what is the best way to make a zip stop

17 years ago

I have been making a lot of fleece jackets and I find I have to trim the zipper to fit. But what is the best way to make some kind of zipper stop at the top of the zipper so the little thingee won't fly off when you zip up the jacket? Can I hand sew a few loops where I want the zipper to stop?

Featured Answer

chelone

17 years ago

All great suggestions above.

If you have a soldering gun and are using a Vislon (plastic) zipper you can use the gun to melt two of the teeth together, too. We do this all the time in awnings/marine canvas.

BUT! you have to be careful not to ignite the zipper, lol. Practice on the part you cut off. And as you are heating the teeth gently blow the smoke away from you. If it gets in your eyes it will burn like a sonofagun!

Comments (7)

stitcheasy2003
17 years ago
Hi
Go to your fabric store and get a zipper stopper or kit there.
You use pliers to remove the extra teeth you don't want. YOU could put a snap at the top with a fabric overlap. Try not to have the zipper tab in so far. Can you not get the right size zipper?? When you put a zipper on fleece, are you holding it up in your hands or having it lay in the table and pinning it. If you are doing in your hands the fleece will stretch with the zipper. Thats the wrong way. Laying it on the table is the way to do it. Match the top end first. pin and baste the zipper not lifting it up from the table. thank you
shadylady2u
17 years ago
Hope I can explain this. Take a piece of scrap fabric, about the width of the zipper, double fold it to about 1/4 to 1/2" (size of it really doesn't matter) then put it across where you want the zip to stop and stitch next to it (on both sides of the zipper part, not thru the zipper part). Stitch up and down a few times to make sure the stitching holds.
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joansews4u
17 years ago
Can you encase the top of the zipper in whatever kind of facing you are using for the neckline? If you are using a hood, encase the top of the zipper in the seam where you attach the hood. I can't think of a method where you have the top of the zipper open to just fray or need somekind of stop. If that is the case, I go with using a piece of fabric to encase the raw edge of the zipper top & teeth. If you are using a separating zipper, you have to cut from the top. If it is a zipper that goes from the neck down & stops midway, cut from the bottom & zigzag or hand stitch a thread stop the same distance the stop was from the bottom before you cut it off.
Marg411
17 years ago
U've always just hand sewn a few loops, well more than a few, at the top where I want the zipper to stop, and it's worked well.
Clyde Seeger
4 years ago
I can vouch for Chelon's "Teeth Melt" solution. I used a wood burner iron which has a fairly fine pointed tip and tested a spot further down from the target spot. The iron easily and accurately melted a couple teeth which formed a permanent plastic bar. Works perfectly and couldn't have been easier. Thanks Chelone!
Judy Good
4 years ago
I use a zig zag stitch, setting the machine to stationary stich setting. Like for button. Works great.