How to Add a Hidden Zipper to a Pillow

Welcome to our special Leap Day sewing tutorial!

You know, Leap Day is a lot like adding a zipper to a couch pillow — it seems complicated at first, but once you leap into it, you realize it's just another opportunity to add something unique and functional to your life.

So, let's zip through today's project and make our living spaces a little more extraordinary, one pillow at a time.
After all, we've got an extra day to stitch something special, so why not leap into it with both feet...and a zipper foot!

Featured Machine: Juki Haruka TL-18 QVP

Materials:

• Two pieces of fabric cut to the desired size for your pillow

• Invisible zipper (length should match one side of the pillow)

• Iron

• Pins

• Sewing machine

• Invisible zipper foot

• Thread to match your fabric

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Zipper and Fabric

• Press the zipper: Iron the invisible zipper flat, focusing on the zipper teeth to make them easier to work with.

• Mark the seam on the fabric: On the wrong side of both fabric panels, mark a line where the zipper will be placed. This will likely be a ½ inch seam allowance, but check your zipper and adjust accordingly.

2. Attach the Front Panel

• Pin the zipper: Place your front pillow panel right-side up. Position the zipper face-down along the seam line you marked, ensuring the zipper pull is at the top and the teeth are aligned with the marked line. Pin the zipper in place.

• Sew the first seam: Attach your invisible zipper foot to the sewing machine. Stitch along the pinned edge, as close to the zipper teeth as possible. Be sure to stop a few inches before the zipper pull.

3. Attach the Back Panel

• Repeat pinning: Lay the back pillow panel right-side up. Position the other half of the zipper face down along the seam line, with the zipper pull at the top. Pin in place.

• Sew the second seam: Using the invisible zipper foot, stitch the second half of the zipper, aligning it with the marked line and stopping a few inches before the zipper pull.

4. Finish the Seams

• Open the zipper: Partially unzip the zipper so you have space to work.

• Sew the seam below the zipper: Switch to a regular zipper foot. Starting where your previous stitching ended, sew the seam on both sides along the bottom edge of the pillow, closing the zipper opening. Be careful to sew as close to the bottom of the zipper as possible.

5. Construct the Pillowcase

• Pin the pillow together: With right sides together, pin your front and back panels along the remaining three edges.

• Final seams: Sew around the remaining edges of the pillowcase, leaving a gap of a few inches on one side for turning.

• Clip corners: Clip the corners close to the stitch line to reduce fabric bulk.

• Turn right-side out: Turn the pillowcase right-side out through the opening you left.

• Push out the corners: Carefully push out all the corners so they have a clean shape.

• Insert and close: Insert your pillow form through the opening. Hand-stitch the small opening in the pillowcase closed using a hidden stitch.

Tips:

• Practice: If you're new to invisible zippers, practice on a scrap piece of fabric first.

• Basting: Consider basting the zipper tape to the edges of the fabric for added stability before sewing.

• Go slowly: Take your time and sew slowly around the zipper teeth to ensure a neat finish

• Iron: Press your finished pillowcase for a crisp and professional look.

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