Haberdashery
Zips for your sewing: invisible zips for a clean, hidden seam, and dress zips for bridal, christening and debutante dresses. Each 56 cm long.
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Guide
Haberdashery: Choosing a Zip
Our zips, which one to choose for your garment, and how to match a zip to your fabric.
Which zip?
| Invisible zip | The teeth sit behind the tape, so only the small pull shows from the outside. 56 cm (22 in). Great for: dresses, skirts and tops where you want a clean seam. |
| Dress zip | A regular zip with visible teeth, sewn in under a lapped or centred opening. 56 cm (22 in), white. Great for: bridal, christening and debutante dresses. |
Choosing a zip
- Choose a zip at least as long as the opening you need: a 56 cm zip suits most dresses, and is easy to shorten for a skirt or top.
- Match the zip tape to your fabric, or go a shade darker so it disappears into the seam.
- For a lined garment, sew the zip into the fashion fabric first, then sew the lining to the zip tape by hand or machine.
Sewing
- Use the right foot: an invisible zip foot for invisible zips, and a regular zip foot for dress zips.
- On light and slippery fabrics, press a narrow strip of fusible interfacing or silk organza along the seam allowance first, so the opening doesn't ripple.
- Hand tack the zip in place before you machine it, and check it lies flat.
Questions
Which zip should I use for a dress?
An invisible zip gives the cleanest look on most dresses. A dress zip under a lapped opening suits bridal and christening dresses.
How long is a dress zip?
Ours are 56 cm (22 in), long enough for most dresses.
Can I shorten a zip?
Yes. Sew across the teeth a few times by hand where you want the zip to end, then trim the extra about 2 cm below.
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