Learning how to sew an invisible zipper can seem a little intimidating the first time.
The zipper looks different from a regular zipper, you need to sew surprisingly close to those coils and, of course, the whole point is that nobody should be able to see your hard work once you’re finished!
But don’t worry. Once you understand how to position the zipper and stitch alongside the coils, the process becomes much less mysterious.
Invisible zippers are designed so that the zipper teeth disappear into the seam when closed, creating a beautifully clean finish. You’ll often find them in dresses and skirts, but they can also be used for discreet zipper pockets and other garment details.
In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to sew in an invisible zipper step by step, using the in-seam zipper pocket from our Men’s Fleece Jacket sewing pattern as an example.
And if this is your first invisible zipper, grab some scrap fabric before you start on the real thing. A quick practice run gives you a chance to get comfortable with the zipper foot, positioning and coils without worrying about your final garment.
What you need to sew an invisible zipper
Before you start sewing, gather your materials and get your sewing machine ready.
For this invisible zipper tutorial, you’ll need:
- Two fabric rectangles, approximately 10 x 5 inches (25 x 12.5 cm)
- An 8-10 inch (20-25 cm) invisible zipper
- An invisible zipper foot for your sewing machine
- Interfacing strips
- Pins or clips
- Hand-sewing needle and thread
- Iron and ironing board
An invisible zipper foot is particularly helpful here.
The grooves underneath the foot guide the zipper coils while allowing you to stitch very close alongside them. And getting nice and close to those coils is exactly what helps the zipper disappear into the seam when it’s closed.
How to sew an invisible zipper for beginners – 9 easy steps
If you’re learning how to sew an invisible zipper for beginners, the most important thing to get right is the placement.
The zipper coils need to sit directly along the seamline so they can disappear neatly into the seam when the zipper is closed.
For the pocket opening we’re using in this tutorial, we recommend an invisible zipper approximately 5 inches (12 cm) longer than the opening. That extra length gives you more room to position and sew the zipper comfortably.
Ready? Let’s get that zipper in.
Step 1: Mark the zipper opening
Start by marking the beginning and end of the zipper opening on your fabric using the pattern notches or other markings provided.
Place the fabric pieces right sides together and pin along the seam where the zipper will be inserted.
Take a moment to double-check those markings before sewing. Accurate placement now makes everything that follows considerably easier.
Step 2: Baste the zipper opening
Sew the seam normally above and below the zipper opening.
Between your zipper-opening marks, switch to a long basting stitch. These temporary stitches hold the seam neatly in position while you place the invisible zipper.
Once the seam is sewn, press the seam allowances open. Yes, the iron is already involved. It usually is.
Step 3: Prepare the invisible zipper
Unzip your invisible zipper and gently press the zipper tape flat.
Carefully roll the coils away from the tape as you press so they open slightly. This gives your invisible zipper foot better access and allows you to stitch nice and close to the coils.
Be gentle here. You don’t need to flatten the zipper into submission. And be particularly careful with heat if your zipper has synthetic coils. Too much heat can damage them.
Step 4: Position the invisible zipper
Place the zipper face down over the basted seam with the coils centered along the seamline.
If you’re using a zipper longer than the opening, position it with additional zipper length extending beyond both ends.
Pin or hand-baste the zipper to the seam allowances only. Take care not to catch the main garment fabric underneath.
Before moving on, check the position again. The better aligned everything is now, the cleaner the finished zipper will look.
Step 5: Open the basted seam
Carefully remove the temporary basting stitches from the zipper opening.
Unzip the zipper completely and move the slider out of the way so you have clear access to the area you need to sew. Your zipper should now be held in position against the seam allowances, ready for the actual stitching.
Step 6: Sew the first side of the invisible zipper
Attach the invisible zipper foot to your sewing machine.
Position the zipper coil inside the appropriate groove underneath the foot. The foot will help roll the coil away as you sew, allowing your stitches to sit very close to the zipper teeth without actually sewing through them.
Move the main garment fabric out of the way so you’re only sewing through the zipper tape and seam allowance.
Then slowly sew along the first side. There’s no prize for speed here. Concentrate on keeping the coil in the groove and maintaining a consistent stitching line.
Step 7: Sew the second side
Now position the other side of the zipper against the opposite seam allowance.
Before you sew, check the alignment carefully. This becomes particularly important when your garment has waistlines, horizontal seams or other details that need to meet neatly across the zipper.
Once you’re happy with the position, place the zipper coil into the appropriate groove of your invisible zipper foot and sew the second zipper tape in place.
