No Raw Edges Zipper End Tutorial

by Rosemary Causbrook

I recommend that you practice this tutorial on a leftover piece of #5 nylon zipper
and a scrap of cotton fabric before trying it on a hand bag.

Supplies:

1 #5 Nylon zipper
Scrap of cotton fabric at least 3 1/2W x 3”H

1. Trim the scrap of cotton to exactly 3”W and 2¼”H

2. Draw a line 1/2” down from the edge of the 3” long side.
3. Finger press that edge to meet the line that you drew, making a 1/4” fold.

4. Open up the fold before performing the next step.

5. Stitch the edges of the short (2 1/4”) sides together with a seam that is
slightly less than 1/4”. See photo below.
6. Finger press the 1/4” seam open.

7. Re-fold the 1/4” fold that you made previously.

8. Slide the raw edge of your zipper into the casing, smooth side up, until it
meets the raw edge of the casing.

Make sure the seam on the casing is in the middle of the back of the zipper.
9. Stitch a 1/2” seam across the raw edge of the casing and inserted zipper.

10. Trim the raw edge if there is any part of the zipper sticking out from the raw
edge of the casing.

11. Pull the casing up and over the zipper to show the right side of the fabric
casing. The 1/4” fold should now be at the top and the seam you just stitched
at the bottom.
12. To make nice, neat sides for zipper end, I recommend you press the edges of the
sides of the casing with an iron now.

13. Turn the zipper over to the wrong side and fold the top edge down to meet the
seam line, slightly overlapping the back seam line.
14. Hand stitch the fold to the back seam line. Do not stitch into the zipper
itself, only the fabric seam line.

15. If you don’t want to hand stitch the zipper end back, you can topstitch across
the front edge or even all around the box if you like.

16. If you have not already pressed your zipper end, you can press it now.

17. Your zipper end is complete.