sew a zippered wristlet (tutorial)

I've been making wristlets for ages now and I thought I'd share my recipe since they're appearing with less frequency in the Splityarn shop (that'll happen after you make 80 gazillion of something.) I wasn't really thinking about it when I started, but choosing (notoriously hard to photograph) red as a key component to the project made for some challenging photo edits. My apologies that the pics aren't quite up to snuff. I'm only posting the basic pictures here, but there's more detailed photos and notes in the accompanying flickr tutorial set.

For this project you'll need:
7" zipper
2 pieces of fabric (an outer fabric and one for the lining)
zipper foot (optional, but worth the investment)
1" bias tape maker (optional)

From the outer fabric cut 2 pieces 8" x 6.5" and one piece 10.5" x 1.25"
From the inner fabric cut 2 pieces 8" x 6.5"

1.  Starting with the lining, pin the zipper to one of the lining pieces both with right sides up. Stitch across the top from end to end, fairly close to the zipper (if you have a zipper foot, now is a good time to use it.) when you're approaching the slider and pull tab, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot and open the zipper past the foot up into where you've already sewn. This is key to getting a nice, straight line.

Repeat with the 2nd piece of lining and the other half of the zipper. I don't usually bother with pressing until after the next step.

2.  To sew the outer pieces to the zipper and lining, place the right side of the zipper on top of the right side of an outer piece and pin. With a pencil or chalk mark in about .5" from the edge (right about where the metal pieces at the end of the zipper are). This time you're not going to sew all the way across. You're going to sew over top of the previous stitching but between the two points you just marked. Repeat with the remaining outer piece.

3.  Press the fabric away from the zipper, just like how it will be when it's finished. Press! Press! Press! This is critical to a nice looking piece. This is the difference between homemade and handmade. You won't get a chance to redo it after you stitch it down, so take please take time to do it right.

4.  Now you're going to top stitch the zipper down. When I do this I like to top stitch only the outer piece down onto the zipper, keeping the lining out of the way. I also like to double my thread when I top stitch in a contrasting colour; it makes the stitching pop a little more and look deliberate. Just thread your machine like you normally would, but use two pieces of thread for your needle.

Leave the zipper foot on and stitch between the metal ends of the zipper. Do this on both pieces.

5.  Next up is the wrist strap. Run the long skinny strip through your bias tape maker and press the whole thing lengthwise again. If you don't have a bias tape maker, you can simply press the edges in towards the middle, then fold in half again and press. Top stitch along the length of the strap to close it (about an eighth of an inch seam allowance)

6.  Open up the zipper at least 2/3rds of the way and flip both pieces of the lining out of the way to sew later. Fold the wrist strap in half pin it to itself, then pin it onto one side of one of the outer pieces, about .5" down, raw edges together, parallel to the zipper.  Pin the outer pieces right sides together and sew from the top edge of the outer piece around 3 sides to the other top edge (1/3 - 1/2" seam allowance.) Be careful not to catch the lining in the seam. The half inch you left unsewn when installing the zipper allows you to fold the lining out of the way.

7.  Pin the right sides of the lining pieces together. Mark off an opening of at least 2 inches. I like to do this along one of the sides so when I close the seam at the end it's less noticeable. Sew the lining together all the way around the three sides, leaving the opening (of course)  This time you'll catch a little of the tops of the outer pieces as you start and finish.

8.  Clip your corners and turn right side out through the opening you left in the lining. Wiggle the corners out and then all that's left is to close up the hole in the lining. You can do this by hand, but I detest hand-sewing anything so I do it by machine. It leaves a wee ridge, but because it's on the inside, you won't really notice it.

9.  The very last thing is, you guessed it...
Press! Press! press!

You can vary the size easily if you have a different length of zipper. Simply measure the full length of the zipper tape and that's how long to cut out your fabric. (A 7" zipper usually has 8" of tape.)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ping me. If you make one, be sure to send along a photo for the gallery!

Comments

[jenny r]

Ok, yeah we do it basically the same way, except I shortcut in one of the steps. I bet you can figure out which step that is, too.

[stacey]

Thank you so much for another fabulous tutorial - it may just help me get past my zipper-phobia - yay!!

[s t a c i]

I have zipper-phobia, too! It really limits me with sewing and knitting!

Thanks for the tutorial, Caro. I should practice with zippers on cute little things like this, then when I get to installing a zipper in a handknit, I'll be more confident!

That fabric is ahh-dorable.

[Li_B]

No thank you, I'm allergic to zippers. It's so cute, though,
Li

[Anita]

Ah lazy me. My heart leap into my throat hoping the photos I saw meant there would be more of these on your etsy page! Thank you for the tutorial, though! Since my sewing machine is lacking a zipper foot, I will keep holding out for etsy ;)

[knittingphilistine]

I'm hoping some day I'll be able to put this tutorial to good use. But first things first, I need one of those ol' sewing machines.

[Amanda]

Oh thank you for posting this! I'm going to have to add you to my flickr friends. I've been wanting to learn how to make these!

[Anina]

Thanks! I was just about to look for the tutorial I used the previous time I made a zippered pouch, and there, as from heaven, appears yours.

[Becka]

Nice tutorial, I shall have to sew one up. I always love little pouches, I like this one has a wrist strap on it. Great!

[Stephanie]

Thanks for the great tutorial!

[Elisa]

I have ziper fobia too!! But today is a new day in my life... Just now I´m going to start sewing this wristlet... Will I survive? lol

[SS]

Wow! I'm going to attempt this wristlet with some left over canvas from another project- this is really cute! And it will help me get over my zipper phobia, too!

[Melissa]

Yeah! Great tutorial! I just made a travel bag for my make-up and it is the perfect size. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Kate]

I just wanted to let you know that I have added a link to your blog on mine, I really love the way that you explained this project, it really makes it easy to understand.
http://manylayersofkate.blogspot.com

[paula]

Oh, this is so cute. I forgot to tell you that I made one and posted a photo to my blog. Thanks for the tutorial!
http://pjbknit.typepad.com/pjbknit/2007/06/sky-sewing-et-1.html

[michelle]

I also made one (and a variation) and posted them at my blog too. Thanks for the awesome instructions!

[sonda]

Thanks so much. I tried following another tutorial but like your's better - marking the length of the zipper seams for the outside fabric is crucial I think. Or at least I'm hoping if I follow your directions I'll avoid the enormous, unsewable lump where the zipper goes. Thanks!

[Janep]

I love your tutorial. I had ugly end bits of the zipper sticking out when I followed another zipper tutorial. When I followed your tutorial, the problem disappeared. Thanks a million. Check out my pouch/wristlet at
http://projectsbyjane.blogspot.com/

[amanda panda]

Thanks for posting this great tutorial. I only just became interested in working with anything other than felt [because I was a little too scared to] and this made it so much easier. I posted a picture of my first zippered purse on my flickr if you'd like to see?

[Toni]

I did this today - and it turned out so cute. Modified it a bit as I was using it for a stethoscope holder (I'm in nursing school - as is the giftee) - so it was longer and had some padding added to it. But it looks GREAT. Now I can't wait to make a little one for me!

[Charm]

Thank you! this tutorial is fantastic! i'm going to head to Savers on the weekend and pick up the bag of zippers thats be taunting me for the last month and give this a shot!