Almost there!
Step 8: Check the invisible zipper
Close the zipper and have a look from the right side.
When everything is positioned correctly, the zipper coils should be concealed within the seam with very little of the zipper visible.
Now open and close it a few times. It should move smoothly without catching the fabric. If the zipper slider is difficult to pull through the opening, a pair of tweezers can help you guide it carefully into position.
And if something looks wrong, this is the time to fix it – before you finish everything around it.
Step 9: Secure the zipper opening
Hand-sew a few stopping stitches at the top and bottom of the zipper opening to secure it.
If you’ve used a zipper longer than the opening, you can trim the excess zipper tape if necessary, although whether you need to do this will depend on your project.
Give everything one final check.
Your invisible zipper is installed! And hopefully it now feels considerably less intimidating than it did nine steps ago.
How to sew an invisible zipper on a dress
Once you understand the basic technique, you can use the same principles when learning how to sew an invisible zipper on a dress.
Invisible zippers are commonly positioned in the center-back or side seam of a dress. Unlike the pocket example above, however, you’ll usually sew the zipper into an open seam rather than basting the entire zipper opening closed first.
Mark the zipper placement carefully, open and gently press the coils, then sew each side of the zipper to the corresponding garment edge using your invisible zipper foot.
Once both sides are attached, close the remaining seam below the zipper, trying to meet your previous stitching as neatly as possible.
Always follow the construction order supplied with your dress sewing pattern, particularly if the design includes a lining, waistband or horizontal seams that need to meet across the zipper.
How to sew an invisible zipper on a skirt
Wondering how to sew an invisible zipper on a skirt? Good news: you already know most of the process now!
As with a dress, an invisible zipper is typically inserted into a side or center seam before the remaining seam is closed.
Accurate placement becomes especially important if your skirt has a waistband or horizontal seam that needs to match across both sides of the zipper. Pin or baste the zipper into position first and close it temporarily to check that those important details line up.
Once you’re happy, sew each side using your invisible zipper foot. Close the zipper and check everything again from the right side before finishing the remaining seam and waistband according to your pattern instructions.
A few extra checks along the way are much easier than unpicking an invisible zipper later.
How to sew an invisible zipper in a lined dress
Learning how to sew an invisible zipper in a lined dress adds another element to the process because you also need to finish the lining neatly around the zipper.
Generally, you’ll sew the invisible zipper to the main dress fabric first.
Once the zipper is installed and the remaining garment seam has been completed, the lining can be attached along the zipper tape to conceal the seam allowances and give you a lovely clean finish inside the dress.
When learning how to sew in an invisible zipper with lining, one detail is particularly important: make sure the lining sits far enough away from the zipper coils.
You do not want to finish your beautiful lined dress only to discover that the zipper grabs the lining every time you try to put it on.
The exact construction order can vary quite a bit depending on the dress design, neckline, waistband and lining method, so always follow the instructions included with your sewing pattern for the final finishing technique.
6 helpful tips for sewing an invisible zipper
Invisible zippers become much easier with practice, but a few simple habits can make a big difference from the beginning:
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Practice first. If you’ve never sewn an invisible zipper before, try the technique on scrap fabric. It’s much nicer to make your first mistake there than on your actual garment.
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Press carefully. Gently opening the zipper coils makes it easier to stitch close enough to them.
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Use an invisible zipper foot. Those little grooves underneath the foot are there to make your life easier. Let them.
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Baste when necessary. If your zipper keeps shifting while you sew, hand-basting can give you much more control.
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Check the alignment before stitching. This is especially important for dresses and skirts with waist seams, waistbands or other details that need to meet across the zipper.
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Test the zipper before finishing. Open and close it several times to make sure neither the main fabric nor lining catches in the coils.
Practice sewing invisible zippers
Once you know how to sew an invisible zipper, you’ve added a very useful technique to your sewing repertoire.
You can use invisible zippers in dresses, skirts, pockets and plenty of other projects where you want a discreet closure without a visible row of zipper teeth.
And like so many sewing techniques, the first one is usually the hardest. By zipper number two, you’ll already know what those coils are supposed to do. By zipper number three, you may even wonder why they seemed quite so intimidating in the first place.
If you’re making our Men’s Fleece Jacket sewing pattern, the in-seam invisible zipper pockets give you a great opportunity to practice the technique while creating a practical, clean-looking pocket opening.
Explore more Wardrobe By Me PDF sewing patterns when you’re ready for your next project, or visit the Wardrobe By Me sewing blog for more sewing tutorials, tips and inspiration.
