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How to Shorten the Length of Any Zipper

June 10, 2021 by Margaret Leave a Comment

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a project that required a zipper but when you dug in your stash you couldn't find the right zipper length? Factories and designers order their zippers in bulk at specific lengths for the garments they create, the home sewist doesn't have that luxury. However, you don't have to interrupt your creative flow and race out to the nearest sewing or craft store or wait for Amazon to deliver one. Today I'm going to show you how to shorten the length of any zipper for the perfect fit.

Table of Contents
  • Shorten Any Type of Zipper
    • How to Measure the Length of a Zipper
  • Regular Zipper with Plastic Teeth
    • 1. Measure
    • 2. Mark
    • 3. Remove Teeth
    • 4. Sew
    • 5. Trim
  • Invisible Zipper with Plastic Teeth
    • 1. Measure
    • 2. Mark
    • 3. Cut off the Excess
    • 4. Secure the Bottom Teeth
  • Metal Zipper with Metal Teeth
    • 1. Measure and Mark
    • 2. Pull Some Teeth
    • 3. Reattach
    • 4. Trim
  • Start Inserting Zippers
    • More on Zippers

Shorten Any Type of Zipper

By the end of our easy tutorial, you'll know how to shorten the length of the most common zipper types: a regular zipper with plastic teeth, an invisible zipper with plastic teeth, and a metal zipper with metal teeth.

How to Measure the Length of a Zipper

When measuring the length of a zipper you want to measure from the top zipper stop to the bottom zipper stop, not the length of the zipper tape itself.

Regular Zipper with Plastic Teeth

For a regular zipper with plastic teeth, you’ll be removing the extra length from the bottom of the zipper tape, then create a new bottom stopper by sewing it either by hand or on the sewing machine. I prefer to use my machine.

1. Measure

Measure down from the top down to the desired length. This is where you will be placing the new zipper stop.

2. Mark

Mark the zipper tape where you will be placing the new bottom stopper.

3. Remove Teeth

Remove all of the teeth about 1 inch above the mark. For the plastic teeth, you can use nippers to horizontally cut off the “head” of the zipper tooth. I'd suggest using craft scissors, not your good fabric scissors.

4. Sew

Use your sewing machine to make a line of straight stitches across the tape, starting a few stitches before the teeth and extending a few stitches on the other side of the teeth. Go back and forth using your backstitch a couple of times to form a strong stopper.

To sew this by hand, simply stitch over the zipper teeth using a bar tack; this means inserting and exiting the needle just on either side of the teeth. Go back and forth several times.

Don't worry too much about how your stopper looks as it won't be visible in the finished project.

5. Trim

Use scissors to trim off the excess zipper tape about 1″ under your newly sewn stopper.

You’re done, and now you can sew your zipper into your project!

Invisible Zipper with Plastic Teeth

An invisible zipper is designed to have the zipper pull sit on the top stop when the zipper is fully closed. The top stops are molded into the zipper and cannot be replaced, so these closures must be shortened from the bottom.

1. Measure

Measure down from the top to where you want the new stopper to be.

2. Mark

From the teeth top, mark it 2 inches longer than the zipper opening it must fit. Mark straight across the zipper tape and teeth. Note: For an invisible zipper, the teeth are on the backside of the tape.

3. Cut off the Excess

 Cut off the excess (I use paper/crafting scissors).

4. Secure the Bottom Teeth

Now you need to secure the bottom teeth, and there are several ways to do so:

  • Melt the teeth with a lighter or hot knife
  • Wrap the bottom edge with a scrap of the lining.
  • Bar-tack across the bottom using a wide zigzag stitch or by hand sewing.

Metal Zipper with Metal Teeth

You’ll want to remove the excess length on a metal zipper from the top, instead of off the bottom.

1. Measure and Mark

Measure down to where you want the slider to stop. What you are marking here is where the pull will stop at the top of the zipper.

2. Pull Some Teeth

Metal zipper teeth need to be pulled since the can't be cut. Use pliers or metal snippers to pull the teeth off. Carefully pull the teeth off the zipper tape until you have about 1″ of tape teeth-free.

3. Reattach

You will want to reuse the metal stopper at the top, so remove that as well and reattach it at the new top of the teeth. Be careful not to accidentally pull the zipper up before you replace the stopper at the top.

4. Trim

Carefully cut the zipper tape about 1″ above the new top of the pull. Do not let your scissors come in contact with the metal teeth!

Start Inserting Zippers

There you have it, now you know how to shorten the length of any zipper for the perfect fitting zipper!

More on Zippers

  • The Basic Types of Zippers
  • Types of Sewing Machine Zipper Feet
  • How to Sew an Invisible Zipper
  • How to Insert a Lapped Zipper the Easy Way

Related Posts:

  • How to Insert a Lapped Zipper the Easy Way
    How to Insert a Lapped Zipper the Easy Way
  • How to Sew an Invisible Zipper
    How to Sew an Invisible Zipper
  • Types of Sewing Machine Zipper Feet
    Types of Sewing Machine Zipper Feet
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