Hello hello everyone! I am so excited to share this hack for the Durban jumpsuit with you. There is nothing I love more than a good jumpsuit or romper. And a fast and easy way in and out of them is essential, if you ask me. So today I’m going to hack the Durban to have a zipper front instead of a button placket. It’s actually a very easy pattern alteration, and during construction you can insert any kind of zipper you would like – exposed zipper, invisible zipper, lapped zipper, etc. I’ll be doing an exposed zipper on this one, so if you need a little refresher how to do it, I’ll go over every step. If you need help with other zipper installations, we have some older posts with step by step instructions. Just search for “zipper” in the search bar!
Ok, I’m really excited to get started….
These are the three pattern pieces that will need altering – The bodice front, leg front, and front placket.
PS – you can use either neckline and any of the leg shapes. You still need to alter these three pattern pieces. I’ll be using the rounded neckline and tapered leg. But you can definitely do this with the V neck, too.
Lets start with the front leg pattern piece. We need to trim off the placket overlap allowance. Line up your ruler with the edge below the placket overlay, and draw an even straight line up to the waistline. It should be about 5/8″ from the placket raw edge.
Cut off the excess, and this is what your Leg front looks like now.
Now onto the bodice front. Simply trim off the same amount from center edge (about 5/8″)
Cut off the excess, and this is what your Bodice front looks like now.
Lastly, let’s do the front placket. Again, draw a line from the center front the same distance as the other two patterns (about 5/8″). You don’t need to draw it all the way down the center front, just a couple inches down.
Then connect the curved edge to that straight line, like shown above.
Cut off the excess.
These are what your three pattern pieces look like now.
Cut out all of your pattern pieces, and you can assemble your jumpsuit, following the instructions, up until you reach the placket.
When you reach the placket portion of the instructions, we will now insert the zipper. I am going to show an exposed zipper here, but you can do whatever kind of zipper application you would like (invisible zipper, centered zipper, or lapped zipper).
Double check your zipper length by measuring from the top of the zipper pull to the bottom of the zipper stop. I’m using a 22″ zipper. You should be using a zipper that is about as long as the original button placket.
Start by applying strips of interfacing about 1″ wide, to the wrong side of each center front. And then finish the raw edges with your preferred method.
On the wrong side of your fabric, mark your zipper placement with a fabric marking tool (tailors chalk, fabric pen, water soluble pencil, etc) on both center seams, over top of the interfacing. For a 22? exposed zipper, make boxes 22 5/8″ down from the top of the neckband (5/8″ for the facing seam allowance and 22″ for the zipper length). The boxes should be 7/8″ wide.
Using a long basting stitch, sew over your drawn boxes.
Clip in towards the corners at a 45 degree angle. Be very careful not to clip the basting stitches.
Fold and press along your basting stitches, towards the wrong side of the fabric, on both center back pieces.
With right sides together, Fold your jumpsuit in half and place one piece on top of the other, lining up the center back edges.
Starting at the horizontal basting stitches, sew a 5/8” seam down to the hemline. Note the that horizontal basting stitches are 7/8” across, and you are only sewing a 5/8” seam, so it is NOT supposed to line up.
Press the seam open.
Flip over to the right side of the fabric now.
Place your zipper face down on the right side of the fabric, and with the top of the zipper pointing towards the hemline. Line up the zipper so the end of the zipper stop is right below the horizontal basting stitches.
Stitch the zipper in place by sewing along that horizontal basting stitches. You only want to stitch the length of the basting stitches, not the whole width of the zipper tape. I do this buy placing my pins right at the ends of the horizontal basing stitches.
Flip your zipper up and into the inside of the garment
Before we sew the rest of the zipper, it is really helpful to temporarily hold the zipper in place to the seam allowance with either a glue stick or double sided tape. Just line your zipper tape with glue (or tape), line up the seam edges so they are straight and even on both sides, and let dry.
This helps you make sure everything is straight and even before you sew.
Once your glue is holding firm, flip to the wrong side of the fabric.
One side at a time, turn back each side, and sew over the vertical basting stitches.
Repeat on the other side, and your zipper is installed!
You could also choose to topstitch around the zipper. I chose not to on this one.
Now on to the neckline facing. This is what it looks like now, once you have the front and back facings sewn together at the side seams.
Along the raw edges at the front, fold in each end by 7/8″ towards the wrong side of the fabric.
On your jumpsuit, fold over the top edge of the zipper tape, on both sides, like shown above.
When pinning your facing to the jumpsuit, line up the folded edge of the facing with the edge of the fabric on the jumpsuit (not the edge of the zipper, the edge of the fabric.) Sew in place and understitch, as directed in the instructions.
When you flip the facing the the inside and press, you can then handstitch the short end of the facing on the inside. And you see how the top end of the zipper tape got tucked in?
That’s it! I love this hack. Not only is it easy in and out when wearing a jumpsuit, but i also like the option of zipping all the way up, but bonus – it would be great for breast feeding!
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Here’s the full list of Durban posts and tutorials:
- How to Choose Between Durban & Durban Curve
- Inspiration & Ideas
- Durban Tester Roundup & Durban Curve Tester Roundup
- Fitting & Alterations: Lengthening & Shortening
- Fitting & Alterations: Grading Between Sizes
- Fitting & Alterations: Bust & Armscye Adjustments
- Prep, Stabilizing & Darts
- Bodice Seams & Sleeves
- Sleeveless Facings
- Inseam, Patch & Back Pockets
- Combining Bodice & Pants
- Placket & Inseam
- Placket Tips
- Closures, Hemming & Belts
- D-Ring Belt
We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNdurban and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
