thanx for the zipper lesson...I just made a throw pillow for my 3yr old princess and she loves it! & one more thing I just started sewing! I give props to all hard working women! I used to work in commercial plumbing & used to come home tired wasted from a days work! but the ladies take care of their kids & sew at the same time! sewing is hard work!!!! I know its not a heavy labor job but u have to be on point! so I do appreciate all mothers, grandma's, aunts & sisters of the world today!! much love to you all & may you live forever GB ♡♥♡♥♡ oh one more thing I didn't get your name ☆ i'm "Mike" nice to meet you! have a great day & sew on cheers!
Best. Explanation. EVER!!! I am not a sewer, but I was able to make 14 throw cushion covers thanks to your clear, step-by-step instructions. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
This is seriously one of the best tutorials I've ever watched. You make things so clear and easy to understand. Thank you! I've even shared it with my sister-in-law who just started sewing.
+Jeremy Race I agree, so easy to understand - the best sowing tutorial I have used! I have made the BEST pillows in different fabrics, I am very thankful. :)
I'm an extremely skilled...mostly self-ttaught seamstress... I make ballgowns, and fancy blessing gowns...but I've never achieved amazing success. I appreciate the description and demonstration by this intelligent seamstress. I now completly understand how to do sippers....I've never started by sewing the end down! No wonder my zipper ends up being skewampas (sp??)!! Thanks for this informative video.
The best tutorial on RU-vid that I've came across for sewing a zip. I was getting frustrated with the finished ends of the zipper but you have made it so clear to follow. Thank you from Scotland
Thank you! After struggling with putting zippers in 2-30"x30" floor pillows, I found this video and constructed the 3rd pillow in 10 minutes. I should have known Sailrite would show me the way! I've watched many other Sailrite "how-to" videos for other projects (covers for our water and fuel cans on our boat), and have ordered parts and sunbrella fabric from Sailrite for the past year or so. Great demonstration!
This has got to be the best "how to" video I have ever seen period!! Not only was the video quality great but the instruction was very clear and easy to understand! The clarity almost made it a "duh moment"!! I wish you guys made tutorial videos for everything in life! LOL!
Thank you for this tutorial - clear and well-done! Just one little hint that works well for me: iron the edge before you put in the zipper. I usually iron almost everything I'm going to sew if the material is hard to fold.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all the sewing technique videos you have demonstrated and you make it so effortlessly that I can't wait to run out and buy pillow forms and begin sewing. Thank you for demystifying the insertion of a zipper. When it all seemed impossible, you do it with such finesse and ease and I can't thank you enough. Love your videos!!!
I did it, I did it!!! I finally tried it and now I can't stop making them. I have some tropical heavy curtains and decided that I would use them to practice on. They turned out so great that I decided to keep them and make a set! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.
wow! I want to make an outdoor pillow cover for my dog’ bed. Who knew I would find a video for exactly what I wanted. She made it look so easy. I just pray that it is for this newbie. thank you.
Thanks for this! I bought a machine last week. I've never sewn a stitch, and I made a throw pillow with zipper tonight after watching this video! It's not expertly done, but it's not so bad that I'm going to rip it out either. Awesome video!!
Thank you so much for this video. Absolutely thorough and easy to understand instructions. Just made two in a relatively short time today for my front porch and they look better than anything I could have bought ready made in the store. Deb, you are a pro! Thank you so much!
Wonderful! It is because of loyal customers like you that make it possible for Sailrite to provide free instructional videos to the general public. Keep sewing. Have fun with the pillow project. Eric
Getting ready to make a Doggie Bed with my 501A Singer Slant-O-Matic Rockateer. I hope I don't have any problem with the material. It's kind of a faux leather material. I want to also add some embroidry work to the edge once I sew it. I hope I don't have problems with the faux leather and the four layers of seem. It doesn't really need the embroidry work but I just want it to look a little different. Thanks for the excellent instructional video. Done by a professional it looks very easy.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful video. It is very informative. I am always grateful for your advice and demonstration. May God continue to bless you and your channel.
Hello Sailrite,..so great to see the instructions video's living in Amsterdam The Netherlands. Sailrite is my favorite! I love the sound of the machine and the relaxed to-the-point voices and voice-over. We need fabric for our garden set so it must be from Sailrite..even if it's al the way from the US. Thanks!! Next tonight..i will be sewing a pillow throw a la Sairite.. greetings Ingrid
As a new beginner sewer, this is such a great video...so easy to understand both visually and verbally!! Thank you so much...I am off to purchase fabric and zippers to try my hand at this.
