How to attach an invisible zipper to a garment with facing | Professional result
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How to attach an invisible zipper to a garment with facing | Professional result
Inserting an invisible zipper into a garment with a facing requires care and precision — but the result is a flawlessly clean closure with no visible stitching from the outside. This step-by-step tutorial guides you through every stage, from aligning the zipper to finishing the facing neatly.
Materials needed
- Invisible zipper
- Matching thread
- Iron and pins or clips
- Chalk or fabric marker
- Invisible zipper foot and regular zipper foot
- Garment with facing
Step-by-step instructions
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Mark the zipper stop points
Using chalk on the wrong side of your fabric, mark the stopping points for your zipper on both the front and back pieces. Accurate marks here are the foundation of a well-aligned zipper.
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Pin and align the zipper
Place the left side of the zipper right side down on the front of the garment. Pin in place and mark the position with chalk on both sides of the zipper tape. Repeat with the right side of the zipper on the back of the garment, checking carefully that the seam lines are aligned on both pieces.
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Sew the invisible zipper
Attach your invisible zipper foot and sew close to the zipper teeth on both sides, working from the top down. After stitching both sides, close the zipper and check that it opens and closes smoothly and that the seam lines meet correctly at the bottom.
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Close the seam below the zipper
Turn the garment to the wrong side and align the front and back pieces. Trim any excess zipper tape with pinking shears if needed, and finish the edges — see this tutorial for guidance. Switch to a regular zipper foot and stitch from the last stitch of the zipper down to the bottom of the seam, overlapping slightly for reinforcement.
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Attach the facing
Place the facing and garment right sides together, pin carefully, and sew along the seam. Clip the curves to remove excess bulk, then understitch a few millimetres from the seam on the facing side to keep it from rolling to the outside.
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Finish the zipper area with facing
With right sides together, stitch the facing close to the zipper teeth using the zipper foot. Repeat for the other side and trim the corners to reduce bulk. Depending on your preferred finish, you can tuck the seam allowance neatly between the garment and the facing, or leave it flat.
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Turn and secure the facing
Turn the facing to the right side of the garment and tuck in the seam allowance neatly. Pin or baste in place, then sew along the seam from the right side of the garment and remove any basting stitches. Alternatively, hand-stitch the facing from the wrong side using an invisible stitch for the most discreet finish.
Pro tip
Before stitching, gently press the zipper teeth open with a warm iron — this allows you to sew closer to the teeth and achieve a truly invisible result. Also press the zipper tape flat against the fabric before attaching the facing; a well-pressed zipper area makes every subsequent step much easier to handle.
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