This post is from February 2014. Learning to put in a zipper is one of the best skills I've ever learned. It's extremely useful and easier than you think! Given that it's New Year's Eve, what crafty skill are you hoping to learn in 2021?
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I've been wanting to learn how to put in a zipper forever. I find the whole thing very intimidating. But, last weekend I was bound and determined to make it happen! I googled a million tutorials and finally found one that made sense to me.
It's from a woman named Debbie Shore:
Of course, being completely incapable of doing anything the easy way, I decided that instead of regular fabric, I was going to remove an old painting from its frame and use that as my fabric. Remember this painting:
I never liked it, so I figured pulling it off the frame might help. Of course, painted canvas is incredibly stiff, so that made some of the turning less fun and more difficult than it could have been, but here is my finished cosmetic bag with a zipper:
As you can see, I added some writing to the face — to create more visual texture. The back is pieced together from two pieces of canvas.
I lined the inside with a dark batik fabric:
I love that I was able to transform a painting I didn't like into something useable and I'm **thrilled** that I finally know how to put in a zipper!!!
Thanks for stopping by!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
So cool! What a great project!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!
I love your painting as a bag! You are so talented. Next time you use a canvas you could on the wrong side use a hammer to soften the material, might make it easier to turn. You could try it on some of the leftover canvas and see if it works. I just recently learned that many people who sew jeans use a hammer to make the seams more malleable, never know might work for you too!