Shortening a zipper
1. Pliers are needed to remove the teeth and stops from metal zippers and to attach top and bottom stops to both metal and nylon zippers.
2. Zipper slides and stops can be purchased from full-line notion and fabric stores. They are available in various sizes for different weight zippers. A bottom or top stop is needed when shortening a metal zipper, and may be needed when shortening a nylon zipper.
3. To determine how much to shorten the zipper, lay the zipper against the seam’s opening.
4. To shorten from the bottom, move the slide up. Remove the bottom stop, then the bottom teeth below the desired length with the pliers. Attach a new bottom stop.
5. To shorten from the top, move the slide down. At the top of one side of the zipper, remove the teeth and stop to the desired length. At the top of that side of the zipper attach a new top stop tightly with the pliers. Move the slide up to test the new top stop.
6. On the other side of the zipper remove the top stop and teeth. There is no need to attach a second top stop.
7. Check the zipper’s length. Lay the zipper against the zipper seam’s opening to make sure the zipper is now the correct length (diagram ).
8. Although not done in industry hand bar-tacking is an easy way to shorten a nylon zipper. Machine zigzagging can also be used, but hand bar-tacking is easier and looks better. Thread two strands of thread through a hand needle to give four strands of thread. Stitch three or four times over the bottom zipper teeth. Fasten the thread into the bar-tack (diagram A-8).
Making a zipper from zipper tape
A zipper can be made from one strip of zipper teeth cut into the two strips.
1. Remove one-half inch of teeth from the bottom of each strip.
2. Point the teeth point up from the bottom.
3. At the bottom of the first strip move the slide up over the first strip’s teeth.
4. Move the second strip down into the slide.
5. Close the zipper to test that it works. Remove the excess teeth at the bottom and top of the zipper.
6. Attach the bottom and top stops.
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