STEP-BY-STEP

❶ Position the zip on the fabric where you are going to insert it. Carefully snip through the zip tape and seam allowance just above the bottom of the zip to create a small notch.

❷ Machine-tack the seam closed with a long stitch length right up to the notch. When you get to the notch, change back to regular stitch length and stitch to the end of the seam.

❸ Press open the seam. Place the zip face down on the reverse side of the seam, lining up the notches. Position the zip centrally and pin horizontally across through the fabric and the zip tape.

❹ Turn it over and, right side facing up, pin parallel to the seam. On the left-hand side, your pins should be facing up, and on the right hand side, they need to face down. Remove all the horizontal pins, except the one marking the notch, which needs to be moved to the front.

❺ Using a standard zipper foot, stitch down the left-hand side, keeping your stitching parallel to the central seam. When you reach the horizontal pin, pivot the needle and sew across the zip and then back up along the zip, removing pins as you sew.

❻ Simply take an unpicker and unpick the original seam you stitched with the machine tack to reveal a neatly stitched-in regular zip. Once you’ve learned this technique, you’ll be able to tackle so many more dressmaking and interiors projects around the home.