Shortenting a Zipper

If you have ever bought zippers in bulk,

LIKE WHAT YOU CAN DO IN MY SHOP

you can get zippers of varying lengths.
So what do you do if the zipper you have is too long for the project you have?
Shorten it.

I will show you how -


what you see here is all you need... plus scissors...
measure out how long you need your finished zipper to be.
(make sure to measure how long you need the -zipper- to be, not the material that hangs off either end)
and mark it with a pen.... k, you need a pen too...
then taking a needle and thread (I like to use carpet or "button" weight thread for this), stitch just around the zipper where you made your mark.
then taking your scissors, cut from the bottom up right along side the zipper on both sides
now, make sure to use "craft" scissors and not your best fabric scissors, and cut the zipper just below your stitched over mark.
note- be extra careful where you guide your scissors if doing this to a metal toothed zipper

nother note - move the clothe strips on either side of the zipper away before you cut at.... thus preventing yourself from cutting into the clothe at the other end... not a huge deal if you do, just dont cut it all off, I've seen it happen....
now, a few centimeters down from the new end of your zipper, cut off the extra material
than taking your Frey-Check (or superglue... try it out), trace along the bottom edges, making sure to get all the lil fibers covered so the material around the zipper wont ravel.
and your done!

I have found this method to work quite nicely in places where its really important that the length of your zipper be exact to the project.

so you end up getting a clean line result like this:
and not a wonkie edge like this:

but if youre into the "wonkie" bits in life...
forget I said anything...

n