How to Put a Back Seam Zipper in a Garment

Purchase a zipper for your garment. Pre-wash and air-dry the zipper.

Pin the two back sections of the garment together along the center seam. Make sure the right sides are together. Measure the length of the zipper plus 7/8-inch from the neckline. Mark this distance.

Start at the bottom edge of the garment, and stitch a 5/8-inch straight seam to the mark for the bottom of the zipper. Backspace. Change the stitch length on your sewing machine to the longest stitch, and continue sewing a seam to the neckline. Don't backstitch. Leave threads long and uncut. Press seam open.

Place the back section of the garment wrong side up on a flat surface. Place the bottom of the zipper face down directly over the spot you marked earlier. Center the zipper over the seam. Use a piece of transparent tape to fasten it in place.

Continue working your way up towards the neckline. Make sure to center the zipper over the seam before you tape it in place. A piece of tape every three inches is good enough to hold the zipper steady. The top of the zipper should be 7/8-inch from the neckline when you place the last piece of tape. Make sure the zipper tab is pointing up before you secure it.

Turn the fabric over to the right side. Attach the right-hand zipper foot to the sewing machine. Set the sewing machine back to the regular stitch length. Sew 1/4- to 3/8-inches from the center back seam, which is sewn closed. Keep the stitching as straight as possible. When you pass the bottom of the zipper stop, make a square turn, then come back up the other side of the seam.

Remove the transparent tape. Also, pull out the thread that held the seam together. If you pull on the long tail you left, it should come out easily.