How To Take In a Seam With A Zipper

This project is done on the back zipper of a skirt, but works the same way for any seam with a zipper in it...


Pinch your seam to fit. Pin your pinch. Take off the garment and mark how much you took in on each side of the seam/zipper with a pin.


This particular garment has a lining. Both material and lining will need to be released from the zipper.


This garment also has a seam binding to cover the raw edge at the top of the skirt. Use a seam ripper to release the binding from the top of the waist. Remove the hook and eye as well.


Rip the stitches that hold the material and the lining to the zipper to free both sides of the zipper from both sides of the seam. Notice how the seam binding is removed only enough to allow taking in the seam to desired fitting.


View of the zipper released from between the material and lining.


Fold in the edges of the seam to your marked area. Make sure it is even for both sides.


Pin your alteration in place and hand-stitch both sides of the zipper back in between the material and lining on each side. Sew the seam binding back in place at the top. Note that since you took in the seams, the binding will be a little long now. Clip the edge with scissors. Fold the edge to the inside of the garment and secure with a few stitches. Sew the hook and eye back on and you're done!