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Zipper Madness

The other day, I mentioned interesting zippers to my sewing friend Carrie Ewing, who then brought out a garment to show me. You may be familiar with the French designer Anne Fontaine and her white blouses, but this outfit–black, for a start–goes off in an entirely new direction. It consists of sections that are zipped together, in seemingly endless combinations. Apart from the cleverness of its design, I loved the way the zippers and their pulls became ornamental, and slightly jewelry-like.

Our discussion started when I told her about a class I’d led the week before for the Sacramento ASG Couture Group. We’d met at the home of Kristina Schenck, and when someone needed a 7 inch black zipper, Kristina said she’d have a look in her zipper drawer.

There was nothing as pedestrian as what we needed, but my goodness, what amazing zippers it contained!

 


There were quite a few rhinestone zippers.
Luggage zippers.
Zippers with see-through pulls and tapes.
Zippers with metallic tapes.
Zippers with different colored tapes on each side.
There was even a patriotic zipper
There were rolls of zippers.
Pretty zipper pulls.

I’m totally mystified by the zippers with a chain attached to each end (she had them in both gold and silver, of course) .


Maybe the chain is a built-in handle for a purse that zips?

“I like my zipper collection,” says Kristina. “It’s pretty! I love bling…and someday I’m going to use them all! I started with the 4 inch rhinestone zipper (they can get a little pricey) and worked my way up to the 22 inch…”

Class member Sandy Burlando was inspired by the treasures in the zipper box, and took one home to try. She came in the next day, saying, “I’m afraid it’s…

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  1. Kyla | | #1

    Very good i like sewing with zippers

  2. Snuzal | | #2

    What fabulous zips! I'll have to go check those sites out. I discovered http://www.zipperstop.com lately, and just LOVE it.

    snuzalsews.blogspot.com

  3. quiltinqueenie1 | | #3

    Have you seen the pins made out of zippers? They are way too cute. They are really cute made out of two toned zippers also.
    Once people learn how to do zippers easy and get over their fear of them they use them a lot.

  4. User avater
    revivalfabrics | | #4

    I agree, this project may help those hesitant about sewing zippers; they can be tricky. Great, stylish looking jacket!

  5. Iwannasew | | #5

    Has anyone seen the lace edged zippers? They are quite popular in Japan.

  6. User avater
    BarbaraHewitt | | #6

    I have 4 granddaughters that I am making school skirts that have zippers--for trimming--so fun

  7. iheartbernina | | #7

    I was making a tote bag and needed a 'bag' zipper. That's a zipper that opens in the middle. I googled bag zippers and could not find one to buy, anywhere! I went to Mill Ends, a huge fabric store in Beaverton Oregon, and asked if they knew what a bag zipper was. The ladies shared a secret smile and told me to watch carefully as this was tricky. They pulled the proper length of zipper from the zipper-by-the-inch roll, pulled out two zipper feet, connected one zipper pull and then reversed the other pull and connected it. Voila, a zipper that opens in the middle. So simple I still chuckle. I went home and cut the ends off a double opening Parka zipper (which had two pulls back to back) and removed one of the pulls, reconnected it, face to face with the first, and made a heavy-duty bag zipper all on my own!

  8. gearbond | | #8

    hello every body.
    im very glad to learn sewing and i know some thing but still looking for exprience.

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