Here's how to make a centered zipper:

1. First, before sewing anything, put the zipper on the seam and mark where you want the zipper to end. A "mark-be-gone" marker usually works well for this, since the blue ink just washes off.

2. Starting at the bottom of the garment, sew the entire seam closed. When you get to the place where the zipper is supposed to begin (as you marked it above) backtrack a bit so the seam will be strong. Next, lengthen the stich length and continue sewing, up where the zipper will go. (Those stiches will eventually come out).

3. Press the entire seam

4. Place the zipper face down in the wrong side of the seam. (the right side of the zipper to the wrong side of the garment) Pin it so the coils match the seam and it's straight.

5. Next, hand baste the zipper to the garment. Many sewers usually either pin baste or use special basting tape to hold down the zipper till it's finally sewn. From personal experience, I feel that in the long run it actually takes less time to just sew in the zipper, since there will be fewer mistakes and the zipper won't slide.

6. Now you're ready to sew the zipper in. Here's where scotch tape comes in handy. Take a piece of 1/2 inch tape and put it down the front of the garment, where you want the zipper to be sewn. Change your machine foot to a zipper foot. Starting at the top of the garment, use the tape as a guide, and just sew down along it. When you reach the end, make a few stiches with the stich length at "zero." This will set the stiches. Cut threads and start over again, on the other side, again, stitching from top to bottom. This time, when you get to the bottom, pivot and sew till you reach the end. Again, sew a few stiches with the stich length at zero to set the stitches

   You now have the perfect zipper!

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   Regina Gannawaygannaway@radix.net saw my instructions, and has suggested an alternative way to insert zippers:

   I visited your home page and read your zipper instructions. I have a better way to put in a zipper.

   First, I baste the seam where the zipper goes.

   Then, I use 1/2" to 3/4" transweb fusible tape. I cut it to the length of the zipper, then I cut it in half down the long way.

   Then I fuse the tape to the zipper, teeth side up.

   Then, I remove the paper backing from the tape, and then fuse the zipper to the garment, centering the teeth down the basted seam.

   Next, on the outside of the garment, I tape 1/2" celophane tape to the garment centering it over the seam.

   Finally, I topstitch the zipper in place, by using the tape as a guide for a straight seam.

   It's fast and flawless. It takes the fear out of installing a zipper.