Adding an interesting zipper is one of the easiest and simplest ways to make any design or project look more interesting. Many sewing enthusiasts and hobbyists just love metal zippers as these can instantly change any dull garment and make it look more fabulous than ever. This article aims to teach you how you can shorten heavy duty zippers for durability.
Many fashion-forward garments like miniskirts look extraordinary with metal zippers. The only issue here is that these are very difficult and tricky to find in the right color or size, unless you wish to shop online and buy around 50 pieces of them in bulk.
Aside from that, unlike the common nylon zippers, you cannot simply sew over the teeth with no need to worry that your needles will break. The easiest and best way to get the correct length of a metal zipper is to shorten it if it is longer. It seems that longer metal teeth zippers are actually more readily available in many stores, both online and offline.
A heavy duty metal zipper can be easily shortened and all you need to do is to shorten the metal teeth to let you can cut any extra length first before you sew it into the garment. After you have achieved the correct length, there is no longer a need for you to worry that you will break needles every time you sew across the zipper. You just need a couple of things for this task and these include a set of pliers and a dose of patience. However, you can be sure that it will be totally worth it once you get the funky look you want.
To get started in shortening a metal zipper, measure the metal zipper to the specific length you need then mark the zipper tape. You might be tempted to cut the zipper up to this point just so there is no need for you to remove a lot of teeth. However, whether you believe it or not, it will take a lot more work than necessary. Doing this may leave the tape fraying that can turn everything into a complete mess.
The next step is to remove the zipper stops using a pair of pliers. You have to be very careful to ensure that you don’t end up cutting through them completely since you still need to put them back on later. Your main goal here is to slightly open the stops then gently remove them from the zipper.
Next, you can start removing the zipper teeth one tooth at a time. You should never be too rough or else, you will end up with frayed zipper tape on your hand. You can remove one tooth or two just under the marked line.
Use your pliers once again to put the stops back on right on top of the teeth. In case you find it hard to put the stops back on, you might need to pry these apart a little bit more. Again, you need to be extra careful here because you don’t want to end up cutting through them totally. If not, you will need to go to the store to buy new stops. You have to squeeze a bit to crimp them back on.