Nifty Tricks: Zippers and Collars on Knits

How to insert a short zipper into a knit top. Thanks to Jalie Patterns for this great technique!

Adjust, layout and cut your pattern as usual. Figure out how long you want the front zipper to be, and mark the CF. Keep in mind collar width added to the front panel for the length of the zipper. Mark CF with dots and a 2" slash at CF.

Then, sew sleeves, back and collar on:

Check length of zipper against collar fold point and your marks.

Now, noting exact placement of zipper stop, mark botton of the zipper with a pin, turn zipper RS down and going the opposite way is should, on the RS front. Secure the zipper. Where you have bottom of zipper marked with a pin, use a couple of pieces of clear tape on the WS. This will act as a stablizer when you sew the bottom. (pink jersey does not have a collar, only a lycra band added later)

Now, stitching very carefully, stitch across the bottom of the zipper, RS of shirt up, zipper is RS down and pointing the wrong way. Take just a very few stitches, and backstitch. Even as pictured I took a few too many. You just want to secure the end of the zipper, no wider. Then, you will carefully cut down the CF of your shirt, making a ">" at the end of the zipper. Clip EXACTLY to the edge of your stitching and make sure the ">" is longer, not shorter.

For the next step of actually sewing the zipper tape to the fabric, a nifty notion called Wonder Tape is very helpful.It is washable, and really keeps knits from distorting during this step.

Apply the Wonder Tape to the RS of the zipper,

turn cut edge and press to secure, making sure there is no distortion.Stitch carefully, starting exactly at the apex of the "V" cut.You can use the zipper foot to get nice an close to the coil if you want. Note, on the grey Powerdry on the right, the long edge of the opening is placed for a narrow appearance with very little zipper tape showing. This is done deliberately, to keep the opening narrow and undistorted. The pink one was one of the first I did, I've done a dozen or since then.

Finish both sides of the zipper. If you have been careful, you'll have a nice,even opening like the photo on the lower left. When you are crossing the collar seams, make sure that they match up on either side. Fold the seam allowances towards the collar. This will also help with the collar treatment. You can pick the tape off the WS now, too.

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