Often, inexperienced craftswomen try to create a trendy thing for themselves. And if working with a sewing machine does not cause a lot of difficulties for them, then finishing with accessories is sometimes confusing. This is especially true for zippers, since it can be quite difficult to choose the right length. Knowledge about how to shorten the zipper is useful not only for beginners to designers, but also just for good housewives.
Essential tools for shortening lightning
Before shortening the zipper, it is worth preparing the necessary tools. Many points and the overall result will depend on the accuracy and speed of work, so there will be no extra time to search for devices.
So, you need to prepare the following tools:
- scissors that are used for cutting and sewing;
- threads of the same color as the lightning itself;
- pliers, pliers;
- thin-head screwdriver;
- crayon or graphite pencil.
The list of necessary tools can be expanded or reduced - it all depends on the type of work and the principle of functioning of the fastener in the future.
Top zipper shortening
In the process of sewing clothes yourself, it is sometimes difficult to decide which and where the fastener will be located. In such cases, it is necessary to shorten the snake using several techniques of different quality.
How to shorten the zipper on top of the mechanism quickly and accurately:
- If the zipper is in a conspicuous place, the shortening procedure will have the following steps: remove the upper stops using pliers. Cancel the required length and fix the stops in a new place with pliers. The excess part of the zipper is cut with scissors, leaving a few centimeters of stock. Stock is formed by removing part of the cloves after the limiters.
- A less painstaking but not very aesthetic way is to cut off the excess part of the zipper. The place of cut is fixed with a thread and a needle with ordinary stitches.
- If you need to remove a little from the length of the zipper, then cut off and do not need anything. It is enough to hide part of the snake in the fold of clothes. So that the runner does not go beyond its edges, they are fixed with threads.
Lower zipper shortening
To know exactly how to shorten the zipper from below, you need to determine the type of snake, and only then proceed with the formation of a new length. The principle of working with different cloves is completely identical, but you can use different techniques.
How to shorten the zipper, if the product must be cut from the bottom:
- It is necessary to fix the new place of the limiter in buttoned up form. It can be several stitches that will be made with threads of the same color as the zipper itself.
- You can move higher and the limiter, which stands on the lightning itself. It is easy to deform the bracket with pliers if you first pry it with a screwdriver.
- If the zipper has plastic teeth, then the limiter can be formed by reflowing the teeth at the desired length. The rest is cut off with scissors.
Secrets and nuances in the process of shortening
As you can see, all this is not difficult to do. But certain conditions must be observed. So, the first thing that will affect the quality of work is a properly organized workplace. You need to work only on a solid surface free of foreign objects. Good lighting will also contribute to a better result.
And more secrets on how to shorten the zipper:
- It is better to work with the zipper in the buttoned state, so the cloves will not come apart.
- If the residue is small, then cutting the fabric is not worth it.
- It is better to shorten the zipper at the moment when it is already sewn into the clothes.
If you take into account all the nuances and secrets regarding the process of reducing the length of the product, the result will be high-quality. And in order to be sure of success, it is better to practice on several copies.