Inserting a zipper?

#1

Hello all!

I have a quick question…

I am currently knitting a sweater (Cropped Mock T-neck) from the Noro knits book that calls for Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky and Noro Iro. I subbed Noro Transitions for the Iro and I think it is going to be too heavy now for indoor use. I am wondering if I can make this a zip up sweater?

Can I just split the front pattern in 2 equal halves to knit and just sew in a zipper? It seems like I just could, but I wanted some expert opinions.

Thanks!

Martha (guilty of changing every pattern I ever knit)

#2

Sure, why not? That’s what I would do. I have no idea how to do the zipper part, though. GL

#3

Of course you could. You could also, if you’re feeling brave, add a steek down the middle, get the advantages of knitting in the round, and cut. See Ingrid’s lucid and helpful demonstration of steeking in the Stickies portion of this forum.

For help in installing a zipper, try this link: pickinandthrowin.blogspot.com/2007/02/sewing-zipper-into-cardigan.html. I followed it when I knit a sweater, and it was very helpful.

#4

Steek! Steek!

I have been reading a lot in Elizabeth Zimmerman’s books about it and am intrigued by the concept.

Of course, being the big chicken that I am, I can just wait and see how it works for you. :shifty:

#5

Hi! I’ve never sewn a zipper in yet but I will someday. If you don’t steek, and do the zipper: A funny thing happened to me. I was walking through town this summer and a lady was sitting outside her house knitting. We got to talking and she mentioned a cardigan with a zipper she made for her niece. I asked her if that was hard, it seemed to me it would be very difficult to use a sewing machine on thick knitted fabric.

She said there’s a trick: you put a piece of brown paper, like grocery bag paper, under the sweater. She said that way it won’t get stuck or bunched up. Is that crazy or what! She swore by it. Something to think about.

#6

Thanks Everyone!!

I don’t think there is any way I can steek this sweater:

  1. I didn’t knit it in the round

  2. I don’t own a sewing machine

  3. I am way too much of a scaredy cat!! :ick:

I thought about knitting it in the round, but decided not to because of the self striping nature of the yarn. I think I can have better control of the striping if I knit it in pieces. I want all of the colors to line up (like in the photo above).

I do have another question, if any of you are game, would you knit some kind of border to sew the zipper on?
I was thinking of doing a garter stitch border or maybe a seed stitch border? I am afraid that the st stitch edge will look scraggely.
I think this border would only be 2-4 stitches wide as this yarn knits up to 3 sts/in.

Thanks!

Martha

PS. Thanks for the zipper tutorial!! That will totally come in handy!