How to Shorten a Metal Zipper for Your Bag and The Hump Jumper

Apr 15, 2014
3 min read

Did you buy a nice metal zipper that is too long for your bag? Can you recycle a metal zipper, but again the length is not right? Watch Ashley shorten a metal zipper with a few tools and a steady hand. One tip I can offer from my experience with shortening zippers, is to “heat seal” the edges/ends of freshly-cut zipper tape. Zipper tape FRAYS. If you don’t use a hot-knife, just try using a lighter held just barely close enough to make the ends of the tape curl up. If you hold it any closer, you will ignite a flame. ☹ Hold the lighter right there until you have just barely melted the end of the tape. I warn you that the smoke that comes from melting zipper tape is terrible, and I am sure quite toxic so please do this outside! I hope this information if helpful and saves you money when sewing.

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The Hump Jumper

The Hump Jumper is a sewing notion designed to help you with hemming jeans, thick or pleated drapes, valances, or any bulky material aiding your sewing machine to get up over the seam “Hump” Invented by Sandra Newman.

Sandra Newman

“The Hump Jumper, the bright yellow sewing notion with the catchy odd name, solves the frustration of stitching over the “hump” — those places were varying thicknesses of fabric can throw a perfectly good seam out of line. Sandra Newman, owner of the SN Designs Co, invented the one and only Hump Jumper, the sewing notion for solving those frustrating sewing problems since 1986! The “hump” frustration is created when the presser foot is tilted out of the horizontal position necessary for a smooth, even feed. When the Hump Jumper is placed under the back of the presser foot, abutting the “hump,” the back of the presser foot is lifted keeping the presser foot horizontal. This allows for an even and continuous feed, eliminating skipped stitches. Sewers know “humps:” a zipper at the bodice, belt loops, pant hems, drapery and craft projects: places where sewing thin bumps into sewing thick. A bent piece of yellow plastic, the Hump Jumper is available in two thicknesses, 1/16th and 1/8th. Why two widths? Corners – stitch to the corner, lift the presser foot, keep the needle down, rotate the fabric 900, place the 1/16th under the presser foot, drop the foot and continue to stitch; sew a perfect corner. When attempting to sew over a bulky spot at the beginning of a seam, place the 1/8th Hump Jumper under the presser foot on top of fabric with the needle down, lower the foot, then sew. This step will work with seam starts on sheer fabric using the 1/16th to stop “bunching up” at fabrics‘ edge, and the bulky spot when beginning to sew a patch pocket; just put the Hump Jumper under the presser foot before you start sew…” ⇨ If you’d like to read more click here.