How to Add a Zipper Shield to the Hive Pullover
It's decidedly January right now in Colorado. Small patches of snow lurk in the shadows and it's chilly up here in the mountains. We are lacking in any direct sunlight where our little log cabin sits, which is great for moisture retention in the summer months, but makes for a very dark winter.
We have been without the sun's rays for about a month now. That means that sometimes the winter chill goes bone deep and stays. I find myself climbing the hillside behind our house to seek out the sun. I close my eyes, turn my face to the light, and soak it in.
I've been wanting a comfy sweatsuit to stay warm on these (sometimes monotonous) winter days, and also to sew through some of my fabric stash and notions. I pulled out this white jacquard knit that I found at my local secondhand craft shop a few months ago and decided it would be the perfect Hive Pullover and matching sweatpants.
The only matching zipper I had was brass. I love the luxe look of a brass zipper, but I knew that the feeling of metal against my chin would likely throw off the comfy vibe I was looking for, so I decided to add a zipper shield. And I've made a little tutorial to show you how it's done. It's very simple.
How to Add a Zipper Shield to the Hive Pullover
1. Draft the shield.
Draw a rectangle that is 3" (7.6 cm) wide by the length of your yoke pattern piece less 3/8" (1 cm). Cut one from your main fabric. You may wish to also cut one from interfacing and apply it to the wrong side of your shield, if your knit fabric is very stretchy or lightweight.
2. Sew the shield.
Fold the shield in half, lengthwise and sew along one short edge. Clip the corner, turn the shield right side out, and use point turner to make a sharp point. Press well and baste or serge the two layers of the shield together along the long edge and short edge.
3. Sew the shield into the yoke.
At step 3 of the pattern instructions, place the shield on top of the zipper, so that the zipper is sandwiched between the yoke and the shield. The basted edge of the shield should align with the edge of the zipper tape and the bottom of the shield should align with the bottom of the yoke. There should be a 3/8" gap between the top of the yoke and the shield.
Using a zipper foot, sew the zipper to the yoke and the shield with a straight stitch and 3/8” (1 cm) seam allowance. Press the zipper away from the yoke and let the shield lie flat behind the zipper.
Follow the remaining instructions to finish your Hive Pullover. Be sure to fold the zipper shield out of the way when sewing the opposite side of the yoke. Check out all of the Hive Pullover Sewalong posts for more detailed instructions on sewing this top.
Note: Adding a zipper shield will make the yoke to sit more upright, as the side with zipper shield can't physically splay outward. If you're using a lightweight knit fabric and want to add a shield, I recommend interfacing your yoke pattern pieces for a stiffer yoke.
I'm loving this little winter sweatsuit that works seamlessly for my cabin lifestyle right now: days filled with computer work, bread baking, and lots of forest walks with the dogs. For reference, I sized up two sizes for this Hive Pullover to have a bit more relaxed look.
And a little secret for you: These matching pants are an early prototype of a design that is in testing right now! The design is not meant for knit fabrics, but this jacquard is very structured with little stretch, so I decided to try it out. I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out, the perfect addition to the Hive Pullover.