Introduction: Zipswing (handbag to Swing)

By himschoot.eu
About: I'm a Industrial Product Design student at Howest (Kortrijk). Enjoy my projects and have lots of pleasure making them!

Hello DIY'ers,

This is an instrucable to make the Zipswing. Like this you'll be able to swing where and when you want.

This is what you need to make the swing. (Not JUST a swing, it's a handbag too)

Seat-part:

- Needle and thread

- sewingmachine

- Fabric

- 15 non - divisable zippers 45 cm = 18 inch (chocolatebrown)

- 1 divisable zipper 25 cm = 10 inch (beige)

- 2 divisable zippers 22.5 cm = 9 inch (beige)

- brown ribbon

Rope-part:

- 2 ropes (1 x 15m and 1 x 17m) (8mm)

- 4 carabiners

- 8 solid rings

- thin rope

Step 1: Sew the Zippers

In the first step we sew the zippers together.

Lay 2 zippers with the front side on each other.

Sew these 2 zippers together by hand ( = string ) .
This ensures that the zippers stick together while sewing with the sewing machine.

Sew the zipper together.

Keep doing this over and over again. Like this you'll begin to sew the couples together and become a nice patch of zippers.

Some things too keep in mind:

  • At the start and ending of your sewingline you return 1 or 2 stiches. This ensures the thread.
  • Stay to the outer edge, like this you'll have more zipper.
  • for beginners start slowly and gradually go faster.

Step 2: Diviseble Zippers

Now it's time to sew the divisible zippers on each side.

Put the patch of zippers you already sew open in front of you (vertically).
Divide the divisible zipper (22.5 cm = 9 inch) and put one side at the left top and the other at the left bottom. Like this they lay in one line. Make sure the parts that fit together point to the middle.

Do the same with the other zipper on the right side.

String the zippers and sew them.

You can zip them together. Like tis you create a bag already.

Now we sew the last diviseble zipper on top of the swing. Now you can close the bag entirely.


Step 3: Ribbon

Cut the brown ribbon into pieces of 7 cm and fold them over.

Sew them in each corner of the bag.

These loops ensure the zippers on the rope.

Step 4: Fabric

Put your chosen piece of fabric on your swing

Mark and cut the appropriate piece + 2cm along each side extra .

Then fold the sides 2 times and sew them together to prevent unraveling .


Sew the fabric on the zippers.

Do this by making small " drapery " , as the substance is too large.
(Like this the fabric doesn't tear when you sit on it )

Step 5: INTERMEZZO

Now you have created your own seat of a swing. Mine looks like this. You can choose your favorite color to personalize it.

Step 6: The Rope

In this step we will prepaire the rope for a branch at 5 - 8 m high.

Rope 1

Cut one rope at 15 meters.

Put 4 of the rings by a normal knot at 15 cm distance of each other.

The first ring at 1 meter from the end of the rope.

Fold the rope double. Like this you'll have a loop in the middle.

Now you knot the ends with a double 8. (look on the picture or search the internet if you don't know how to do it, like I did :D )

To ensure the rope stays nicely in place, you can knot them thogether with a thinner rope (the yellow)

Rope 2

Cut the other rope at 17 meters.

Put 4 of the rings by a normal knot at 15 cm distance of each other.

The first ring at 2 meters from the end of the rope.

And repeat the rest of the steps like rope 1.

Step 7: GO AND SWING!

Now the most important step of all. Go at the closest park or tree. And swing your butt off.