How to Easily Sew a Zipper into a Project (YouTube Tutorial)

Do you think installing zippers is a daunting task? Have you avoided them? There is nothing scary about sewing a zipper.

This zipper tutorial shows how to install standard zippers. For this method, a zipper is sewn with a sewing machine into a project where the teeth and part of the zipper tape on either side of the teeth are visible.

This zipper installation is seen in garments, home decor projects, pouches, purses, totes, and many others. A new fashion trend, seen increasingly today, is exposed zippers in many designer garments.

This zipper installation method will work with nylon or metal zippers. It's not appropriate to install an invisible zipper.

Do you need to shorten your zipper before installing it in your project?  Check out our tutorials, How to Shorten a Zipper by Hand Sewing or How to Shorten a Zipper by Machine.

Click the link below to watch a YouTube video or keep reading this article for an easy way to sew a zipper into a project.

How to install standard zippers

supplies NEEDED to install a ZIpper with a sewing Machine

• Fabric
• Zipper
• Sewing Machine
• Zipper Foot
• Pins
• Iron
• Ironing Board

INSTRUCTIONS showing how to install a ZIPPER

STEP 1: Prepare Fabric and zipper pull

Cut two pieces of the fabric the same size.  Set aside one piece. Place the other piece on a work surface with the right side facing up. 

Open the zipper slider about halfway. This makes it easier to line the edges up, and to sew a straight stitch.

Place the zipper with the zipper pull facing down. Align the edge of the fabric and the edge of the zipper tape together and pin it in place.

Step 2: Install the zipper foot on the sewing machine

A zipper foot makes sewing a zipper quick and easy.  The foot is designed to go right next to the zipper teeth.  The needle can be placed on the left or right side of the foot to stitch closely to the zipper teeth.

A standard presser foot could be used to stitch a zipper, but getting the stitches close to the zipper teeth will be hard.

The next step is to attach the zipper foot to the machine.

Set the machine to a straight stitch and regular stitch length. Thread the machine with thread matching the fabric.

Move the needle appropriately to the left.

Step 3: Sew one edge of the zipper to the fabric

Take the pinned zipper and fabric to the sewing machine. Lower the presser foot and begin sewing at the top of the zipper. Line up the presser foot to be used as a guide for sewing.

Be sure to backtack before stitching the zipper.

When the stitching gets close to the zipper pull, stop sewing and put the needle in the down position. Turn the project so the zipper pull can get past the presser foot.

Take the zipper pull and pull it to the top of the zipper.

Turn the project back to continue sewing the zipper.

Continue sewing until the end of the zipper. The zipper should be sewn to one piece of fabric.

Note how the zipper looks when one side is attached.

Step 4: use the sewing machine to sew the second side of the zipper

Pin the other fabric piece to the zipper's opposite edge. As before, place the fabric on the table with the right side up and the zipper's wrong side facing up. Pin the side of the zipper tape along the top raw edge of the fabric.

Starting at the bottom of the zipper by the zipper stop, lower the presser foot and be sure to backtack.

Use the sewing machine to sew a stitching line, following the presser foot as the guide.

Stop sewing when the stitching line approaches the zipper's top. Ensure the needle is down, raise the presser foot, and turn the fabric.

Move the zipper pull past the machine foot. 

Turn the fabric back into position, lower the presser foot, and continue sewing the rest of the seam. Be sure to backtack at the end of the stitching.

Step 5: Iron the fabric and top stitch

Once the zipper has been installed, take the sewing project to the iron and ironing board. Press the fabric away from the zipper. If the zipper teeth are plastic, please do not touch the iron to the plastic zippers teeth as they will melt.

This is what the ironed zipper looks like on the back of the fabric.

Take the project back to the sewing machine and top stitch close to the edge of the seams on both sides. 

This will make a nice finish and keep the fabric from getting stuck in the zipper pull.

Note the back of the fabric with all four lines of stitching complete.

That's all there is to it!