Zippers don’t have to be under flaps—they can be showcased on the outside of a project and embellished as well.

It’s All About the Stitches

You know all those stitches in the machine that you admire, but may not use often? Many of those are perfect to highlight an exposed zipper. Just pick one that’s to your liking and adjust the width to be less than ½” so you don’t run into the zipper teeth.

Choose a narrow presser foot that can ride along the zipper tape, but still allow for the width of your stitch. Adjust the needle position and stitch width to finesse the placement. Most zipper feet will allow you to sew a motif stitch with a narrow width, as opposed to just straight stitch. Key to this effort is testing by turning the handwheel manually throughout the entire stitch sequence to be sure the needle doesn’t hit the foot (or the zipper teeth) during any portion of the motif sewing. Once you’ve determined that, you’re ready to stitch on the zipper tape.

Any type of thread can be used for embellishing zippers—choose a metallic thread to accent metal zipper teeth, a bold color for prominence, or even a variegated thread for interest.

Sport-weight zippers have wider tapes than all-purpose zippers, making them ideal for using decorative stitching since there’s more room for embellishing. Some will allow for multiple rows of stitches, depending on the stitch width used.

There are actually two ways you can embellish a zipper tape—one is stitching only on the zipper tape itself, and the second is to stitch on the tape as you’re applying it to the garment or other project.

If you want to embellish the tape prior to applying the zipper, some machines find it challenging to grab the narrow tape and feed it evenly under the foot. To resolve that dilemma, adhere the zipper to a removable embroidery stabilizer to support the narrow tape. Water-soluble or tear-away stabilizers work well, as does a removable adhesive version. You can pin the zipper to the stabilizer or use temporary spray adhesive if you’re stabilizer doesn’t have adhering properties itself.

Once the zipper is adhered to a larger backing, simply stitch up the center of the tape, stop your stitching, and slide the zipper pull out of the way as needed for access. Then continue stitching.

When your embellishing is complete, remove the stabilizer following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Attaching the Zipper

To attach the exposed zipper, fold under the placket opening edges, pin the zipper in place keeping the finished edge away from the teeth so the zipper can function, and topstitch the zipper tape outer edge in place using matching thread and straight stitching.

If you prefer to do the decorative stitching directly onto the zipper/garment layers, it’s easiest to apply it flat, prior to cutting the placket opening. Using water-soluble basting tape, adhere the zipper in place over the marked opening and decoratively stitch along the zipper tape edges. The lower zipper tape edges can be turned under if desired prior to stitching. After stitching is complete, carefully slice open the garment placket layer down the zipper center and fold back the edges. Stitch again with straight stitching to hold the edges in place if desired, or use a narrow strip of fusible web for that purpose. A knit fabric underlayer can simply be trimmed close to the zipper teeth so the zipper can actually function without the fabric getting caught in the teeth.

~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

There are some techniques used in tailoring that are rarely found in the pattern instructions. One of those is a chest piece, or chest shield.

The chest shield is a layer — or, sometimes, multiple layers — that provide stability, body, and reinforcement to the upper front of a jacket. Every woman, even if large-busted, has a little crease or hollow next to the armhole in the chest area that can cause vertical wrinkles or folds in the upper chest of a jacket or coat. To remedy this, we put in a chest shield. The shield enhances the overall fit and appearance, and gives structure, support, and shape to the chest area. It also contributes to a more flattering and tailored look, creating a smooth and well-defined silhouette.

Although chest shields are common in men’s jackets and couture tailored garments, they are rarely seen in women’s ready-to-wear. Chest shields can be made from quality canvas, silk organza, batting, muslin, Pellon Fleece, or Thermolam. If more structure is needed, they can be multi-layered and any combination of the above.

TIP: Do not use fusible fleece as this is a high stress area on the garment and it will not stay fused.

The chest shield is cut according to the jacket pattern to assure it matches the shape and size of the front panels but can be customized to your own body shape and preferences to ensure a personalized fit.

Use your jacket or coat front to make a pattern by drawing a curved line from about two-thirds down the armhole up to the shoulder. Do not go into the roll line (Figure 1). Cut a chest piece for each front.

