Invisible Zipper in a Two Layer Dress?

[ScriptySandy]

Hello everyone!  This is my first post.

I am sewing my daughter a bridesmaids dress for my other daughter's wedding.  The dress has two layers, a satin lining and a chiffon overlay.  I need to install an invisible zipper and cannot find any tutorial or help on line that speaks to this specific situation.  The two layers will be sewn together with the zipper install but need to fall separately below the zipper (as I am sure you all know).  I am not sure of the best way to do this to achieve a perfect result.  Perhaps I am making more of it that it actually is, but I would love to hear from someone who has done it and find out if there are any special steps to take.  Oh, and to add to the difficulty, the chiffon layer needs the seam allowances below the zipper to be finished and trimmed close to the seam, kind of like serged but I chose to use a multi stitch zig zag rather than surge the delicate fabric.  I have done the same to the satin underlay seams as well but I don't mind not doing it to this seam if it helps the install, but because the chiffon seam is visible through the sheer fabric, it has to be finished.  Everything I have read online so far about installing an invisible zipper says to sew the lower seam closed first to avoid the bubble at the bottom.  So do I sew it closed and finish it before I go ahead with the zipper?  Ugh... I just don't know what to do.  I await your advice.

Thanks for any help...

Sandra

[Liana]

I haven't done this, but I've put in a lot of invisible zippers and I recommend Els's tutorial.  She has you sew the whole seam shut just like with a regular zipper.

I am sure I remember reading something pretty helpful about a 2-layer zipper application somewhere, but I can't remember where.  Anyone know what I'm talking about? 

I would definitely do the SA finish before putting the zipper in.  It's just too hard to try to do it after the zipper tape is in there too. 

HTH a little bit anyway.

[Jacs]

Hi Sandy

I have just finished a silk chiffon dress and had the same diliema that you have.  complicating this further was a french seam in the chiffon layer.  I ended up clipping the lining layer on one side so that it lay flat after the seam finish. I have sent the dress to the cleaners to press and get it back tomorrow so will try and get some photos posted for you to see it.  It took me ages and I had to unpick it a few times and I am still not sure that I like it, I ended up doing alot of the seam below the zipper by hand to try and get a good look.  Hope this helps. Jacqui

[ScriptySandy]

I think I might just hand sew it in.  I seamed the two layers of the dress below where the zipper will lie and then basted the two layers together at the empire waistline edges and down the zipper opening.  I have to fit the top of the dress to my daughter [will require a 4 hour trip up country] before I attach it to the skirt.  Once that is done, I will assess at that point but hand sewing it in seems like the best option at this point.

Meanwhile, if anyone else has any suggestions I am all ears.  Or eyes.

Thanks!

Sandra

[CanAndi]

Hi Sandra,

I just had a similar situation with a silk dress/embroidered organza overlay and I ended up hand stitching because it was very finicky and I wanted to ensure that those stitches landed in just the right spot.

You are right to consider hand stitching.  It may take an hour, but if you start unpicking stitches I fear that the fabric might pluck or fray.
Andrea

[mandaaa-1727]

sorry i'm only 17 i don't know what proper hand stitch technique that i should use for the chiffon layer to put on the satin. i just want to get this skirt done and the zip is stopping me please help

[DeniseM]

Baste strips of silk organza to each side of fabric at the zipper seam allowance. Then hand pick the zipper in place. Check out Susan Khalje's book on couture sewing - you can find it in the library - or any book that illustrates a hand picked technique. It's very easy. And you can do it on a regular or invisible zipper. If you want to put an invisible zipper in and don't wan to hand pick, the organza gives the fabric enough stability to do this. But hand baste the zipper in place first. Then simply turn the lining back and hand baste it to the zipper tape and voila.

[Silknmore]

Hand picked zippers on a bridesmaid dress looks lovely and you have so much control over the fabric when you're sewing the zipper in. 

Here is a link to a post I did last year when I made dresses for my DD and DS's wedding.  The first example is done with 2 layers of fabric.
http://fabricateandmira.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/hand-picked-zippers/

Hope it helps.
Annette

[Britannica]

I've had to do this before, and the recommended way of finishing the opening in a skirt or dress with a chiffon overlay so that the overlay hangs free is putting the zipper just in the underlayer and closing the chiffon layer with invisible hook and eyes or snaps.