Burda Style For people who sew

Here, I explain how to sew, then shorten, the separating zipper for our Hikaru variation. Since zippers very rarely come in the exact length you want, knowing how to shorten them is a necessity! When using a separating zippers, we adjust the length at the top of the zipper.

Technique Materials

separating nylon zipper, a project needing one's length changed (we are demonstrating on the Hikaru)

• Intro
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• 7
• 8

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5 Comments

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  Jul 1, 2009, 07.42 AMby marmota-b

  I’m wondering whether this would work with more bulky zippers as well… I want to refashion a huge jacket for myself and the zipper that comes with it is the bulky plastic type…
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  Mar 18, 2009, 08.41 PMby kristybiscuit

  Okay, I’ve been dying of curiosity to see how this works, and theclosetseamstress actually already posted a howto on this here which illustrates it much better. If you are worried about tidy ends, I believe this method only works when you have a facing (or a lining) along the seam at the top of the zipper, for example a neck edge facing where the zipper is at the back neck, or a waistline facing above the zipper on a skirt or pants. After you fold the zipper ends over, you flip the facing (or lining) over to the inside, where it covers and hids the ends of the zipper.
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  Mar 18, 2009, 12.15 PMby neane

  Yea… they pinned it at a right angle and cut off the excess but then what? if you were to sew it wouldn’t the stitch show in the front?
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  Mar 4, 2009, 07.48 PMby boho

  ^^ I was wondering the same thing!
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  Mar 4, 2009, 06.22 PMby kristybiscuit

  This is something I’ve been really wanting to know, but I still don’t get it! What happens between step 7 & 8 – how do you finish off the ends?