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Aunt Norie’s Sewing Room

By Eleanor Mckee - | Jul 11, 2007

Recently I received a note, “I couldn’t follow you through the repair of the broken zipper.”

I know it is hard to do without pictures, so let’s try this little diagram; I’m sure it will help.

Broken zippers can sometimes be easily repaired if the repair doesn’t shorten them too much and depends on where the break is, so let’s try.

To repair it, I cut away the last few (three or four) teeth of the broken zipper, on the opposite side of the pull. Now set the shorted side down into the pull tab, the same way you do when you are separating the zipper in a jacket front. Carefully and slowly pull the zipper tab up only an inch or so, letting the teeth mesh together.

You must now secure those two sides or they’ll easily pull apart. I use a needle and thread (strong button cord if it’s a heavy zipper), sewing over and over the teeth making a bar tack.

This does, however, shorten the zipper.

A break mended in this way leaves the repaired zipper as good as new, so it’s certainly worth the effort.

Until next week, God bless.

— Aunt Norie can be reached at P.O. Box 2665, Tonganoxie 66086 or at auntnorie@bdc.net.