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Zips... love 'em, yes?! Ever wanted to use a zip in a crochet garment but you're not sure how? This post is for you! Well, this post is particularly for showing how I sew the zip into my Evolving Bella raglan hoodie crochet pattern, but you can use this concept and apply it to any crochet project really...
Let's get started!
First bit of fine print... This blog describes how I sew my zips in. There are plenty of other ways to sew zips into crochet, this is my preference. I think my method creates a smooth neat finish, securely attached zip and yes, it's hand-sewn.
Why hand-sew the zip?
Sewing machines could be used across (some) crocheted fabrics it is true, but... with the presser foot and feed dogs pushing your fabric under the path of a fast moving needle it only takes one false move on the foot pedal and you'll have pulled yarn fibres damaging your crochet and/or created a knot of sewing thread in your crochet!! Eeek! Fun times ahead (not) trying to unpick that.
A zipper tends to be on display, like an obvious part of the garment right? Things could go south pretty quick with a sewing machine, so I like slow and steady with hand held needle and thread.... Hand sewing allows you to make sure it's neat...
...The down side of hand sewing is of course that you have to make it neat (lol)!
Here we go...
I'm going to show you some step by step photos and a short written description then there is a video at the end as well. Thank you though to Bendigo Woollen Mills for yarn support for the size 9 Evolving Bella crochet hoodie tester sample and thank you to my mum Bev for crocheting this sample!
First up, here's a pic to show some equipment. No, no kickbacks or affiliates here this is just what I have in my sewing kit.
The Zip: A "jacket" or "open ended" zip to your desired length (measure your blocked finished garment first and choose something a tiny bit shorter).
The Thread: I am a fan of the Gūtermann polyester thread for general fabric sewing - it's smooth, shiny and doesn't break. Choose a colour to blend in.
The Needle: I REALLY like hand sewing with these quilt basting style of needles. They're long and a little bit flexible so they fit well in your hand to be able to go in and out of the fabric in one pass (watch the video further below).
Step 1: Iron the Zipper Tape
I'm just following the directions on the product label here. I give it a quick pass under the iron and it softens the fabric attached to the zipper a little bit.
Step 2: (Pin and) Baste the Zip into Place
With a different colour of thread that is bright and is easy to see, I basted the zip into place. You can pin it first or just start sewing but it's important to get the end rows of crochet lining up along the length of the zipper. Basting is just sewing loosely into place using a running stitch. The needle goes in and out in one pass (see image below) and this is repeated so the thread lies alternately above and below the layers.
You don't even need a knot to begin and end, I just go with a sewing the first and last needle pass in a different direction (see next image). It's just a temporary hold so you can get in there to do the real sewing without having to work around pins. If you pin it first, then baste, be sure to remove the pins before doing the real sewing.
Here's what the WS looks like:
Step 3: Blanket Stitch Around Outside Edge of Zipper Tape
I use a double thread for strength. Blanket stitch is an interlocking stitch pattern and working it around the outside edge keeps the zip flat against the fabric so it won't fold in to irritate your body when you wear the garment. It also provides more security than just the basting stitch before you get to the real deal of stitching closer to the zipper track.
Here's a photo of the beginning. For my Evolving Bella samples, I ended up working 1 stitch for every stitch of double crochet (UK terms) up the front. All the stitching is worked at the wrong side of the garment.
Inserting the needle with the working thread held in front of the fabric but behind the needle means that when you draw it through, the working thread is trapped (interlocked) by the previous stitch to create little vertical and horizontal lines.
Here's a pic further along...
This above image shows the needle simply inserted without holding the thread in any way. Working this way means that with each pass, you'll need to manually pass the needle and thread back under the closing previous stitch and this is what you will see in the video at the end. (I find it's easier to work this way once settled in and underway).
And at the top end of the garment, to follow the curve of the opening I worked the stitches a little closer together and I also folded some of the zipper tape under so it sits roughly flush at the neck opening. I didn't do this with my prototype and folded it against itself instead, but I prefer this way.
Repeat the Blanket Stitch technique for the other side of the garment opening. For each side I went through 3 lengths of cut thread, meaning I had to sew a knot as the thread I had cut came to and end and rejoin with new yarn to continue sewing.
Step 4: Back Stitch Closer to Zip
This is the tension holding line of stitching that really secures the zipper in place and has to put up with garment handling. The stitching is worked through all layers.
Again I am using a double thread for strength, but you need to be sure to tension both threads evenly with each stitch and handy tip: if you pull too fast when drawing through it does tend to want to knot a bit so be all zen and take it slow.
To work Back Stitch the needle comes up (see image above), goes back to be inserted at the end of the previous stitch and comes up again an equal distance further along (see image below).
Because I am still using that long and slightly flexible Quilt Basting needle I can still use a single pass from WS to RS to WS again and trap crochet from the RS as I go. Because the sewing thread is thin and the colour matches the yarn used for the edging, I can work it from the wrong side.
It doesn't show much at the front but it's good to try aligning your stitches with the same groove between stitches at the front (so any thread that pops out front doesn't go diagonally across the line of crochet stitches to pucker the crochet stitches down).
Here we are a bit further along...
I have tended to work in the centre of my zipper tape because I wanted the zipper teeth on show between the pieces of crochet, but this is about as far away from the zipper teeth that I would go - the closer you are to the zipper teeth the more secure the join agains wear and use.
Again, I went through 3 cut lengths of thread to complete the Back Stitch for each side of the opening. Once you've finished all the Back Stitch, remove the original basting stitches and you're good to go!
Finally, here's a video so you can replay, slow playback, zoom in etc to get a better look:
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Happy sewing!
Susannah (Peppergoose)
Thank you to Bendigo Woollen Mills for yarn support to publish this tutorial. There are no affiliate links in this post.
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