This is a project I designed and taught in my Serger Club meetings. My projects are designed and written in a generic format. I don't get brand specific because there are too many differences among sergers. Most of my projects are for 3/4 thread sergers. Of course, a 5 thread will do all the techniques covered in any of my projects. The project instructions will refer you to your manual for specifics for your brand of serger. Just print out this page, or highlight and save the project instructions below. I have also included a text only project page if you have trouble printing from this one.

Feel free to share these instructions, but please leave my name and © intact.

YES!

You can put in zippers with your serger!

MATERIALS:

• fabric of your choice (and lining if desired). Cut it to the size you want your bag to be. Create your own fabric (see FABRIC IDEAS below).
• nylon zipper to match fabric. Make sure it is a few inches longer than the width of the bag.
• 4 cones or spools of serger thread to match fabric
• serger, foot control, accessories, and manual
• size 90/14 universal serger needles (put new needles in your serger)
• scissors
• fabric marking pen or chalk marker

FABRIC IDEAS:

• Make patchwork fabric with the serger. Serge pieces or strips of fabric together. The seams can be on the inside, or use decorative thread and put the seams on the right side.
• Use double faced quilted fabric, or make your own quilted fabric.
• Try strip piecing fabric scraps to a piece of base fabric which is cut to size. Stitch over the seam lines with the decorative stitches on your sewing machine for a "crazy quilt" effect.
• Use ultra suede scraps and flatlock them together on the serger, or patchwork them on your sewing machine.
• Use tapestry or upholstery fabric.

FABRIC LAYOUT & CUTTING:

1) Decide what size you want your zipper bag to be. Be sure to add 3/4" for the seam allowances and a little to skim off the edges as you serge. The bag can be any size. The only limitation is the length of the zipper.

2) Cut your fabric to that size. (for example, if you want a 5" (depth) x 7" (width) zipper bag, then cut a piece of fabric 10 3/4" x 7 3/4")

SERGER SET-UP:

Set your serger up for a balanced, 4-thread construction stitch. Use a wide stitch width and a stitch length of 2 1/2. Thread with cones of polyester serger thread. Test and adjust your stitches on a scrap of the fabric, or fabric of similar weight and type.

*If you have a piping foot, use it while serging the zipper. The teeth of the zipper will ride in the groove for the piping on the bottom of the foot. Use the widest stitch width. Use only the right needle if the stitching falls too close to the zipper teeth.

SERGING:

1) Lay the zipper along the edge of the fabric, letting the zipper overlap at each end. Mark the placement lines all the way across the zipper. Since you will be serging the zipper on from opposite directions, these marks will be very helpful.

2) Place the zipper along one edge, on top of the fabric, right sides together. Extend the fabric about 1/8" past the edge of the zipper, lining up the marks on the zipper with the ends of the fabric. Serge the zipper in place while cutting away the fabric that extends. Try not to cut the zipper. SERGE SLOWLY PAST THE ZIPPER TEETH! Take a few stitches, turning the flywheel by hand, until you clear the zipper teeth. If the needle won't go through, raise the foot and scoot the fabric just past the teeth.

3) Open the zipper and repeat step #2 on the other edge of the fabric, but start serging from the opposite end so the zipper is always on the top of the fabric as you serge.

4) Partially close the zipper, but be sure to leave an opening for turning the bag. Fold the bag in half, keeping right sides together, and line up the side seams. Cut away the excess zipper at each end of the fabric before serging.

5) Start serging slowly from the zipper end, with the serged seam allowances pointing straight up covering the zipper. Take a couple of stitches and stop with the needle up. Skinny out the thread and bring the thread chain to the front, under the foot. Let it hang in front of the knife to be cut off. Finish serging the side seam. Stop at the end and take 1 or 2 stitches off the end of the fabric. Slip the fabric off the stitch finger, flip it over and put it back under the foot at a slight angle away from the blade. Be careful not to cut into the thread of the seam along the edges of the fabric. The blade cuts the fabric about an inch away from the needles. Watch to make sure you don't nick it. You will now be serging in the opposite direction. Serge for about an inch, stop, turn the fabric at a 90° angle to the foot, and serge off a chain. This is how you lockstitch both ends of your seam.

6) Repeat step #4 for the other side seam.

7) Tie off and cut the thread tails. Turn the bag to the right side and tuck in the ends of the zipper.