Zippers 101

Don’t get me wrong.  There is no way I feel like I’m qualified to be TEACHING sewing, since I just started 5 months ago.  However, when I was trying to figure out zippers, I spent a good hour + just trying to figure out how to install  my zipper foot (which, of course, came with NO instructions) so I wanted to put an additional HOW-TO out there for those of you who (like me) need help with the very basics. 

Some of you may be fortunate enough to have a zipper foot that just clicks right on the bottom of where your current foot (“regular” foot?  What is that “normal sewing” one called?  "Presser?") clicks into.  

If you are one of those people, congrats.  You must not have had to send your husband to the craft store to pick up your zipper foot.  (Really?  Was he standing there thinking, “which one looks the most complicated?”)

Anyway, for the rest of you, myself included, the zipper foot needs to go in place of the entire foot that currently attaches comfortably via screw to your machine.  Take your handy little screwdriver that came with your machine (or just any flat-head you have at home) and loosen (don’t remove) the current screw.  After that, lift up the presser foot button and completely remove the entire foot contraption (yes, I’ll be using fancy lingo like that, try to stay with me.). 

Here’s the “normal” foot that you do everyday sewing with:

Here’s the zipper foot: 

Weird!  Ok, moving right along… There is a curved double claw-looking part on the zipper foot, and that is the part that goes around the screw.  You have to angle it in so the screw tightens against the claw. 

At first it will feel like it’s not right, but as long as the foot part is down and straight, like so, you’ve got it on there correctly:

Tighten her up!

You are ready to sew along your zipper.

Notice the order is zipper, foot, needle.  If you want to sew on the other side of the zipper and can't flip it around, you can scoot the foot over using the adjustment on the back of the zipper foot contraption.  Check it out and play with it, but make sure your needle is to the side of the foot before proceeding, otherwise when you go to sew you'll break it.  No, I'm actually NOT speaking from experience, but it was close.

Just a couple hints while sewing zippers:

1. Use pins.  If you're like me and enjoy doing things the fast way, fight the urge.  I've had to come to terms with the fact that this hobby takes patience, and the prep takes much longer than actually sewing the project.  However, rushing the prep can mean disaster for your project.

2. DO NOT sew over a pin.  It just doesn't work out right.

3. Unzip the zipper, then when you're getting close to it, stop sewing, hold everything in place and move the zipper up past where you've already sewn.  Here's a couple pictures to explain that:

Unzipped, just about to move the pin out of the way:

Maybe it's better in white:

Moving the zipper past the zipper foot:

Maybe it's easier to see in green:

Notice in the above photo, I made sure my needle was down while doing this.  It really helps to hold the fabric while you're moving the zipper, otherwise it gets all crooked.

Then just finish up your line:

And you end up with a super cute zipper!

Tadaa!  Good job.  Hopefully this was helpful, it was kind of a long process to figure this out on my own! ;)  Go easy on me, I'm VERY new!!

Until next time...

I've Learned Zippers!

I've learned to ZIPPER!  I can't believe it.  I was so scared of them (and I kind of still am scared of my zipper foot.  That thing is weird) but I successfully made a zipper pouch for our niece's birthday.  I think it turned out pretty cute, what do you think?

That was my success for the MONTH!  Well, ok, I'll be trying more new things, but I'm definitely going to make more of these babies!  It was fun and the finished product is adorable!

More soon~

Look what I found!

So, I've been running lately, because even though I'd like to think otherwise, I am in my early-30s and the metabolism isn't where it used to be.  So my schedule (should be) is running Mondays, Wednesdays and F-S-OR Sun, and bootcamp on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and if I'm REALLY motivated, Saturdays.  Well, on my run last Monday, I ran right past this gem!  I couldn't believe it - someone had just left her on the curb. :(  She weighed about 600 lbs, and I'm not sure HOW I got her home, but we made it!

Isn't she pretty?  I haven't gotten her up and running yet, and I don't even know if she does run, but I'm going to try my best!  Maybe I'll haul her into Themis, the wonder-woman sewing teacher, to see if she has any advice for me.

Yay!

My First Mod Podge Project! My first post!

Welcome to thepunkypigeon.com!
I'm glad you're here.  I have started this blog so I can keep my sewing/creating addiction separate from my family life.  Well, that's the plan anyway.  We'll just see how well that goes.

I have to admit, I've been pinning a lot of Mod Podge projects lately, but I have been too chicken to try it. (not sure what "pinning" is? Check out the Pinterest button on the sidebar => )

I bought a couple of stools from IKEA for the girls that I jumped around on at the store and found them to be VERY sturdy.  They were completely naked wood, so I thought it would be a great first Podge proj. ;)

I picked out some funky fabric for the steps, and I was even going to podge some solid fabric on the legs but I decided to paint them after getting the steps done (that would have taken a ton of Podge, which I don't have the extra $$ for!)  Here goes...

I put a layer of podge down on the wood, and laid the fabric over top making sure to get all the air bubbles out.  I didn't take pics of every step... remember, I'm new at this...

Then I put a layer of podge over top to "seal" the fabric.  I was assured it would dry clear.

Around the corners!

Next I did the little steps.  It was a little more difficult to podge the fabric around the corners, but I figured it out.  The big steps had dried a little sticky, but hopefully that will work itself out.  I also wouldn't use newspaper next time, I had to use a baby wipe to get news print off of some of the ice cream cones. :(

Same steps, podge the wood then podge overtop.  Make sure to get out all the bubbles!

Next came the paint.  I decided to use the hot pink paint from Punky's room (sorry for the pic quality- I had to paint at night).  The naked wood soaked up the color really well.

All done!  Time to assemble!  Thankfully this was one of IKEA's easier set of instructions - if you have purchased items from there you know it can be very annoying trying to figure out the directions using only their illustrations.  Would it cost them THAT much more to print words too??

Anyway, here's the stool naked, from the IKEA site:

And here is my version!  

What do you think??  Punky liked it so much she asked to use it while watching Wallace and Gromit.  

Mermaids and Barbie... what could be better???

Pigeon is waking up from her nap.  I guess project time is over!  Until next time!