A-LINE SKIRT - Side zip

DRESSMAKING
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EASY-TO-MAKE
'A'-LINE SKIRT

FITTING A SIDE ZIP

DISCLAIMER
Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the information on this site is accurate, no responsibility can be accepted for errors. You follow these instructions at your own risk.

Page 1
Materials
Equipment
Layout
Marking out skirt panels
Cutting out skirt panels
Marking & cutting the waistband
Marking & cutting the petersham

Page 2   Scalloped pockets
Markng and cutting the pockets
Fitting the pockets

Page 2   Patch pockets
Markng and cutting the pockets
Fitting the pockets

Page 3   Front zip
Halving the front panel
Inserting the zip (flap side)
Inserting the zip (non-flap side)
Joining the skirt panels

Page 3   Side zip
Laying out the panels
Inserting the zip (non-flap back panel)
Inserting the zip (flap front panel)
Joining the skirt panels

Page 4   Waistband for front zip
Attaching the waistband

Page 4   Waistband for side zip
Attaching the waistband

Page 5   Hem
Trimming the hem
Turning the hem
Adding a buttonhole

Throughout this section, the version of the skirt with scalloped pockets is used for illustration purposes, most of these zip instructions also apply to the patch pocket version, but any variations will be noted.

You should now have:

One plain back panel

One front panel with two pockets (either scalloped or patch)

One waistband

	Decide which side you want the zip, then lay out the front and back panels, Right side up, so that the seam edges which will be joined by the zip are adjacent to each other. In this illustration, the zip will be on the wearer's right. Using the zip as a measure, make horizontal chalk marks on each panel to correspond with the length of the zip below the waistband.
	Chalk a line 3/4" 19mm from the seam edge of the front panel and parallel to it, this will be the folding line.
Zig-zag stitch the edges of both panels to prevent them from fraying. Note the horizontal chalk marks as you go past them; if you do not see them, you are stitching the wrong edges.
	Fold the panel edge of the front panel, Wrong side to Wrong side so that the crease comes on the folding line. Stitch down the crease with straight stitches.

THIS SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO SCALLOPED POCKETS

Lay out the front panel, Right side upwards. Chalk a smooth continuation of the waistband curve across the pocket fabric. Use a tape measure can be used to check that the distance from this line to the bottom hem is the same as the length of the corresponding seam on the back panel.

Carefully trim the waistband to a smooth curve by cutting off any projecting material with scissors, if necessary cutting through some of the multiple thicknesses of material at the waistband edges of the the pockets.

Next, one side of the zip has to be attached to the back panel.

1st LINE OF STITCHING
(Back panel)

Put the waistband end of the back panel in the sewing machine, Right side up.
Unzip the zip again and lay the unattached half along the zig-zag stitched edge of the back panel,with the puller tab side facing the material. Align it so that the top of the zip is level with the waistline edge of the material and the toothless side of the zip fabric aligns with the zig-zag stitched edge.
Check that the bottom of the zip is somewhere near the horizontal chalk mark (if it isn't, you may have aligned it with the hem, not the waistband).

Begin stitching the edge of the zip fabric on top of the zig-zag stitching with straight stitches - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip. Lower the presser foot and continue sewing to the bottom end of the zip.

With the zip open, keep the material Right side up and put the waistband edge in the sewing machine. Tuck the right hand side of the zip under the edge of the material to form a fold which can be pressed down by hand to give a crease. There should be just enough room between the crease and the teeth of the zip to allow the zip runner to slide without touching the edge of the crease.
This is what you are trying to achieve with the edge of the back panel:

2ND LINE OF STITCHING
(Back panel)

Stitch down the crease for half the length of the zip, then stop. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip.Lower the presser foot and continue sewing just past the bottom end of the zip.

Turn the panel Wrong side up and continue the line of stitching, beginning with a few stitches overlapping the previous ones. Hold the edge of the material in a fold as shown and use the stitching to give a sharp creased edge.
Continue the stitching down to the hem line.

The second side of the zip now has to be attached to the front panel.

1st LINE OF STITCHING
(Front Panel)

Open out the folded edge of the front panel and put the waistband end of it in the sewing machine, Right side up.
Open the zip and lay it along the zig-zag stitched edge with the puller tab side facing the material. Align it so that the top of the zip is level with the waistline edge of the material and the left hand side of the zip fabric aligns with the zig-zag stitched edge.
As a further check, note that the bottom of the zip is somewhere near the horizontal chalk mark (if it isn't, you may have aligned it with the hem, not the waistband).
Begin stitching the toothless edge of the zip fabric on top of the zig-zag stitching - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip. This will be more difficult because the back panel is attached to the zip.
Be careful not to catch any stray folds of material in the stitching.
Lower the presser foot and continue sewing to the bottom end of the zip, then backstitch to lock the stitches.

Sew back and forth across the bottom of the zip at the bottom edge of the pocket curve, reversing the machine several times to give a strong line of stitching.

Turn the material and contimue stitching towards the hem line. The edge of the front panel should overlap the edge of the back panel by about 1/4" 6mm.

