Tutorial: Zipper Fly

Step 1:Sew the fronts together.
Usually, a pattern is marked where the pattern designer recommends that you stop the zipper or end the fly. Because I often take 2 to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm) out of the front crotch curve, I end up with a really short fly. I extend it down an inch. Where ever this point is, I’m calling it the bottom of the zipper.

From the bottom of the zipper down, you want to sew with a regular stitch. From the bottom of the zipper and up, you want to use a basting stitch. Sorry that I forgot to take pictures at that point.

Step 2

Pants on table, wrong side up. Fold
both fronts to the left, leaving one
extension pointing to the right. Pin
zipper in place, with side lining up
to center front. You will be sewing
the side furthest from center front.

Step 3

Use a zipper foot to stitch close to the zipper
on the side sticking out from the pants fronts.

Step 4:

Turn zipper over. Fold the extra fabric down
under the zipper. The extra fabric may extend
under center front. Pin and stitch about 1/8
of an inch (1 mm) from zipper. This holds that
extra fabric in place.

Step 5:

Use zipper foot to stitch close to the zipper.

Step 6:

Flip pants so that pants fronts are both on
your right. They were on the left.

Step 7:

Turn zipper over. Make sure that it’s flat.

Step 8:

Pin zipper to the fly extension on your left.
.

Step 9:

Using a zipper foot, sew close to the zipper.

Step 10:

Now your zipper is attached to both fly extensions,
but no sewing shows on the front of the pants.

Step 11:

Turn pants over so
they are right side up.

Step 12:

Butt fly template against
the center front seam. If
you don’t have a fly template,
you can copy one from a
pair of pants.

Step 13:

Trace around fly template.

Step 14:

Pin pants front to the fly
extension underneath.
Make sure everything is
nice and flat and smooth.

Step 15:

Using your usual foot, sew fly stitches in place.
I always start at the bottom. If I start at the
top, I tend to twist the fabric.

Step 16:

Hey, it looks like a fly!

Step 17:

Press

Step 18:

Admire your fly.

Step 19:

Admire your fly some more.
But wait; something is missing!

Step 20:

Cut a piece of fabric 4×8 inches
(10 x 20 cm) for the fly shield.

Step 21:

Fold Fly Shield in half, wrong sides together.

Step 22:

Press

Step 23:

Do you see the difference between the pressed
fly and the unpressed fly in step 21?

Step 24:

Overlock the edges of the fly shield. I cut off
some fabric from the bottom to form a curve.
The curve is optional. There’s nothing wrong
with a rectangular fly shield.

If you don’t have a serger, you can overlock
with your sewing machine. Use your overlock
foot and a zigzag stitch.

Step 25:

Pin your zipper shield to the
extention on the underlap
side of the fly.

Step 26:

Fold your pant fronts off to the side, so that
you only sew thru the fly shield and extension.

Step 27:

After you’ve sewn the side of the shield
to the extension, tack down the bottom
on the opposite extension. This is
optional, but it will keep your fly shield
from flopping around.

Step 28:

Admire your fly shield. Here you can see
where I tacked down the opposite side. I
sewed this shield twice along the side. I
don’t know what I was thinking the first
time, but I didn’t sew close to the edge.

Step 29:

Admire your fly from the wrong side.

Step 30:

Admire your fly from the right side.

Ta Da! No more steps.

Journal Page

This page features a background in Biocolors washable paint, but it doesn’t run when I watercolor on it. I used Biocolors because we have a lot of it. It’s a great paint for kids.

The face doodle is in colored pencil. The bird is Chunguita’s artwork, and the teddies were stamped out by Pulguito.

Pins and Needles Day

Here I was thinking that today was a day to celebrate sewing, but no. Then I thought it might be about your legs falling asleep, but no.

It’s about commemorating the labor movement.

Journal Page

plastic paper, watercolor fairies, watercolored stamped images, and watercolor pencils.

Journal Page

Watercolor on handmade paper.

Journal Page

The fellow on the lower left is a colored pencil sketch. The fairies are watercolor and ink. Pulguito’s artwork is featured on the right.

National Cashew Day

I like cashews.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone who celebrates today has a great day, and I hope that you-all who celebrate at another time of the year had/will have a great Thanksgiving, too.

World Hello Day

Greet 10 people today.

Don’t confuse this day with “Hello, World” Day.

Sandra Betzina Purse

Pattern Company: Vogue Patterns
Pattern Number: V7862
Pattern Name: Shoulder Bag in 2 sizes

Description:
From the pattern envelope:Package includes patterns and instructions to make lined travel Bag A: average size,161/2″ × 11″, 36″ overall including straps. Bag B: petite size, 161/2″ × 9″, 32″ overall including straps. Compartments use invisible zippers for closures.

This is a shoulderbag with 3 pockets. There is one smaller pocket in each strap and one main pocket with a vertical zipper closure in the bag section.

Sizing:
The bag comes in 2 sizes. I made the smaller one. It makes a moderately sized purse. The large one must be very big.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I know it’s hard to tell from my pictures, but I think it did.

Instructions
The instructions are marvelous. They offer 2 options for putting in the zippers, but IMNSHO, the invisible zipper is the easiest zipper to put in.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I don’t think that there’s anything that I dislike about this pattern. The style isn’t particularly stylish. I find it to be very functional. Others have mentioned that the vertical zipper on the main pocket is problematic, but I’ve been using my purse for a few weeks, and I’m not having any troubles.

The best part of the pattern is that it’s a quick fix. Two hours max, and you have a new purse.

Fabric
I used leftover fabric from my last pair of pants.

Zipper detail

Pattern Alterations/Design Changes:
I did not sew across the top of the strap pockets, and I did not line the purse.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I think I will sew it again. It’s so easy and quick to make.

I do recommend it. I think this would be a fabulous pattern for a two hour class for beginning sewists.

Conclusion
It’s an easy, quick purse.