Zip It! Lesson II

EASY LAPPED ZIPPER CLOSURE for PILLOWS

This pillow was featured in the recent Half-Hexie ruler "How-to" video seen >>HERE<< 

A lapped zipper is a great way to finish a pillow back, hiding the zipper teeth and making it easy to change out the pillowform, especially for laundering, etc.  

So, here's another quick lesson in taming the little beastie...

Class:  EASY LAPPED ZIPPER

Project:  DECORATIVE PILLOW

Supply List:  

* Pillow top   NOTE:  Today's tutorial will use an 18" pillow top, but the general instructions can apply to any size pillow.

* 1/2 yard fabric for pillow back
* Polyester zipper (I like my zipper a couple inches longer so I can clip off the metal hardware.)
* 2 @ 2-1/4" x width of fabric strips for binding
* Zipper Foot for your sewing machine

* Matching thread

My Mom had a collection of a bunch of notions in her sewing room.  These old zippers recently came to live in my sewing room.  Perfect!  

Instructions:
Measure your pillow top.  Backing pieces will be cut the same width as the pillow top.  Determine the length of your backing pieces by adding 2"  to account for a 1-inch lap.  This would apply to any size pillow.   I cut my backing pieces at 18" x 5", and 18" x 15".

 

1)  APPLY zipper to top of larger backing piece.  

With right sides together (zipper face down; fabric right side up), center and align the edge of the zipper tape with the upper edge of the fabric as pictured; PIN in place. 

Zig-zag to finish the raw edges and basically baste the zipper to the fabric.

Once that step is complete, flip the fabric back and fold right along the edge of the zipper teeth; PIN into place.  Change your presser foot to the ZIPPER FOOT, then STITCH through all layers, about 1/8" away from zipper teeth.

2)  APPLY Zipper to remaining back piece.  

While still closed, align free zipper edge to the bottom of the remaining back piece as pictured, right sides together; PIN. 

Switch the presser foot back to the regular foot, then Zig-Zag stitch the edge as before.

 3) FORM LAP (flap, overlap, etc.)

Lay out backing wrong sides together over finished pillow top to measure.   

Bring the top edge of pillow backing to the top edge of pillow to form the flap over the zipper as pictured.  Without catching the pillow front, pin the flap into place to prepare for top stitching.

Switch to the Zipper foot again, and STITCH in place.  The foot should glide alongside the zipper teeth if top-stitching on the right side of fabric, or move pins to the back side and stitch on the wrong side so you can see the zipper.  

If your zipper is longer than the backing, you can now move the zipper pull to the inside of the fabric and stitch the end with a few zig-zag stitches.  Be sure to switch back to the regular presser foot. TRIM off excess.  Repeat at the other end of the zipper if necessary.

4)  FINISH.  

Align backing with wrong sides together over the pillow top and PIN.  Stitch together, or use a Zig-Zag stitch to secure edges and prepare for binding. 

5) BIND the edges of the pillow.  

Need a refresher?  Watch this VIDEO tutorial for Machine Binding, or here's a step-by-step Binding Basics TUTORIAL.

This pillow top used 25 @ 5" squares featuring So Happy Together fabrics by Deena Rutter along with RBD Basics Shades and Solids, cut with the 5" Hexie-Half ruler.  One 2-1/2" x width of fabric strip was used for the side finishing pieces.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial - Zippers truly can be our friend!  Be sure to stop by all week for more hexagonal fun finishes from our video!  Our next zipper we'll tackle in this series?  INVISIBLE ZIPPERS!!   Until then,

Happy Quilting! 

ZIP IT!  Lesson I