Whether you are using zipper by the foot or a commercial zipper, the one you have never seems to be the exact size you need! To save a late night run to the store, learn three ways to shorten a zipper.
There may be affiliate links in this blog post. If you make a purchase using one of these links I may be compensated at no additional cost to you.
Which method you choose may depend on what supplies you have on hand or have ready access to but no matter which method you use, you need to accomplish two things. One is to make sure the teeth stay together, and the other is to make sure the zipper pull can function without flying off the edge, or catching in a thread.
Method One: Metal Zipper Stops
These can be purchased by the dozen online, or they come in a package from Dritz (no affiliation this is just the only over the counter package I know about) called the Zipper Repair Kit. RIP Joann Fabric, I used to buy them there but they may be available in your local store that carries sewing notions.
Push the prongs of the zipper stop carefully from the front to the back of the zipper and use your needle nose pliers to push the prongs toward the center. Really put some muscle into making sure the prongs lay flat or they may poke you!
If you use this option you are done – the metal zipper stop both holds the teeth together and keeps the zipper pull from going awry.
The next two variations and similar – it just depends on if you have a sewing machine to hand or not!
To keep the teeth together you will want to make a study thread tack.
By machine – set your stitch to zigzag, set it to the widest width, and the stitch length should be zero.
Zigzag several times over the coil of the zipper a bit longer than your desired length. You will still need a bar of some sort – we will address that in a minute!
If you do not have a sewing machine available you can make that thread tack by hand. Just thread your hand sewing needle so the thread is double and stitch over the coil several times, then end off.
Whether you make your thread tack by machine or by hand you still want a metal bar across the coils, just over the thread tack. In case the thread gets looser with wear, the bar will keep the threads from getting caught in the zipper pull. I like to use the bar that comes in a package of skirt hooks, but if you have a package that has hooks, eyes and bars in it you can also use those bars.
So there are our three variations on shortening a zipper! These techniques also work well to create the bottom stop when you are using zipper by the roll.