Sewing In A Zip

[leaky5]

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Keep the leather and zipper flat. If you bend it while stitching, the inside radius is smaller, and if that is the side the zipper is on, it will bunch up. Glue or double sided tape helps, but keeping it flat is still required until all stitching is finished. Oh, and don't stretch the zipper fabric.

For those that use machines, walking foot compound machines feed both the top and bottom together. Bottom feed only with the zipper on the bottom is going to bunch up, and stretching to keep things straight may not help in all cases.

Tom

I think I may have bent the leather when stitching.

The original piece was one piece with a slot cut in it and a 12” zip, it was a bit inflexible and I thought the hole was a bit to small.

I have decided to try it last this, 2 pieces (also thinner than before) and a 14” zip. I will also make the width between the leather pieces about the same as the zip head.

Edited May 23, 2015 by leaky5

[ConradPark]

As the leather is two separate pieces I would suggest that you unzip the zipper and sew the two sides separate from each other. This way you minimize the risk of undoing the leather from the zipper. If you're using a pricking iron, use the widest you have, I wouldn't be afraid of having 5mm or 1/5 inch between stitches.

This helps too. Also, don't worry about pulling every stitch so tight. A light 'pull' after each one is sufficient enough. You could also try a normal 'back stitch' as well. You only need one needle and goes a lot faster too.

There are plenty of YouTube videos that show how to do that. The stitch looks like a saddle stitch from above, but under it over locks itself and actually help keep the zipper garment in place better than a saddle stitch. Just practice on some scrap first.
Good Luck

[leaky5]

As the leather is two separate pieces I would suggest that you unzip the zipper and sew the two sides separate from each other. This way you minimize the risk of undoing the leather from the zipper. If you're using a pricking iron, use the widest you have, I wouldn't be afraid of having 5mm or 1/5 inch between stitches.

This helps too. Also, don't worry about pulling every stitch so tight. A light 'pull' after each one is sufficient enough. You could also try a normal 'back stitch' as well. You only need one needle and goes a lot faster too.

There are plenty of YouTube videos that show how to do that. The stitch looks like a saddle stitch from above, but under it over locks itself and actually help keep the zipper garment in place better than a saddle stitch. Just practice on some scrap first.

Good Luck

Thanks. I really need some bigger pricking irons. I have recently bought some 2x3mm and 4x3mm Seiwa's and intend to get some 2x4, 4x4, 2x5 and 4x5's as soon as I can afford to.

I wanted the 3mm ones so I could put some fine stiching onto the bag I an doing. As the zip piece is probably one of the last pieces to go onto the bag, I may hold fire until I get some bigger irons. I want to finish this by about September, so have plenty of time to work on the other stiching and do the zip later on.