Zipper Flower Crafts Recycle Zippers

 Recycle Zippers into Flower Crafts

Sewing notions accumulate, and I have more zippers than I intend to use in this lifetime. Zippers are available at thrift stores or in the sewing box of anyone who sews. Zipper flowers have been floating around the crafts markets for a few years but I had not tried to craft them until this summer.

Zippers Are Flexible Enough to Make Circles

I sew all of these crafts, but gluing might work for you. I don't like the effect of the glue, or the permanence. I want to reuse the zipper pieces if I don't like the result.

You can use a zipper with plastic teeth or metal teeth. Use old or child's scissors to cut through a zipper. You don't need a sewing machine or any sewing ability to make these flowers. You need a needle and thread and an old zipper or two. Here are the stitches I used to make these examples:

Stitches for Zipper Flowers

A longer zipper makes a fuller flower. Cut the stop at the bottom if it bothers you. I left the stops on these samples. If you leave the stop on the zipper, unzip the zipper to the bottom before you start to sew. Thread a needle with quilting thread or something strong enough to gather. Start at one end and tack with a few stitches. Make a stitch like the zigzag about 3/4 of an inch apart. When you get to the zipper stop, you are in the middle of the zipper. Continue with the zigzag stitching to the end.

Pull gently on the thread to gather. Roll your flower from the end where you started sewing. Tack the end with a couple of stitches when you have the stitching pulled as tight as you want.

Zipper Flowers Can be Elegant

Experiment with other methods. The pink zipper flower is made by stitching the sides of a closed zipper with a straight stitch. The light gathering creates the circles for the three-petaled posy. The purple zipper is closed to start and the sides are whipstitched together at the back of the zipper teeth.

Stitch the Sides of the Zipper Closed

Use felt the same color as the zipper or white to cut a 50-cent size circle to sew the zipper flower in the shape you want. Add a safety pin to the back to make it removable or stitch it to a fabric purse, a sweatshirt or a wallhanging. Consider other uses for this recycled crafts project.

I've missed you guys! I've been working on a writing project that had to be completed by the end of June. So glad to get that done and back to fun!

Happy crafting!

Linda