This is what you are trying to achieve with the edge of the front panel:

2nd LINE OF STITCHING
(Front Panel)

With the material Wrong side up, open the zip and place the waistband edge of the front panel in the sewing machine as shown. Position the teeth of the zip against the side of the presser foot and move the needle as close to the teeth as the machine will allow (using the needle positioning mechanism ).

Begin stitching the zip fabric on top of the double-thickness folded edge of the front panel - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip.
Lower the presser foot and continue sewing past the bottom end of the zip. Continue the line of stitching to the hemline, following the folded edge of the front panel and attaching it to the back panel about 1/4" 6mm from the previous row of stitches.

THIS COMPLETES FITTING THE ZIP

CLOSING THE SECOND SEAM

Lay out the two panels, Right side to Right side.

Carefully align the two straight side-seam edges of the panels at the waistband end and along their length. If they do not quite match at the hemline end, this does not matter at this stage.
Sew the panels together with a line of stitches about 3/8" 10mm from the edge, starting from the waistband end. Once the line of stitching has passed the pockets, it may be possible to overcome any misalignment in the hemline positions by gently stretching one of the panels.

Sew a second line of stitches between the firat line and the raw edge. Sew a zig-zag stitch over the raw edge to prevent fraying.

THIS COMPLETES THE SKIRT PANELS

Click here to fit the waistband

Return to first page

THIS SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO SCALLOPED POCKETS
Lay out the front panel, Right side upwards. Chalk a smooth continuation of the waistband curve across the pocket fabric. Use a tape measure can be used to check that the distance from this line to the bottom hem is the same as the length of the corresponding seam on the back panel.

Carefully trim the waistband to a smooth curve by cutting off any projecting material with scissors, if necessary cutting through some of the multiple thicknesses of material at the waistband edges of the the pockets.

	1st LINE OF STITCHING (Back panel) Put the waistband end of the back panel in the sewing machine, Right side up. Unzip the zip again and lay the unattached half along the zig-zag stitched edge of the back panel,with the puller tab side facing the material. Align it so that the top of the zip is level with the waistline edge of the material and the toothless side of the zip fabric aligns with the zig-zag stitched edge. Check that the bottom of the zip is somewhere near the horizontal chalk mark (if it isn't, you may have aligned it with the hem, not the waistband). Begin stitching the edge of the zip fabric on top of the zig-zag stitching with straight stitches - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip. Lower the presser foot and continue sewing to the bottom end of the zip.
With the zip open, keep the material Right side up and put the waistband edge in the sewing machine. Tuck the right hand side of the zip under the edge of the material to form a fold which can be pressed down by hand to give a crease. There should be just enough room between the crease and the teeth of the zip to allow the zip runner to slide without touching the edge of the crease. This is what you are trying to achieve with the edge of the back panel:
	2ND LINE OF STITCHING (Back panel) Stitch down the crease for half the length of the zip, then stop. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip.Lower the presser foot and continue sewing just past the bottom end of the zip.
	Turn the panel Wrong side up and continue the line of stitching, beginning with a few stitches overlapping the previous ones. Hold the edge of the material in a fold as shown and use the stitching to give a sharp creased edge. Continue the stitching down to the hem line.

	1st LINE OF STITCHING (Front Panel) Open out the folded edge of the front panel and put the waistband end of it in the sewing machine, Right side up. Open the zip and lay it along the zig-zag stitched edge with the puller tab side facing the material. Align it so that the top of the zip is level with the waistline edge of the material and the left hand side of the zip fabric aligns with the zig-zag stitched edge. As a further check, note that the bottom of the zip is somewhere near the horizontal chalk mark (if it isn't, you may have aligned it with the hem, not the waistband). Begin stitching the toothless edge of the zip fabric on top of the zig-zag stitching - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip. This will be more difficult because the back panel is attached to the zip. Be careful not to catch any stray folds of material in the stitching. Lower the presser foot and continue sewing to the bottom end of the zip, then backstitch to lock the stitches.
Sew back and forth across the bottom of the zip at the bottom edge of the pocket curve, reversing the machine several times to give a strong line of stitching.
	Turn the material and contimue stitching towards the hem line. The edge of the front panel should overlap the edge of the back panel by about 1/4" 6mm.
This is what you are trying to achieve with the edge of the front panel:
	2nd LINE OF STITCHING (Front Panel) With the material Wrong side up, open the zip and place the waistband edge of the front panel in the sewing machine as shown. Position the teeth of the zip against the side of the presser foot and move the needle as close to the teeth as the machine will allow (using the needle positioning mechanism ). Begin stitching the zip fabric on top of the double-thickness folded edge of the front panel - but stop half way along the zip. Ensure that the sewing machine needle is in the down position, then lift the presser foot.. Slide the zip runner up the zip, past the presser foot, so as to close the zip. Lower the presser foot and continue sewing past the bottom end of the zip. Continue the line of stitching to the hemline, following the folded edge of the front panel and attaching it to the back panel about 1/4" 6mm from the previous row of stitches.