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From: st13031
Date: 04-24-2007, 08:17 PM (1 of 14)
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I am new to sewing and trying to sew some bags with zippers........ I have trouble getting around the zipper pulls and have heard of a zipper foot, but don't know what it does or what they look like........ can anyone help? Thanks! Sabrina |
User: st13031
Member since: 02-27-2007 Total posts: 35 |
From: lendube
Date: 04-24-2007, 08:43 PM (2 of 14)
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Hi Sabrina, A zipper foot is wonderful! It's pretty much a one-sided regular foot. That way you can sew very close to the actual zipper (and pull) without the other side of a normal foot getting in the way. You can very often move the longer side of the foot to one side or the other depending on which side of the zipper you're sewing. In other words, a worthwhile investment.  Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 04-24-2007, 08:43 PM (3 of 14)
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It has two bars in the attachment to the shank so it can go on either the left side or right - giving you access and gets the needle closer to the teeth than the standard presser foot might allow. So the majority of the foot sits away from the needle - right or left - depending on which side of the zipper you're sewing. Pretty handy and I'd think fairly cheap to buy - mine came with my machine. http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r234/PaulineG_photo/?action=view¤t=zipperfoot.jpg Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: lendube
Date: 04-24-2007, 08:46 PM (4 of 14)
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Your post was better, Pauline! Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 04-24-2007, 08:48 PM (5 of 14)
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Gee - you've got to be quick around here to get to a question first.
Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: vickki
Date: 04-24-2007, 09:15 PM (6 of 14)
| Now ladies one of you will have to sit in the corner if your going to fight over who goes first..Ha |
User: vickki
Member since: 08-21-2005 Total posts: 374 |
From: lendube
Date: 04-25-2007, 12:00 AM (7 of 14)
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Looking at the number of posts we each have can we guess who's answered a post first more times???? I'm SUCH a blabbermouth!!!!  I'll try to back off. Lennie 
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User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: woodywoodpecker
Date: 04-25-2007, 01:13 AM (8 of 14)
| I find I still have to move the zipper pull out of the way or my zipper foot will move over to get around it, resulting in a zag in my seam. |
User: woodywoodpecker
Member since: 11-07-2003 Total posts: 242 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 04-25-2007, 03:07 AM (9 of 14)
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We're not squabbling Vicki - we're both just extraordinarily helpful. And what we saw that nobody else did was that we were both answering a post that at the time either of us saw it, had no replies. Quite funny when that happens. SNAP. I must say though I do like a post that I can answer confidently - so many of them can be answered so much better by others it gives my ego a bit of a boost. Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: st13031
Date: 04-25-2007, 08:55 AM (10 of 14)
I found all replies helpful, thanks everyone!  That sounds fabulous, and exactly what I need....... Now, I can barely get the zipper sewed on, KWIM?! But my machine is a 20 year old Singer...... I wonder if I will be able to find one for it??????? |
User: st13031
Member since: 02-27-2007 Total posts: 35 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 04-25-2007, 09:57 AM (11 of 14)
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st13031 if you are near a Hancock Fabrics, they carry the zipper foot for Singer machines on their notions wall. I don't know if Joann's does or not. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 04-25-2007, 07:31 PM (12 of 14)
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You can also get generic zipper feet, depending on if you have a short shank or long shank machine, which is the length of the post that your foot sits on. I have one that I picked up for about $5 that I can adjust back and forth with a screw. Course I don't know how to tell the difference between a short and a long shank, I just know my Pfaff was a short shank, and I got told that by the sewing machine fixer person. Oh, boy, I need to go lay down!
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 04-25-2007, 08:06 PM (13 of 14)
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If your machine is an older model, the zipper foot for it may not look like the one Pauline posted. My previous machine's zipper foot looked more like a ski on the shank...
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: Judi
Date: 04-26-2007, 02:08 AM (14 of 14)
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Sabrina, I'm sure you'll be able to get a zipper foot for your old Singer. When you get it you will be able to stitch closer to the zipper teeth - and that's a good thing. I do still find that when I have to stitch past the pull that the stitching seems to move a bit. I solve this by stopping an inch or so before the needle gets to the pull. Put the needle down into the fabric. raise the presser foot, and gently move the 'pull' to the back side of the presser foot. Then lower the presser foot and continue to the end of the stitching. Try this on a couple of samples, and you'll see how it works. (Note - when doing 'samples', I use an old zipper and use really long stitches, in contrasting thread colors. I can then take the stitches out with no problems.) I've used this method to teach my immigrant ladies basic sewing skills on modern machines.
Judi
Sewing is almost better than Chocolate. |
User: Judi
Member since: 06-22-2000 Total posts: 85 |
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