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Are you intimidated by invisible zippers? I certainly was until I gave it a try… It turns out it’s just as simple to sew an invisible zipper as a regular zipper.
Invisible zippers are great because they give the impression that there is no zipper at all. If inserted properly, all you see is a seam with a small, inconspicuous zipper pull at the top. That’s why it’s called “invisible.” They are commonly used in dresses and skirts. You might also see them used in home décor pillows.
Choosing an Invisible Zipper
Even though an invisible zipper will be hidden when you’re done sewing, you should still try to get one that is the same color as your fabric because the little pull will be visible. Plus, it will make the inside of your garment look neater.
Invisible zippers come in several colors and lengths!
My sister-in-law recently asked me to replace the invisible zipper in one of her dresses. The dress was a pale purple color, and I went ahead and used a white invisible zipper because I thought it would be a close enough match. I used a standard 16-inch zipper — that’s the most common size for dresses because it covers the entire length of the back and extends a little lower than the waist. You can get a 12-inch invisible zipper when you’re making a child’s dress.
The teeth on invisible zippers are made from plastic. They are then fused onto strips of woven fabric. You typically need a zipper that is 1-2 inches longer than your seam opening.
The Wonder Tape Method
I think the easiest way to insert an invisible zipper is to use wonder tape. That way you don’t have to fumble with sewing pins or worry about basting stitches. Wonder tape is great because you can sew through it and it won’t gum up your needle. It also washes away!
You can sew an invisible zipper with a regular zipper foot, but an invisible zipper foot works better. Most modern sewing machines come with an invisible zipper foot. Check your sewing machine’s manual to see if you have one. You can also get a universal sewing machine zipper foot from Madam Sew.
An invisible zipper foot has two small channels where you feed your zipper teeth through. It helps control where you stitch so that you are sewing in the right place. The zipper foot also prevents you from sewing over the teeth of your zipper by mistake.
Inserting an Invisible Zipper
We found an amazing video on YouTube that will walk you through the process of inserting an invisible zipper:
Step 1: Finish the raw edges where you are going to insert your zipper. I typically use my serger, but you can use an overcast stitch or zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. If you are inserting an invisible zipper into a dress or garment with a lining, you can skip this step.
Step 2: Mark the location of your seam allowance on both edges of your fabric. Your pattern should tell you what this is — typically 1/2 or 5/8 inches. Use a fabric marking pen and a ruler.
Step 3: Place wonder tape halfway between the edge of your fabric and the seam allowance line you created in the last step. The tape should run parallel to your seam allowance line the entire length of the zipper opening. Do this for both sides.
Step 4: Remove the paper backing from the wonder tape and place your zipper face up.
Step 5: Sew each side of your zipper. Pivot across the bottom to fully encase the zipper. Then, you’re done!
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