Bond Machine Knitting - Zippers

Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 16:38:16 EST
From: Smithercol@aol.com
Subject: Re:  [BOND] putting in a zipper ?

Here are some ideas I have collected over the years from experience and
reading knitting mags:
1.  Preshrink the zipper.  Some manufactures claim that this in not necessary
anymore but I still do it.
2.  Tidy up the edges where the zipper will be by doing a row of single
crochet.  This makes everything look so much neater and stabilizes the edge.
3.  Decide whether you want the teeth hidden or exposed.  Then lay the sweater
over the zipper and pin across both sides.  If the teeth are to be hidden, it
seems to me that the left and right sides need to be not just touching but
actually nearly overlapping just a tiny bit to achieve complete coverage.
4.  With contrasting thread, hand baste down both sides about 1/2" from the
teeth.  Check to see if the result is satisfactory.  If not, redo basting
until you like the result.  I have skipped this step before "to save time" and
always ended up using more time ripping out and redoing!.  
4.  With a needle and matching thread, hand stitch (I know.  What a pain.)
from the right side beginning at the bottom into every knit stitch using a
backstitch.  Sewing with a machine is very difficult because the sweater tends
to ripple, it may not feed evenly, and the foot catches on the knit stitches.
And if you have to rip out machine stitching, you may find it very difficult.
5.  From the wrong side, whip stitch the edges of the zipper tape down taking
stitches that won't show on the front.  

That's all there is to it!  I hope it works out.  Let us know.

Colleen in Ada MI
Smithercol@aol.com

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Author : Steph Thornton.
Last modified on : 3rd March 1999.