Star Quality
Zipper Installation
A hand-stitched zipper is the final complement to your boiled-wool jacket. Machine stitching the zipper will likely distort and ripple the knitted binding.
Turn the jacket inside out and abut the center-front edges. Thread a long handsewing needle with a doubled thread, and baste the abutted edges together. Check the zipper length, holding the zipper stop even with the hem. Shorten the zipper if necessary.
Place the closed zipper face up on a flat surface. Referring to the manufacturer's directions, prepare two strips of 1/4"-wide basting tape as long as the zipper, excluding the 1" extensions. Beginning at the lower end, apply the basting tape close to each edge of the zipper tape. Placing the tape along the edge makes it less likely that you'll hand stitch through the adhesive.
Remove the paper backing and fingerpress the zipper face down onto the garment, beginning at the lower edge and rolling the zipper up the center front. At the neckline, turn under the tape extensions and angle them away from center front. Firmly finger-press the zipper to the garment, then add straight pins at the neckline and hem.
Turn the garment right side out and remove the basting threads. Unzip the zipper completely and insert more straight pins along each side of the tape to hold it securely.
Hand-pick the zipper to the bound edge. Choose a long hand-sewing needle, and thread it with a double strand of regular sewing thread. Don't stab the backstitches all the way through to the jacket right side; simply skim securely into the loft of the wool. Slipstitch the zipper tape edge to help support the zipper weight (4).
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