Using Zippers in Your Knitting

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

Lisa quilts — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:35:25 GMT

This is one of those wonderful "why didn't we think of this sooner" ideas! A couple of comments: In the video she mentions that the dots are spaced according to stitch gauge. Depending on which way the zipper is placed into the garment or item, wouldn't one use stitch OR row gauge? Also, zippers can be pre-shrunk, that is, washed and dried before inserting. Zipper tapes can be pressed flat too, to avoid the fold from packaging.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

hatnitter — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:03:59 GMT

I used this method for finishing my CPH, and love it! I had trouble finding a zipper I liked, but found a website for a place in NYC's garment district. I sent them a swatch and they found me the best color and even made it the exact length. Now I'm looking for another reason to add a zipper. Thanks!

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

knittingsunny — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:27:03 GMT

Wow. this video was super helpful! I had read the how-to in the magazine but was still clueless. This was great - especially since I am just finishing up a hoodie for my daughter and it requires a zipper sewn in!!! I was not looking forward to hand sewing it in and I do not have a machine. This method appears to be perfect and easy.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

HazelL@4 — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:25:55 GMT

For years I have been sewing zippers in on my sewing machine. It is not hard to do; I baste it in by hand first. The machine stitching does not show. The method shown here looks too time consuming, although I'm sure the results are great.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

Zoe — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 19:38:20 GMT

I have friends and family who only use zippers in their knit sweaters instead of buttons and making the knit button hole. Wash and dry your zipper. Iron the fabric part if needed, pin, pin, pin the zipper to the sweater, slide the zipper/sweater under the sewing machine foot (having adjusted the stitch length) and sew it on! Voila, nothing to putting in a zipper.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

LouiseP — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 18:28:35 GMT

Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a perfect technique, and still so versatile, too!

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

pokyshopper — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:20:32 GMT

Thanks for the great tip. I'm in the process of finishing the Spanish Dress pattern from Debbie Bliss, where you have to sew a knitted bodice on to a fabric skirt. I plan to use bias tape on the top of the skirt gathers and then use this tip to knit the two pieces together, rather than sew them. This came just in time!

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

LydiadG — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 16:40:05 GMT

What absolute genius! I will never insert a zipper in my future garments any other way. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou so very much.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

Halfpint — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 12:46:57 GMT

Thank you for the video on inserting zippers. I found it very instructive.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

jetmuis — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 07:37:57 GMT

Thank you for your great tute and this smart great idea of yours.

Love it , it's simple and i think will work much better then other ones.

wish you a merry xmas time and have an fun fine good great creative crafting new year as well;-D

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

bobbinalong — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:40:24 GMT

Why not use your sewing machine with a unthreaded topstitch needle for even hole spacng and prepunching, as well as a consistent distancefrom the edge of the zipper tape? You may match your knitting gauge by sewing on a piece of plain paper (again with no thread in the needle) and adjusting the stitch length until it matches your gauge.

ValSew on Ravelry

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

Phyllis Jane — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:35:49 GMT

The video will help with adding a zipper. I tried to put a zipper in just after reading the instructions in the magazine, but gave up because I couldn't match the number of loops to the number of stitches of the finished front borders. Now, I guess I'll just go with what my gauge is supposed to be and pick up that number of loops per inch on the zipper first. I'd like to use the three needle bind off to attach the zipper to the sweater front. I'm going to try this on a sample piece the next time first. I gave up and just sewed the zipper in by hand. Hope I can do it this new way the next time.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

LaurieS@3 — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:17:12 GMT

Nice to have another option, but it seems like a lot of monkey business. I just thread a darning needle with a compatible yarn (nor necessarily the same gauge as my piece) and either whip stitch or back stitch a line of stitches into the zipper. I must admit, marking the gauge beforehand is a good trick I hadn't thought of!

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

CarolynT@6 — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:17:22 GMT

This is fantastic!! Thanks for sharing it with us. What a great holiday gift.

re: Using Zippers in Your Knitting

SusanG — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:16:14 GMT

Everyone seems to be able to visualize how to attach the zipper to your garmet - except me! I understand the process to make the zipper "knittable" but how do you "knit" the zipper in place?