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All about Zips

There are various types of fastenings, including buttons and buttonholes,  Velcro, hooks and eyes, poppers and of course zips.  The zip is probably the most popular of all fastenings. Some of my students avoid using zips as they feel they are too difficult to sew.  I hope that by the time you have read this you will have overcome your fear. 

Zips come in a whole variety of styles, however, before we start to look at the different styles, let’s look at the anatomy of a zip.

Zip teeth can be made from metal, polyester , nylon and plastic and the tapes from cotton or polyester., some tapes are super sheer and lightweight.  You should choose your zips according to weight, metal zips are much heavier and durable and are generally used in jackets and bags.  Polyester and nylon zips are lighter in weight and used in all sorts of garments and knitwear.

Special zips include concealed zips which are also known as invisible zips and are designed to “hide in seams and are constructed differently from other zips.  You can tell a concealed zip by looking at the teeth, which are at the back of the zip, rather than the front of the zip as on traditional zips.

Open ended zips split into 2 so that you can open and close them and are traditionally used for jackets and coats.  Open ended zips also come in and out of fashion on dresses and skirts.

Decorative zips can have decorative teeth and/or tape and are usually sewn on garments so that they can be seen as a decorative element on garments and are fashionable at centre back seam on tops and dresses.


Zips in the image above:

On the far left: A closed end zip with nylon teeth and a cotton tape

2nd from left: A closed end zip with metal teeth and cotton tape

Middle: A closed end zip with metal teeth and cotton tape

4th from left: A decorative zip with diamante teeth and cotton tape

Far right: A concealed zip with nylon tape and nylon teeth


Measuring your zip for size:

When measuring your zip, measure from the top stop to the bottom stop.  Do not measure the length of the tape.


Zipper feet:

In order to sew zips you will need a special zipper foot that usually comes with your sewing machine.

If you want to sew a concealed zip you will also need a concealed zipper.  Both feet are designed to allow you to sew close to the zip for a neat professional finish.


If you would like to learn how to sew both a closed end zip and a concealed zip, join me on the

Sewing Zips zoom course:

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