's not required.  This is slithery peachskin fabric, so I've pinned the zipper down.  Pins need to be removed before sewing over them to keep things from moving around.

With everything opened up flat, put a pin at the bottom of the zipper above the stop.  Go all the way through all the layers.

On the right side, mark where that bottom stop pin was, remove it, and pin the lap side down. 

Mark where the stitching line will be.  These marks are 3/4" from the center seam line.  Wider is fine.  If you want to go narrower, be sure you know where the coils of the zipper are (see lap zippers for this information).  Curve the line to meet the bottom stop line and the center seam.

Stitch along marks, removing pins before going over them. 

 Looking pretty good!  Next, open up the seam.

 I like tweezers for getting all the small threads and fuzzy bits with a minimum of fuss.

 Pin the fly facing on the non lap or unfinished side of the zipper.  Serge or zig zag as far as you can go without sewing into the zipper.

 Here is what it looks like once that edge is done.  Now it's time to flip it over.

Open the zipper and lay everything flat.  I've sewn the sipper down, here, but like I said above, you don't have to, because at this point, it's time to sew so that the facing lays nicely and doesn't flap around.

 The stitching line just done, above is visible from the back. Lastly, tack the bottom corner of the fly facing just to the lap facing on the other side so that it cannot fold back on itself when you put your pants on.

Here is the finished lap zipper, ready for the next step in sewing the trousers.  Once you've done a few, it won't take more than 20 minutes (and probably less!) to put one of these in.

Closed Ended Lap Zipper On A Curve

Avoiding Zipper Hell Part V

One doesn't have to use a closed ended lap zipper on a curved seam, it can also be used on a straight seam.  Mostly I wanted to take care of two concepts at one time.  I'm getting pretty behind on my work =)

This zipper is appropriate for: side seam zipper applications, center back or front applications, and purse/handbag applications.

This zipper is not appropriate for: any application where the top or bottom needs to open, leather or leather like materials where every hole is permanent.

Sewing Tip #1: It matter less that you do it 'right' and more that you do it consistently.  That way, you know what you did and can make workable changes when things don't turn out quite the way you wanted them to.

Sewing Tip #2: Check - Your - Work.  It's better to spend 2 seconds checking that you are happy with the step you just completed than to discover at the end that you are unhappy with the work done at step 2.  In zippers there are plenty of little steps.

Sewing Tip #3:  Be aware of your material, perhaps test a scrap.  In this case I mean that pins play a big part of how I put in zippers and not all materials can be pinned without consequence.  The biggest one that comes to mind is leather.  Included in this class, though, is Ultrasuede and vinyl.  Every hole is permanent.  Silk charmeuse also shows every hole.  Pins need to remain in the seam allowances for any silk and most satins.  So, for silk charmeuse, I would recommend an invisible zipper or a different kind of closure, completely.

Sewing tip #4:  A brand new needle will fix most stitch problems.  Most of the remaining problems can be fixed by re-threading the machine.  Do it this way when you are having troubles: snip the thread near the spool.  Then, reach down near the needle (or lack of needle =D ) and pull the thread out of the machine  in this direction.  This keeps little lint balls from being dragged into even more difficult places.  The goal is too keep your machine out of the shop ($$).

 Here is the wrong side of two opposite/identical pieces of fabric, just like you have when you cut out a pattern.  Again, this is the slithery, drapey, difficult stuff I've been using all along.  Already I have fused a matching piece of interfacing a little longer than my zipper and 1 1/2" wide.  I make my  grown up daughter corsets and I use this zipper application for the very curved sides.  Without the minor changes for a curve, the flap of the zipper often flips up.  This is solvable by doing what I'm showing here, or just putting a hook and loop at the waist.  I'm doing this zipper with a 5/8" seam allowance because this is how the pattern would be cut out unless you cut every piece separately--ugh!  What a pain. 

As some insurance, I will be using, and recommend using, a seam extender just on the lap side.  From top to bottom, left to right there is (white package) plain hem tape, white satin ribbon, yellow grosgrain ribbon, blue fusible hem tape showing the two fusible strips stripped off, and pink seam binding. (ANCIENT; don't look for this packaging!)  The hem tapes and seam binding are the thinnest and best, but if you have to get ribbon to get a color match that would be fine.  Just be aware that the ribbons are bulkier than the tapes, in case that is important.

