Sewing A Zipper into Knitted Fabric

After knitting up this clutch wallet, I needed to sew on a zipper. I read over some advice forums and posts online, and then I set about to do it by myself. Below are some pictures for my Knitter's Way to Easily Sew on a Zipper. Make sure, for this pattern, your zipper doesn't open at both ends. One end should open and the other should have a stopper.

You'll need:

• Your finished product
• Your zipper (7" long for the clutch wallet)
• Matching thread
• Sewing needle
• Yarn/Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Hold the zipper (unzipped) up to your finished product and find where you would like to sew it in. If I was making another one, I'd move the zipper a bit to the right, so there isn't a gap where the zipper stops. More about that later.

Next, holding the zipper up to the side of the knitted fabric, sew using this method, in which you go back up through each previous down stitch. (For more information, see the Pickin' and Throwin' Blog, where that method is from and where I got some ideas.) I found it best to use a double strand of thread. (Sew through the bulky edges created by the line of stockinette.

Side View

Top View

Now, it turned out my zipper was a bit too long, which is good. I folded the excess zipper into the bag and sewed it in along the edge. When you sew the next side of the zipper, you'll start at this same end, but use a new length of thread. 

Inside View

So one side is done! Proceed on to the next side. (Make sure to unzip before starting to sew.)

Then noticed I left too much room between where the zipper stops and the end of the enclosure begins. (Remember when I mentioned that before?) So I opened the bag and sewed the two ends of the zipper together. This gives them support.

Sewing the ends together

And then it's finished! Make sure to snip all leftover strings and bits of yarn. Enjoy!

Top View

Side View

Top view with money inside

Knit this Easy Clutch Wallet

I came up with this pattern when I needed a small wallet to hold my foreign currency for a trip. Enjoy the pattern and my tips for finishing the wallet while I finish completing this blog. You can also check out my personal blog here and my 30 Before 30 Project here.

Yarn: Worsted weight
Needles: Straight size 8
Notions: Yarn needle
For Finishing: 7" zipper, thread, sewing needle

• Cast on 28 stitches
• Knit 1 row
• Purl 1 row
• K1, m1 (using the backward method), k until 1 st remains, m1, k1
• p2, m1, p until 2 sts remain, m1, p2
• Pattern row 1: *k1, p1, repeat from * until row is completed
• Pattern row 2: *p1, k1, repeat from *
• Repeat the two pattern rows until desired length is achieved (knitted fabric will be folded in half)
• Knit pattern row 1 again
• p2, p2tog, p until 4 sts remain, p2tog, p2
• k1, k2tog, k until 3 sts remain, k2tog, k1
• Purl 1 row
• Knit 1 row
• Bind off 28 stitches (relatively loosely)
• Fold in half and sew up the two short sides using a yarn needle and excess yarn
• Sew a close-bottom zipper into the long side. (See my post on sewing in the zipper and finishing the wallet.)

See this project on Ravelry!

Under Construction

This blog will be under construction until August 2012. Please come back then! I will be posting an occasional post before it is officially completed. Thanks!