By cutting the fabric smaller than the pillow, the cover is much tighter and in our opinion looks better. However, it is not a rule and you can cut the fabric to the exact size of the pillow for a less than tight looking cover.
Thank you very much for this excellent video. I love this, please bring more sewing videos. I am trying to sew more things with zippers , since they scare me. lol I did sew one zipper two days ago. I am on a roll!!! lol. Talented lady doing this video :)
There are so many different ways to do zippers . . . I was taught to baste stitch the seam closed and place the zipper face down then after sewing, use a seam ripper to open the zipper seam. I would be concerned sewing an open zipper that it may not line up well. After sewing one side I might choose to zip close and check alignment. Great video as always . . . thanks so much!
Good instructions! In my experience it wasn’t necessary to cut the cover smaller than the cushion. When I did so the cushion came out too round like a “muffin top” effect where the pants are small small for the belly!
Yes, you do end up with two rows of stitches on the outside of the fabric. If this bothers you you can use a double sided tape (Seamstick part #129) to hold the folds in place rather than sewing them together. That would result in only one stitch being visible.
Excellent tutorial! This was my first time ever attempting a zipper closing on a pillow cover and it turned out amazing. Thank you so much for the help!
This was a wonderful video and just what I needed. Though I am working with interior toss pillows and fabrics, I have the confidence now to make ones to go on my deck next summer! I love that sewing machine!! Deb is a very good demonstrator and the voice over by Eric was sometimes repetitive but useful. Thank you again for making this video!
Yes, depending on how you cut your fabric plates you want an insert that is larger than the desired finished size so the fabric cover will compress it.
I loved your tutorial!! I am new to sewing and very terrified of trying to install a zipper into anything. I am definitely going to try this. However, I have one quick question...would it be easier for me to use a regular zipper or the continuously zipper method?
In many cases a zipper foot is not needed, if you presser foot is small enough to sew the edge of the zipper flange. If the presser foot is too large and will not allow you to sew the zipper's flange, then you will need a zipper foot.
my thread is red aswell as my zipper. but my fabric is like abstrac with mostly red. so my question is, will the thread show up if I sew the zipper at the end part, like the very end so that the zipper dosent go.
This is my first time attempting to make a pillow cover for a a 24 x 24" insert for a party (to use as a floor cushion), and i have a simple question... what stitching is best for this type of sewing?? and btw, very good instructions, makes it look easy. I saw other tutorials and most said to leave extra fabric for the seams, so this was interesting that you said to cut smaller than the insert.
A simple straight stitch that is about 4mm long is used for making most pillows. We like to make a tight fitting cover for what we believe a better looking throw pillow. However, that is up to the end user as some opinions vary on what looks best.
Ok, I have a question about zipper size. I just made my 3rd one the first 2 were not good. The Pillow form that I had was 14x14. I cut the two pieces 13x13. What size zipper would need to be used? I had a 7 inch zipper and it was too short. Is there a general rule when it comes to the zipper? Thanks.
When working with upholstery and canvas job rules typically do not apply. I always do what works best for me. I usually find that creating a zipper that is only an inch shorter on both ends of the pillow works best. So for your applications I would cut my zipper to 11 inches.
Why is the cut fabric an inch smaller than the size of the pillow? Don't you need an inseam allowance? Most tutorials I see say to make it the size of the pillow, with 3/4 in inseam. Maybe this makes the fabric tighter on the pillow?
I wasn't sure if I was going to add a zipper, so I sewed all three sides to my pillow. Can I still add a zipper to my fourth side now? Or should I take out my stitching and start with the zipper first?
I figured! :( I should have watched this video first. I have 12 throw cushions to take apart. Oh well lesson learned. Thank you for replying. I loved this video it is very informative and easy to understand. I will watch it again before I begin to sew my zippers.
Thanks!!!! We are using a hot knife to cut the fabric. This helps seal the edges of a synthetic fabric to keep it from unraveling. Here is a link to some hotknife options you can purchase: www.sailrite.com/easearch#!&ea_q=hotknife
Can I use this envelope style and add ties for the chair plus a small ruffle??Please let me know what you think. I don't have a hot knife and I'm on a budget...Thank you for the great lesson .. P.G.
Sailrite has two videos posted on RU-vid that show how to make throw pillows with piping. We also have a third video showing how to make throw pillows with zipper openings. Since I can not place links in this post box I will give you the title of each so you can search on RU-vid: Zipper Closure on Throw Pillows - How to Make Throw Pillows Piping on Throw Pillows - How to Make Throw Pillows How to Make a Throw Pillow with Sunbrella Decorative Piping