Here I have used the serger (zig zag or seam binding will do) to finish the edge as if for an unlined garment . If you are lining, skip the edge finish.  The edges were pinned up with the fabric flat to keep the sides from stretching unequally, and the location of the top and bottom of the zipper are marked with red headed pins and red wash out marking pencil (I love that stuff!)

One can start at the top or the bottom, just do the regular stitch until reaching the first mark, backtack, change to a basting stitch and sew until the second mark is reached, change to the regular stitch, backtack and finish the seam.

Curves must be clipped in order to lay flat, but those seam allowances are important, so make short clips, no more than 1/4" deep and use lots of them.  I used my serger line as a guide, then pressed the seam flat.  If the seam won't lay down, do a clip or two more until it will.

The last thing I want to do is finish this zipper and find that my clips extended into the lap and there are fuzzy, nasty threads that look bad and interfere with the zipper.  Hence the seam extender mentioned above.  Using my serged edge as a guide, I zigzagged with a narrow stitch, only onto the lap side seam allowance, making sure the ends of my clips were all covered. Yes, it will ripple a bit.  This is why the very thin hem tape or seam binding is preferred.

Again, press it open.  Make sure there are no serious ripples that will end up showing on the other side.

Mark where the end tacks are located.  I've used red head pins.  Then pin all the fabric except the one seam allowance out of the way.

Line up the center coil with the center, basted seam.  I never take the time to pin my bottom flanges like this, it just shows what is going on better in the photo.  Pin your zipper in place and put on your zipper foot.

This photo is just to show the needle position within the zipper foot.  Set the needle just a little inside the foot.  That little space will be necessary for the second stitch line.

Make sure the coil lines up and then sew about one inch at a time, re lining up the coil each time. 

Feel free to call me obsessive, but unzip the zipper to make sure it works.  I made the mistake of not checking one time when I should have.  I had to rip out a lot of stitches.  It just isn't worth it.

Now tuck the seam allowance you just sewed the zipper onto to the other side and pin this down with the rest of the fabric.  This will flatten out the zipper with the right side up.  This will also leave just the free zipper side to the right.  Stitch along this little area between the basted center seam and where the seam allowance is sewn to the zipper.  This will keep things nice and flat.

To try to clarify where each bit of fabric is.....

As you approach the zipper tab, put the needle down, raise the presser foot and nudge the tab down so you can finish stitching to about the top stop.

At this point you've probably guessed the next step.  Press the zipper gently and check both sides to be sure all is well. Avoid the tab area.

Looking good =)

This photo shows several steps.  Sew the lap side of the zipper to just it's seam allowance.  I decided to slightly straighten the crook where the zipper tab is. On the left end of the zipper, right 'above' the zipper tab take a few hand stitches around the inner top flanges to hold them together nicely for the next step.  The right side still has no stitching on it. Put pins at either end of zipper where the tacks are.

 Flip the fabric over.  Mark where the end tacks are.  Pin the fabric and zipper so nothing can shift.

Find where the coils are and mark with pins.  Then figure out which one is the farthest from the basted seam and use that measurement to mark a parallel line from end to end.  Make a mark or mental note where the zipper tab is.

Check each mark to make sure it is clear of the zipper coil.  My finger is at the zipper tab.

Nearly done!  Start sewing at the intersection of the bottom mark and the basted seam.  Put the needle down, turn the corner and sew right along the marks until you approach the zipper tab. 

Near the tab, put the needle down, raise the presser foot and undo at least some of the basted seam.

Here  you see the zipper tab pulled down.  

 Having been burned on the other lap zipper, I recommend double checking the location of the top zipper stop.  Here I've slipped a pin next to the stop and all the way through the fabric.

The pin is right on the marked line.  Yay!  Continue sewing, put the needle down at the corner of the end, turn and finish off the end right at the basted seam.  Snip threads, open up the seam, and I use tweezers, get rid of thread bits so they don't clog the zipper or look bad.

 Here is the zipper from the closed, or front side.  Nice and smooth!

 Here is the zipper from the open, or back, side.  It's amazing what it would look like with a zipper and thread that matched the fabric!

You can just see the smallest bit of zig zagging and seam binding way inside the zipper lap.  Even if you cannot match the color perfectly, no one will ever know.  Without this, though, the clipped points would be visibly fraying.

I love success!