How to Sew a Fully Exposed Zipper

I am a bit obsessed with exposed zippers these days, and it's not just because they look cool. Exposed zippers are really the easiest zipper to sew on, in my opinion. You can add them to any project you're sewing or to any top, dress, or skirt you have already in your closet. So grab something that needs a style update, and let's do it. 





You will need:

• Zipper
• Iron on Interfacing
• A shirt, dress, or skirt ready for a style update
• Pins
• Fabric marker
• Scissors
• Thread, sewing machine

1. Cut a piece of iron on interfacing the same width and length as your zipper. 

2. Turn your shirt so that it is right side out. Find the mid point of the back of your shirt. Draw a line as long as your zipper down the center of your shirt.  Iron the interfacing centered on that line. Remember you should be doing this on the right side of your shirt!

3. Sew 1/4 away on both sides of the center line.  When you reach the bottom of your line, pivot and turn then sew 1/4 an inch and pivot and turn and sew 

4. With scissors, Slash down the center line. Iron the raw edges over to the right side of your shirt. Pin and sew in place. 

5. Pin the zipper on your shirt so that the zipper teeth lines up with the with the slash.  It should look like this:

Wrong side:

Right side:

6. With your shirt on the right side. You will sew two lines around your zipper. The first should be 1/4 away from the zipper edge. The second should be as close to the zipper teeth as you can. 

You're DONE! The right side of the back of your shirt will look like this:

While the inside of your shirt should look like this:

That's it!

Loves,

Amber

20 Minute Midi Skirt

It seems it's the summer of skirts here in my neck of the woods. Hope you haven't tired of them yet, because I just can't get enough of them.  : )


Here's a very quick and easy skirt that will be finished in no time; I promise!  It is made from a oh so comfy knit hounds tooth fabric I had on hand (love when I find treasures in my stash). The knit fabric makes this skirt as comfy as my favorite sweats. Love, love, love.


Don't hesitate to change the length of the skirt to fit your style. Go short, midi, or go maxi length, you just can't go wrong. 

Close up of the folded over waistband:

Here's what you will need:

• About 1- 1 1/2 yards of knit fabric. 
• A high waisted skirt that fits you well (preferably knit but not necessary)
• Scissors
• Fabric marker
• Pins
• Sewing machine and thread

Step 1:
Take a skirt that fits you well and place on top of your folded fabric.  Trace around the skirt, adding 1/2 an inch of seam allowances on both sides.  I wanted my skirt to be much longer than the gray skirt I was using as a pattern, so I cut the skirt pieces about 10 inches longer than my gray skirt.  

Step 2:
Next let's cut out the waistband.  Measure your waist.  Add 1 inch to that measurement. This will the be length of your waistband.  
Cut out a rectangle that is the following dimension:
 your waist measurement + 1 inch by 10 inches 

Step 3:

Check to make sure that the waistband (when folded in half) and the top of the skirt pieces are about the same width.  If not, alter the skirt pieces by tapering it to fit the waistband. 

Step 4:

 With rights sides together, sew the two side seams of your skirt pieces together.  To give it a nice clean finish you can serge or overlock the seams. 

Try it on to check the fit. If you need to the take the skirt in or let it out, do so now. 

Step 5:

Fold the waistband in half width wise.  With right sides together, sew along the dotted line below using 1/2 an inch seam allowance.

You should now have a circular waistband.

Try the waistband on to check for fit. 

 Step 6:
Check that the top of your skirt piece and your waistband are again about the same width. 

Step 7:

Fold the waistband in half, length wise, and pin to the the skirt; all raw edges should line up at the top. 

Step 8:
Sew the waistband to the skirt using a 1 inch seam allowance.


After you sew the waistband on, serge, overlock, or zigzag the raw edges to give it a nice clean finish.  

Step 9:
Fold the waistband up and press in place.

Step 10:
Hem the bottom of your skirt.

You're done!!

Adding a Curved Pocket

Adding a Curved Pocket

Doesn't every skirt need pockets? I think so.  : )

Here's a tutorial on how to sew a perfect curved pocket.  Unlike the hidden pocket tutorial found here, this pocket is ideal for pants, or any form of skirt (fitted or full).  It is a bit more labor intensive then the side pocket, but the finished product adds some visual interest, which I just love. : )

Ps. Stay tuned for the entire tutorial on sewing this striped skirt above!

Here's what you will need:

• Small amount of lining fabric 
• Bias strips or contrasting fabric to make a bias strip (instructions below).  I used my lining fabric.
• scissors
• pins
• fabric marker

Click below to see the full tutorial!

How to Sew an Exposed Zipper

Sewing a Partially Exposed Zipper

Exposed Zippers. I see them everywhere.  

Want to know how to add a partially exposed zipper (just the teeth show) to any article of clothing?  

What I like about this technique is that there is no visible stitching lines around the zipper and you don't see the entire zipper tape.  It gives the zipper a clean and polished look while looking a bit more sophisticated then a fully exposed zipper. 

Quite honestly, I've done quite a few invisible zippers in my day and I must say that this exposed zipper was much easier than the invisible ones.  I didn't even have to use my seam ripper once while sewing this. : )

The first thing to keep in mind is that sewing an exposed zipper is oh so different than sewing a traditional zipper.  So forget everything you learned about putting in a zipper! 

Here's how to sew a partially exposed zipper.. 

What you need:

• Zipper (I used a jeans zipper)
• Small piece of tightly woven fabric that coordinates with your skirt.
• Interfacing

• Fabric Marking pen
• Pins
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine
• Thread

1. Cut a piece of tightly woven fabric 3 inches wide and 3 inches longer then your zipper (this will be called stay fabric from now on).  Add interfacing to the stay fabric.

