Invisible Zipper Tutorial
This invisible zipper tutorial, with video, will walk you through each step of inserting an invisible zipper into a pillow cover with welt or cording!
Many of you know that I love decorative pillows, and how they can instantly change the look of your room. Sometimes you may need to change out your pillow covers. Maybe they need to be washed, or you just want to change out the pillow covers for a different seasonal look.
Whatever the reason, changing out your pillow covers means that you will need to insert a zipper in the pillow cover when you sew it, and that can be intimidating!
I’ve created a couple of other sewing tutorials that will help you create pillow covers with zippers, How To Make A Flanged Pillow and How To Put In A Zipper For Pillow With Cording, and in this sewing tutorial I’m sharing my invisible zipper tutorial.
An invisible zipper is a little bit trickier to insert into a pillow cover than a regular pillow, but I share the tips and tricks that will help you tackle this zipper sewing project!
When an invisible zipper is inserted into a pillow cover correctly, it really is invisible on the bottom edge. So both sides of the pillow look good.
Invisible Zipper Tutorial
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Materials Needed
- Fabric – The amount of fabric needed depends on the pillow size. The fabric yardage I used for this project was 3/4 yard.
- Pillow form – I really like Fairfield’s Soft Touch pillow forms.
- Invisible Zipper
- Fabric Marker
- Thread to match fabric
- Straight pins
- That Purple Thang tool
- Large Scissors
- Small Scissors
- Omnigrid Ruler
- Measuring Tape
- Sewing Machine
Instructions
**I’ve created a video that shows step-by-step how to sew a pillow. The steps for fabrication are also written out below.
- Cut out front and back pillow pieces. See How To Sew A Pillow.
- Make the cording or welt. See How To Make Cording.
- Sew cording around the front piece of pillow fabric. See How To Make A Pillow With Cording.
- Iron the teeth of the invisible zipper flat.
- Mark and clip the bottom edges of the front and back sides at bottom. 2″ from each edge and middle.
- With the invisible zipper right side down, pin the right side of the zipper to the front side bottom edge. With the top of the zipper teeth at the first clip.
- Sew the zipper right side to the front side next to the cording.
- Pin the left side of the invisible zipper to the back piece at bottom.
- Sew the left side of the zipper to the back piece.
- Close the zipper.
- Sew the remaining 3 sides of the pillow together.
- Clip corners and open the zipper.
- Turn right side out.
- Insert pillow form, and enjoy your new pillow cover!
This is by far the very best instruction I’ve seen on Pinterest on zippers in a pillow with cording. Thanks for your insight and talent.
Thanks Nancy! I’m so glad this tutorial was helpful!
Perfect timing for this post. I just found your site a few days ago. I look forward to learning a lot more!!
I’m so glad you found this tutorial helpful!
You just made someone from the other side of the planet very grateful. Thank you so much for taking me step by step through my pillowmaking!
I’m glad it was helpful!
Best instruction I have seen! Just wondering how long was the zipper in comparison to the size of the pillow cover? It looked like it was longer or was it the same length?