After you have applied interfacing to the jacket fronts, pin the chest pieces along the shoulder and armhole seams and baste them in place. Fold the curved edge back about 1/2″ and tack the chest piece to the jacket with a very loose running stitch, checking to be sure it does not show on the right side of the garment (Figure 2).

Sew the chest piece right into the shoulder and armhole seams during construction and trim the excess seam allowance from the chest pieces to reduce bulk. If your garment will be lined, the chest piece will go between the outer fabric and the inner lining.

Press the chest area over a ham and allow the garment to cool and dry in that position. The ham simulates the curves of the body and will help to shape the garment to your figure.

As sewing enthusiasts, most of us make a lot of bags in our lifetime—from totes to backpacks and beyond. Most may be soft or lightly structured, but few are actually shaped by frames. So, let’s take a look at some accent frames and how to use them.

Types of Frames

Frames provide the external structure for a bag and allow it to support the weight of its contents. Some provide for shoulder strapping and others simply frame a clutch.

Available in many shapes and sizes kiss-lock frames get their name from the interlocking knobs or other shapes that provide the closure for the bag. These frames come in plastic, wood or metal and they can be curved, squared or otherwise shaped at the upper edge.

Frames come in many sizes, from tiny coin-purse versions to larger luggage-style options.

There are simple metal frames, shiny or matte, or they can be more elaborate with filagree work or bedecked with jewels. Some frames have small loops to attach straps or chains, others have hinged loops that fit down into the bag so it can also be used as a clutch. Some metal frames have novelty shaped handles built in for closure in lieu of kiss locking closures.

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All purse frames have a channel between the outer and inner frame portions. This is where the top edge of the finished bag body slides in and is secured.

Attachment Styles

Sew-on frames are perhaps the most common type of frame and they come with small holes along the channel opening for hand stitching the bag to the frame. You can attach the bag body using a running stitch, backstitch or a decorative hand embroidery stitch, and you can even add beads to help hide the stitches if you prefer.

Screw-on frames attach the bag body with tiny screws on the frame inside, invisible from the outside. The bag body simply slides into the channels and is held in place when the screws are tightened. Glue can be added for additional hold prior to insertion.

Glue-on frames rely totally on adhesive to hold the bag body in place. Depending on the fabric your bag is made of, the channel may be wider than the fabric thicknesses, so you can insert a small cord to fill the gap. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for type of glue and application, as errant glue can damage a frame. With this type of frame, it’s important to be sure both sides of the upper bag edges are glued securely to both the frame front and back for maximum strength.

Crimp-on frames must be clamped once the bag body upper edges are positioned, as that’s what holds the fabric in place. Purse crimpers or flat-jaw pliers are required for a secure squeeze and some kind of protection is needed between the tool and the metal frame to avoid damage—a fleece scrap works fine to avoid scratches. Some frames have inside teeth for better gripping, and other manufacturers recommend adding glue before crimping.

How to Attach Frames

Most purse frames come with a pattern for the bag body, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions to make the bag body. This process will create a finished upper edge, ready to mount to the frame.

1. First, find the center of the frame and the bag body upper edge. Mark it with tape or a thread.

2. 

   Open the frame hinges as far as possible to expose the channel where the bag upper edge will go. For most frames, you’ll want to run a very thin line of glue in the channel. Begin inserting the bag body matching the center points. Use a small screwdriver, stiletto or skewer to push the upper edge all the way into the channel. Continue from the center outward in the same manner until you reach the hinge area of the frame and clamp in place, protecting the metal frame with fabric scraps. Repeat for the second half of the same side. For some bags, the frame is shorter than the bag edge, so push in a few gathers evenly spaced. If the channel seems to have extra room, add in a string or tiny cord to fill the gap and glue in place.

3. Wait for the first half of the bag frame to dry completely, then repeat the process for the second half.
4. If you’re working with a clamp-on or screw-on frame, continue with that process. For a sew-on version, stitch through the frame holes.

~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .