Inserting no-sew zippers in knitwear--the video

Here is a link to an Interweave Knits video on a TECHknitting technique.  (The fully illustrated zipper installation article is here.)

As shown on the video, the trick to inserting no-sew zippers for knitwear is to use a "knitpicker," a tiny latch hook.

The video shows BOTH of the techniques illustrated in the above link, as well as the Winter 2010 Interweave Knits article on zippers.  Specifically, the chain method AND the live-loop method are demonstrated by Eunny Jang, the IK editor.  

Using these tricks, an item can be STARTED from the zipper edge--TECHknitting blog just featured a 3-part KAL of a little zippered purse started from the zipper edge.  Alternatively, the zipper can be added at the END of the project: once the zipper has been prepared by using the knitpicker either to make a chain OR to draw through live loops, the zipper becomes a knittable object--as easy to attach as seaming two pieces of knitting together, or attaching an I-cord edging to a sweater's button band.

I believe these tricks can make adding zippers to knitwear much easier than methods calling for sewing.  I hope you will enjoy the video tutorial of both of these new methods--chain as well as live loop. --TK

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Addendum, December 26, 2010. 

Valsew on Ravelry offers this very clever trick for those of you who have sewing machines.  The idea is NOT to use the machine to sew with, but instead to use the sewing machine as a MARKING and PUNCHING tool along the edge of the zipper tape, as follows:

• Why not use your sewing machine with a unthreaded topstitch needle for even hole spacing and prepunching, as well as a consistent distance from the edge of the zipper tape?  You may match your knitting gauge by sewing on a piece of plain paper (again with no thread in the needle) and adjusting the stitch length until it matches your gauge. 

Thanks, Val, for permission to re-print this valuable tip!

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You have been reading TECHknitting blog on no-sew zippers, the video.