Zip-along Anyone?

melody yarns · Zip-along Anyone?

Everyone seems afraid of zippers! It's *really* not that bad, honestly if you take it carefully, so how about a zip-along?

The rules are that you choose to knit a garment that has a ZIP in it, knit it and then put the zip in. And we knit it together as a knitalong, but a zip-along.

I shall be knitting the DB zipped jacket from Special Family Knits, in cottton of course, which is this one:

I shall be starting when I've got a few little, almost-finished WIPS out of the way, so we may be talking about May to start.

Anyone up for a zip-along??

slowasasnail

I'd like to make something with a zip. Might have to look for a pattern. I have ordered that Patons pattern book from the states and think there is something in there with a zip. It hasn't arrived yet though Sad

Seahorse

I am planning to put a zip in my CPH. It will be the first time I've fitted a zip, so any support/advice would be great. I'm quite well on with CPH but given that I've been distracted by other shiney objects, I don't suppose I'll have done it before May!

Unless it's cheating to join in with something you're already doing? Laughing

Claire

Blossom

I'm planning on knitting Eris....that has a zip too! Smile

slowasasnail

This one

Auntie Noo

Oooh Kate I really like that ! - I'd like to join in a zip-a-long too, 'cos I never did put one in my Noro cardi, cos I was scared I'd ruin it!!!!

pictish

I'm already knitting something that has a zip so I'm definitely in tho mine is a long project I think - it is this but I love your too Kate and I have that pattern as well. I have shied away from them too in the past.

I might be doing mine by hand rather than machine but I don't suppose that matters does it?

slowasasnail

Ooh I love that pattern too Ali. Don't worry about the timing. I think mine will be a summer holiday project.

Jo028

I think I might join on this one. I'm very tempted by the ribby cardi, but so far, the zip has scared me off. I'd also like to try the same one as Debs, as that look sgreat too!

terri

I'm in, just need to decide which pattern Very Happy

craftylady

Terri, you could custom Urban Aran Very Happy

terri

I was thinking along those lines crafty lady Very Happy

Either urban aran, or a cotton cabley type hoodie for the summer Confused

melody yarns

You definitely don't need a sewing machine to put a zipper into knitwear. In fact, imho, zips are better handstitched into knitwear as the foot on a machine can snag stitches and cause endless stress and upset. Just my humble opinion obviously Laughing

Seahorse

That's exactly the sort of info I need Debs! I do have a sewing machine but it hasn't seen the light of day for some time and I never really got to grips with it anyway. I'm pleased to hear hand sewing is the way to go in this case Smile

Claire

pictish

Glad for that too Debs Very Happy

Terri have you seen this ? Looks nice.

melody yarns

Well... I have to admit that I've only put a zip in ONCE. But I was amazed at how easy it was with the Vogue Knitting book in one hand and a needle and thread in the other.

I'll have to see if I still have piccies of that zippy cardi; my mum nabbed it cos I said it was a tad too big for me and *poof* it was gone.

terri

That one does look lovely ali!!! I've seen a few turned into cardis and they all look really good Very Happy

Maybe I should swatch with my yorkshire tweed Confused

jeanette

pictish

Jeanette that's ANOTHER one on my list - I love the cables on that Cool

If I carry on like this I will have hoodies and nothing else in my wardrobe Laughing

That one is the same guage too - 20 st is a bit tricky to sub. Yorkshire Tweed DK is that and I can get DB Cotton Angora to that on 4mm plus DB Cotton DK is the right guage too. I think the Sirdar Donegal is as well.

terri

I really like the one from knitty too jeanette Very Happy

I cast on for this last night in some plae green cotton blend.

pictish

I've got that too Laughing

You can see I've a bit of a thing going on with cabled hoodies Laughing

I've got some alpaca I'm going to do that in tho. It's a lovely pattern.

malteser

I knitted a cardi with a zip in last year and my one bit of advice is to decid what length of zip to use first and knit one of the fronts first.

I finished my garment and then tried to find a zip to fit. One was just a little too big and the other was just to short. In the end I went for the shorter zip and had it finishing about a cm short at the neck. It looks ok because I never zip things all the way up anyway.

I would love to join in but I have too much else I want to do.

Jo028

Can anyone help me please...I've made a zipped jacket for my 3yr old dd (I thought I'd start small to see how I get on!!). I've sewn the zip by hand, but how do I secure the bottom edges, as they've got a hard plastic coating?? Do I need to machine it? I never thought to check, I just bought a zip Very Happy

melody yarns

How did you stitch the zip in Jo? Did you backstitch it by hand?

Jo028

Yes, Debs, I've backstitched it. The plastic bits are reallly annoying me, I might dig out my thimble & get DH to try & sew through them LOL!

terri

When I put a zip in a cardi for my niece, I just machined it in, and the machine went through the plastic bit of the zip at the end no probs Confused

Probably did untold damage to the machine, but the zip looked good Laughing

Jo028

Could end up an expensive jacket... I need to buy a new machine, mine is donkeys years old & has lost the ability to sew ...hmmm, wonder if Lidls still have any left Laughing

melody yarns

A thimble should do the trick Jo - I know which bit you mean now. I seem to remember I got a fine handsewing needle through that bit okay with the help of a thimble. But then I can't sew without a thimble anyway!

Jo028

I get the feeling, I've been zip-alonging on my own LOL! Here' my first attempt, modelled by the happy recipient (it's pink, therefore, she's happy!) made in Sirdar Spree from Kemps. I hope to make a me-sized one in Mocha, now I've had a trial, as it's a multi-sized pattern!

Click for a bigger pic:

pictish

Aww that's cute!! And the zip looks great. Well done Cool

melody yarns

That's gorgeous Jo!! well done on the zipper, it's excellent!!

You won't be zipping along on your own honest, I've just GOT to get some stuff finished before it's too late to wear summer stuff Embarassed

I LOVE that pattern by the way - inquiring minds need details.... Laughing

melody yarns

Resurrecting this thread again.... I finally finished off my zipped item!! Copy of post appearing in the Look What I made forum Wink

I finally found time to sew the zipper into this yesterday afternoon Shocked

I knitted it in Sirdar Denim chunky and used a Patons pattern from a book which I have forgotten the name of Embarassed

{eta: it was the Inca booklet and I knitted the ribbed jacket where the womans's wearing a hat}

I knitted the jacket on 6.5mm needles, used about 4 100g balls of yarn if I remember correctly and modified the pattern by picking up the stitches around the neck and knitting short rows to shape the collar rather than knitting it and stitching it on afterwards.

I also had to un-knit four rows of the collar yesterday after I tried the jacket on and the collar was waaaaay too big!

I'm fairly pleased with the way it turned out, it's very warm, comfie and stretchy but it does accentuate all the bits I'd rather ignore Embarassed

melody yarns

If you put a zipper into a knitted garment - post a piccie here!!