Chiffon overlay – Zip insertion

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Hi there, I am making flower girl dresses that have chiffon over the top of satin with the addition of a lining. I need to sew both the chiffon and satin together in to the zip at the back. My normal method to do this would be to snip the outer fabric to the seam allowance and pull the cut edge through the satin layer and stitch in the zip. However, I am afraid to this with chiffon as it frays so badly. I also tried doing a French seam at the bottom, below the zip, but the material was then facing the wrong way for the zip insertion. I have been unable to find any tutorials for this. Can you give me some advice please?

Many thanks in anticipation!

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

If it were me, I’d treat it as 2 parts. there’s the outer shell of chiffon and satin and then there’s the lining. Before putting in the zipper, baste the chiffon and satin together at the center back seam or whereever the zipper is going to go, matching up the raw edge. Because both of these types of fabric tend to fray big time, serge or overcast the raw edges so it’s finished. If your machine can’t do an overcast stitch, then you can make this a zigzag stitch. Then you’re just treating this as if it’s one normal fabric and putting in your zipper however your instructions recommend or you prefer. Then you can move on to your lining. At the lining’s center back seam, turn the raw edge under your seam allowance amount and press. Sew the lining to the bodice, usually this is at the neckline. When you turn the lining into the inside of the bodice, the folded center back seam should be on either side of the zipper back. Then just hand stitch the lining to the zipper tape. Hope this helps.

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Thank you Professor Pincushion for getting back to me so quickly. I was wondering whether there was a way where the chiffon could be free below the zip (other than way I mentioned) as the dress is a circle skirt and I wanted them to flair out separately, but I think I agree with you that this is probably not going to be possible due to the instability of the fabric and I need to sew them in together below the zip as well as you suggest.

Not a fan of chiffon I have to say!!!

Once again, thank you so much for your help.

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

if the chiffon layer and satin layer are hemmed separately then it’ll be more free flowing but I don’t think chiffon will have the effect you expect since it’s such a soft fabric. Maybe if you did this in a fabric like organza it would stand out more from the satin. good luck!

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Thank you Professor Pincushion 🙂

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