Sewing Q&A
Terry Siemsen
Is there a good way to eliminate the extra fabric behind a lapped zipper?
Marianne N.,
You can remove that excess facing by finishing the neckline facing before inserting the zipper.
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For a center back zipper, sew the seam up to the zipper lower opening. Turn under the garment left back seam allowance 5/8" and press. Turn under the right back seam allowance 1/2" and press (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Turn under garment seam allowances for zipper placement.
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Fold back the left facing center back edge 1" and the right facing 5/8". Press both and trim to 1/4" (Figure 2).
Figure 2
Fold back facing edges.
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Pin the facing in place along the neck edge. Fold the left seam allowance 5/8" and the right seam allowance 1/2", covering the facings. Stitch the neckline seam (Figure 3). Trim and grade the seam allowances. Turn the facings into the finished position and press. Understitch.
Figure 3
Pin facing to garment. Fold seam allowances over facing; stitch neckline.
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Open out the facing and insert the zipper. Edgestitch close to zipper teeth on the right center back along the fold. Topstitch the zipper in place on the left center back (Figure 4).
Figure 4
Open out facings; insert zipper.
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Fold the excess zipper tape down. Turn the facings down into the finished position and slipstitch to the zipper tape (Figure 5). Add a hanging snap closure at the zipper upper edge wrong side.
Figure 5
Fold excess zipper tape down. Turn facings down and slipstitch.
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