Invisible zipper on nylon/lycra question
Daniel Mock
that matter, and I'm about to work on the invisible zipper. My question is
do I stretch the fabric, like I do with other seams, when attaching the
zipper, or not? The pattern doesn't seem to allow the space to stretch, but
I would have thought the instructions would have stated this exception to
stretching.
Thanks!
DJM
Kate Dicey
You need to put the garment on the wearer, measure the zip opening while
ON the person, and stabilize it at this length, then sew the zip in. it
will look odd and rippled when the garment os OFF but it will give a
smooth flat finish when the garment is ON, which is what you need.
Do it like this:
Sew the seam if the garment, leaving 2 or 3 inches extra at the bottom
of the zip area UNSTITCHED. One usually inserts concealed zips before
sewing the seam, but this is more difficult to fit properly on a stretch
garment.
Put the garment in the 'client'. Pint the zip opening closed so that it
is as smooth as you can get it. Put a marker pin at the bottom of the
zip opening, on each garment piece.
MEASURE the zip opening as it is on the body. Remove the garment, being
careful not to remove the marker pins.
Place the zip area on something like the ironing board: place the same
tape measure beside the garment piece.
Pin each end of the garment piece to the board, pulling the fabric to
the length required: pin at regular intervals, so the stretch is even.
Stabilize with tape, either hand basted cotton tape or iron on tape.
Sew the zip to the taped areas of seam allowance in the usual way.
This is the opposite of what I had to do with the bias cut bridesmaid
dresses, where I had to ease the fabric into the measured length, but
the technique is the same, except that you will be stretching the fabric
out. Take a look at the illustrations on my web site for the 'How to
rescue a bias cut disaster' page under the Sewing Room heading. It's
at the bottom of the How To Do It column. Hit the URL below and have
fun!
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
Atom1
Don't stretch the zipper. They are usually put in places that won't receive
stress or wear they are just to close (discreetly) the garment. If you
stretch the fabric you will have a permanent wavy zipper-not attractive and
not comfortable.
Michelle
"Daniel Mock" <danie...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Z7b9b.60996$Zw4.58357@lakeread03...
Kate Dicey
>
> Daniel,
> Don't stretch the zipper. They are usually put in places that won't receive
> stress or wear they are just to close (discreetly) the garment. If you
> stretch the fabric you will have a permanent wavy zipper-not attractive and
> not comfortable.
> Michelle
Done properly, the zipper will only look wavy when the garment if off.
Think about it: the fabric is stretched and under tension when the
garment is on the body. The zip has to fit the stretched out garment,
NOT the relaxed garment on the hanger, SO you stretch it out to sew the
zipper in. Look at my other post for details.
Penny S
> Daniel,
> Don't stretch the zipper. They are usually put in places that won't
> receive stress or wear they are just to close (discreetly) the
> garment. If you stretch the fabric you will have a permanent wavy
> zipper-not attractive and not comfortable.
> Michelle
>
Kate didn't say stretch the zipper. Zippers don't stretch anyway, you would
be hard pressed to make it work.
Kate is referring to vertical stretch... think of a leotard that will
stretch 2-3 inched in the torso when you put it on, shrinking back when you
take it off. If you DON'T stretch the opening to size then you will have
waves when you take it off,,, but from the lycra not the zippers... ( which
don't stretch, remember?)
The only time you wouldn't want to stretch the opening to fit is on
something like a pull over shirt or a bike jersey that is loose and doesn't
really grow vertically when you put it on.
On my ease chart for stretch fabrics, it's recommended that you have
pretty much 0 ease in the torso ( no one wants that pulling up the crack
feeling) anyway, so it would be a good idea to check that number form your
body to your pattern.
Penny S
CCN
nylon/lycra, as this fabric usually has enough stretch to get a garment on
the body without zippers. However, do not stretch the fabric when applying
a zipper; you will likely creat permanent rippling. Are you sewing with a
stretch stitch, or a straight stitch-only machine?
"Daniel Mock" <danie...@cox.net> wrote in message
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