6 Ways To Attach Zipper Pulls onto Zipper Tape or Pre-Made Zippers / How to Put a Slider on a Zipper

Struggling to attach zipper pulls onto zipper tape by hand? Worry not – I will show you 6 easy ways to attach the zipper slider on a zipper chain. No matter whether you are making a new project with zipper tape by the yard, using a pre-made zipper, or whether you are replacing a broken zipper slider, these process is the same.

Zipper by the yard is one of my very favorite things. You can coordinate the zipper tape color with your fabric and match the nylon coil color with your purse hardware! A lot of you feel stressed out when it comes to installing the pulls.

Often we need to pull a zipper apart to make stitching easier and neater. If the thought having to attach the zipper pull correctly after shortening or sewing, gives you cold shivers, then this is just for you. On the other hand, if you are perfectly fine with the process then maybe you would like to learn some innovative ways of attaching a zipper pull.

Here is a quick tutorial to show you exactly how to do it – choose the method you like most! We show you six ways to attach a zipper pull, and it doesn’t matter whether you buy the zipper tape on a roll or a ready assembled zipper. Let’s go!

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How to Put a slider on a zipper

Watch the Ways to attach zipper pull to zipper tape video first and then follow the written step by step instructions below.
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6 Way to Attach a pull to zipper tape VIDEO TUTORIAL

Method 1: The Classic Way

• Make sure  the zipper pull is at the top of a ready-made zipper.
• Cut the zipper to the required length at the bottom.
• If using zipper tape there will be no zipper pull attached – just the roll of tape to cut to size.
• Singe the ends of the tape so it doesn’t fray – a quick pass of a lighter will handle this.
• Slide the zipper pull off if using a ready-made zipper, and commence sewing with your separate zipper sides. If using zipper tape on a roll there will be no slider to remove, as these are supplied separately.
• To reassemble, make sure the rounded end of the zipper pull or slider is facing upwards, with the zipper pull facing you,then insert the zipper tape halfway into the slider, left side first.
• Insert the right side of the zipper into the slide and match up so the sides are even.
• Push the slider up with your thumb to grip both sides of the zipper tape.
• Grab both sides of the zipper tape at the bottom with one hand and use the other hand to pull the slider upwards to the top. Be careful if using zipper tape where there is no stopper that you don’t slide it right over the top otherwise you’ll have to start again.

Method 2: One Side Shorter

• Make sure  the zipper pull is at the top of a ready-made zipper.
• Cut the zipper to the required length at the bottom.
• If using zipper tape there will be no zipper pull attached – just the roll of tape.
• Cut one side a bit shorter – ¼  of an inch (5 to 6 mm). I prefer to cut the right hand side.
• Use a lighter to singe the ends of the tape so it doesn’t fray.
• Remove the zipper pull by sliding it towards the cut end.
• Once ready, with the zipper pull facing you and the right side of the zipper facing you, reattach by putting the left hand side zipper tape in the left hand side of the zipper pull
•  Make sure the tape edge is flush with the bottom of the zipper pull (slider).
• Insert the shorter right hand side and pull the slider up.

Method 3: Cutting part of the zipper teeth away on one side (My favorite)

• Cut the zipper to the required length.
• Cut away some of the zipper teeth on the right hand side at the bottom of the zipper – not the tape just the teeth.
• Use a lighter to singe the ends of the tape so it doesn’t fray.
• Remove the zipper pull by sliding it towards the cut end.
• Once ready, with the zipper slider facing you and the right side of the zipper facing you, reattach by putting the left hand side zipper tape in the left hand side of the zipper pull.
• Make sure the tape edge is flush with the bottom of the zipper pull (slider).
• Insert the tape until the teeth grab, and holding both pieces of tape, pull the slider up to engage the teeth.

Method 4: Using a 3 or a 4 tine fork

For smaller zippers use the 3 tine fork in the following way:

• Place the fork in a cup or glass, the concave curve of the fork closest to the edge and then tape the base of the tines of the fork to the cup/glass.
• Insert the middle tine under the zipper puller so the zipper puller is facing away from you ad towards the concave part of the fork.
• Turn the zipper tape around so the wrong side is facing you.
• Push both sides of the zipper down onto the slider simultaneously until engaged.
• Remove the zipper from the tine of the fork.

For larger zippers use the 4 tine fork in the following way:

• Place the fork in a cup or glass, the concave curve of the fork closest to the edge and then tape the base of the fork tines to the cup/glass.
• Insert the 2 middle tines under the zipper slider so the puller part is facing the concave part of the fork.
• Turn the zipper around so the wrong side is facing you.
• Push both sides of the zipper down onto the slider simultaneously and pull the zipper down to engage the teeth.
• Remove the zipper from the tines of the fork.

Tip: If there isn’t enough space to slip the tines under the zipper puller then use the small hole in the zipper puller itself (if it has a hole) and slip that over the tines of the fork.

Method 5: Using a cardboard template

• Mark a small gap in a sturdy piece of cardboard cut from a cardboard box. The marks must just be on either side of the zipper pull.
• Make two small cuts on the marks and remove the cardboard inside the gap.
• Fit the zipper slider, so the slider is at the back and the zipper pull to the front of the cardboard.
• Turn the cardboard around so the slider is facing you.
• Trim your ready-made zipper or zipper-on-a-roll to size at the end and singe the ends of the zipper tape with a quick pass of a lighter to prevent fraying.
• Turn so the wrong side of the zipper is facing you, split it a little way up and position the zipper tape into each side of the  slider, holding the cardboard in place with your hands, then once caught, slide the zipper sides down.
• Remove the zipper slider and complete zipper from the cardboard.

Method 6: Use a metal towel holder as a jig

• Take a metal towel holder – the type with a triangle curved into the front of the holder, and place the zipper slider with the zipper pull to the back of the slot, then pull down until the slider is firmly in position.
• Trim your ready-made zipper or zipper on a roll to the correct size. With a ready-made zipper always trim from the bottom end.
•  Singe the ends of the zipper tape with a quick pass of a lighter to prevent fraying.
• Turn so the wrong side of the zipper is facing you, split it a little way up and position the zipper into each side of the  slider.
•  Hold the metal towel holder in place with your hands, then once the ends are caught in position and the teeth grip each other, slide the zipper pull up.
• Remove from the metal towel holder jig.

Is getting a slider onto a zipper when shortening a ready-made zipper or using a roll of zipper tape giving you headaches? Don’t worry, we have you covered with six different ways to help get those zipper teeth to meet up! There’s bound to be one that is your favorite.

If you found these 6 methods useful then give us a like and subscribe for more useful sewing tips and projects. Please remember to share with a friend who may be struggling with inserting a slider onto a zipper. Let us know your favorite method in the comments section, as we love hearing what works for our subscribers.

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