Shorten a zip

There are going to be times when you can't find the right size zip.  One of my pet hates is to see someone shortening a zipper by cutting the excess off at the top of the zip, rather than the bottom.

Zippers have stoppers at the top, and this allows the zip to stop and lock, or if not lock at least the slider will not come off the top of the zipper.  This can happen is the zip becomes loose at the top.  Sloppy work on the replacement of a zip can mean that the slider will come straight off the top.

Rather than shortening from the top, put the zip in properly at the top and cut off from the bottom, but rather than a rough stitch across the zipper (which I have seen a lot) cut some bias binding or fabric and BEFORE you cut the end off, stitch the bias across the bottom, then cut the zip and WRAP the bias around the bottom of the zip and fold the sides in, then stitch across the top of the bias.  You are basically encasing the end of the zip in fabric or bias.

The zip will never break open.

Happy altering
Judith aka genie