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I just bought a fabulous heavy wool sweater that zips up the front (the zipper is black with black teeth and is fairly substantial–more sturdy than what I saw in my fabric store.) Said zipper is broken and requires a 23″ replacement. I can’t find anything except 22 or 24″. Does anyone know if a 23″ is made? This was an imported sweater. I obviously got it on sale (and can return it) but it is a beauty and I would really like to keep it. Thanks very much.
Patty
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Patty,
I always buy my zippers at longer lengths than needed and then shorten them.
For sweater/jacket zippers you will shorten them at the top. To shorten a zipper with metal teeth mark where you would like the top of the zipper to be and then start pulling teeth out using a small sized pair of nippers. The side with the pull should have one tooth higher than the other side. Now remove the metal zipper stops at the top of the remaining zipper top using a pair of side cutters or nippers and replace it at the top of your now shortened zipper.
Plastic zippers can sometimes be shortened the same way by pulling the teeth off. Or sometimes I just cut the top of the zipper off straight across and then heat seal the edge of the zipper tape [to do this I drag the top of the zipper across the hot burner of my kitchen stove.] You must bartack across the top of the zipper on the side that has the pull so that the pull does not become lost. Another way the shorten the plastic/nylon zipper, the most common way, is to simply curve the top of the zipper and insert it between the jacket and the lining and sew it in place, cutting off the extra length.
Happy zipping to you.
Paula
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