2. Serge, overlock, or zig zag stitch around all four sides of  the stay fabric.

3. Next you will mark your sewing lines on your stay fabric. Place your stay fabric so that the interfacing is facing up.  Place your zipper 1/2 of an inch below the top of your stay fabric.  With your fabric marker, mark the stay fabric where the bottom of your zipper ends.  You want to mark just below the bottom stop of the zipper.  (The bottom stop is the metal part at the bottom of the zipper that stops the zipper from coming apart.)  You're done with your zipper for the moment. 

4.  Next, draw a line down the middle of your stay fabric to just below where the zipper's bottom stop will be.  

5. Now, with your skirt right side out, pin the stay fabric onto your skirt with right sides together (interfacing should be facing up).  You will need to place your stay fabric so that it starts 1/2 an inch above the top of your skirt.   Be sure to pin this stay fabric on straight.  You don't want the zipper to be crooked or slanted! 

6.  Now it's time to sew the stay fabric on your skirt.

Again with your skirt turned right side out, begin by basting down the middle line of your stay fabric. Be sure to stop sewing where you marked the bottom stop of your zipper.  (Ignore the other sewing lines below).

7.  Next,  you will sew (not baste) a long rectangle that is 1/4 inch away from both sides of the basting stitch you just sewed.  To do that, start at the top of your skirt and sew (not baste) a line 1/4 of an inch to the left of the basting stitch you just sewed.  When you reach the end of the line, keep your needle down and pivot the fabric; sew across the bottom line, then pivot and turn and sew up to the top of the skirt keeping the seam consistently 1/4 of an inch from the middle line.  

8.  Now you will cut your skirt to make the opening for your partially exposed zipper.  Carefully slash down the basting stitch.   1/4 of an inch before the bottom of the basting stitch, cut a very small upside down V.  Be careful not to cut any seams. 

9.  Flip the stay fabric to the inside of your skirt.  Fold down the extra 1/2 inch of stay fabric at the top of your skirt so that the ends are hidden.  See the (blurry) photo below. 

Press the entire opening flat. 

10.  Time to pin the zipper to your skirt. Turn your skirt right side out again.   

With your zipper zipped up, place the zipper in the opening of your skirt.  Pin the zipper in place at the top and the bottom.  You will do the bulk of the pinning from the inside.

Turn your skirt inside out.   Carefully pin the zipper to the stay fabric only. This will give you a clean finish with no visible seams around the zipper.  I used quite a few pins to make sure the zipper would be sewn on straight.  You could also use fusible web or iron on hem tape to keep the zipper in place before you sew. 

11. Time to sew the zipper on.  

You will sew the zipper on just to the stay fabric; again this will give you a clean finish without any visible seams around the zipper. 

This is a bit difficult to explain, so I'll do my best.  To  sew the zipper just to your stay fabric, open up your stay fabric and push the entire skirt to the opposite side. (See the photo below.)  If this doesn't make sense, don't hesitate to ask me.  I'm having a hard time explaining this. : )

Using a zipper foot, sew about 1/8 of an inch away from the metal part of the zipper.  Sew down one side, then across the bottom, and then up the other.  Pivot the foot with the needle down as you turn.  Keep the bulk of the skirt away from your stay fabric as you sew so you don't accidentally sew your skirt fabric into the zipper.  Also, be careful not to sew the metal teeth.  

Now for added strength, sew another line 1/8 of an inch away from the edge of the zipper tape

And that's it.  You're done! Here's the zipper from the inside (prior to ironing or clean up).

And the outside:

Loves,

Amber

DIY Anthropology Tee.

Hey, I'm up and running again after a bit of some computer problems. : )

I just finished up a top that I am just crazy for.  

The inspiration for this top came from this lovely number at Anthropology.com.

The Starred Chiffon Tee, $88.  

I adore that it is a super simple tee in the front with a very feminine surprise in the back.  Very well designed.

 I just love it, but with the low reviews (reviewers say it was waaay too big) coupled with the price, I just couldn't bring myself to purchase. 

So I made my own out of an old t shirt and some chiffon fabric. 

Anthropology's version cost $88. 

Mine cost me $5 plus an evening with the old sewing machine. (Fabric from Hancock Fabric)

Not too bad, yeah? : )

This shirt is so comfy, and spices up my day to day wardrobe perfectly.  

Paired with some skinnies and some flats, I'm good to go. 

 

So I went from this...

to this in just a few short hours. : )  

Front

Back

The dolman style sleeves makes this super quick and pain free.  
Ready to make your own?   I'll show you how..

Just click below to expand the entire tutorial and to see this top dressed up. 

Boho Skirt, Grown Up Version.

I finished it!  

I made the Boho skirt para mi..  : )

And I just love it! I haven't sewn many things for myself but that is going to change really soon. I can't believe how quick and easy this was, and using only a yard of fabric (that was on sale) this skirt cost me less than $7. Can't beat it, yeah?  It's casual enough to wear with a tee and skinny belt; or with a little dressing it up, it'll be ready for a hot date night with the hubs. : )

To make it, I followed my  Boho Skirt Tutorial.  I added a lining and sewed some darts in the back to make it more polished.  Tutorial on adding a lining to your Boho Skirt coming soon! Even with the darts and lining, this skirt took me less than an hour and a half from start to finish. Score.

So in 1.5 hours (or less) you can have a new summer skirt like the one below (pasty white legs or children not included).: )

 What are you waiting for, get to sewing!

Loves,
Amber