Closures: Zippers, Buttonholes & Loops

Closures are an undeniably important part of a garment and unavoidable if you plan on growing your garment sewing repertoire. Zippers and buttonholes don’t have to be something to be dreaded. They can be really fun and they can even be the focal point of a garment.

In this class, Nicki LaFoille demonstrates how to insert zippers in several different ways: the lapped zipper, which is great in the side seam for a professional, the concealed zipper and the exposed zipper.

There are a lot of different ways to get the same kind of look for an exposed zipper, but used for different fabric and project scenarios. Nicki will demonstrate how to insert an exposed zipper in a seam and without a seam.

Nicki explains how to create a buttonhole by simply using a buttonhole foot and using the zigzag stitch on your machine. In-seam buttonholes are easy, understated and professional-looking. Nicki shows you how they’re created and what design styles they are suitable for.

Learn the steps to get professional looking bound buttonholes. This detail adds a vintage, couture look to garments, and they don’t have to only be used on wool jackets. Insert a bound buttonhole in a garment and it instantly adds a retro elegance that’s always in style. Nicki shows you two different bound buttonhole methods to choose from.

Lastly learn about loops as closures, either elastic cord or tubing, and how to alter a pattern from buttonholes to buttons and loops.