zipper repair

[xela]

I have a winter parka that last fit me six years ago, and now fits again. In the intervening years, I forgot that the other reason I quit wearing it was that the zipper is broken. I've already asked elsewhere for recommendations on a place to have it repaired; for my friends I have a different question:

How hard would this be to do myself? I haven't sewed in years, but I recently bought a cheap basic sewing machine, again, and might as well use it. But I seem to recall that zippers are much harder to get right than they look. And do me they look dead simple: cut out the old one just back of the teeth, sew the new one onto the remaining fabric of the old one with a couple runs of zig-zag, and you're set. I bet I'm wrong, and would rather not find out how wrong by experience....

Comments

[yakshaver.livejournal.com]

I haven't used a sewing machine in close to ten years — and never did do anything at all sophisticated. I recently bought one again, because I'd long since decided not having one was a pain, but I haven't used it yet. And from all everyone has said, installing a zipper isn't where I want to start.