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Putting a zipper pull onto zipper tape should not require three hands and 20 minutes of muttering at your sewing table.
And yet, without a zipper jig? It kind of does.
I use zipper tape for almost all of my bagmaking now, which means I install a LOT of zipper pulls. This little zipper jig is one of those inexpensive tools that earns its spot in my sewing room because I can get a pull onto my zipper tape in seconds.
Let me show you how I do it.
You only need:
I most often use #5 zipper tape for bags and zipper pouches, but the jig I use works with both #3 and #5 zippers.
See the zipper jig I use here.
Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend bagmaking tools and supplies I use or would recommend to another bagmaker.
First, separate the zipper tape a little at one end.
Place your zipper pull into the zipper jig with the wider opening facing you. Make sure you're using the correct side of the jig for your zipper size.
Now you have both hands free for the zipper tape instead of trying to hold the pull AND feed two pieces of tape into it at the same time.
Feed one side of the zipper tape into each side of the pull. Try to start them at about the same point so your zipper stays even.
Once both sides are started, hold the zipper tape with both hands and pull it toward you.
The zipper pull slides right on.
That's it.
And because this is one of those things that's about 400% easier to understand when you see someone do it, here's the whole process:
Take it off and start again.
Seriously. Don't spend five minutes trying to convince a wonky zipper that it wants to straighten itself out.
Usually one side of the zipper tape started farther into the pull than the other. Take the pull off, line up the two sides of your tape again, and reinsert them as evenly as you can.
After you've done this a few times, you'll barely think about it.
This is an easy thing to overlook when you're new to zipper tape.
A #5 zipper pull goes with #5 zipper tape.
A #3 zipper pull goes with #3 zipper tape.
If the pull absolutely refuses to cooperate, check the sizes before assuming you're doing something wrong.
When I was newer to bagmaking, zippers were one of those things I made much harder than they needed to be.
Now I never reach for a premade zipper.
With zipper tape, I can cut exactly what I need for the bag or zipper pouch I'm making. I'm not trying to find a premade zipper in the right length, and I can choose the zipper tape and pull combination that looks best with my fabric.
For this tutorial, I'm using natural zipper tape with a gold coil and a size #5 zipper pull from Sallie Tomato.
The zipper jig is a perfect example of something I've learned after years of making bags: sometimes a tiny change in your tools or technique fixes something you've been struggling with for ages.
That's a big part of why I created Sew Better Bags: A Beginner's Guide to Bagmaking.
I'm a self-taught bagmaker, so I've spent years collecting those little aha moments from tutorials, trial and error, and making a whole lot of bags. Sew Better Bags puts what I've learned in one place, including interfacing, needles, thread, stitch length, reducing bulk, better-fitting linings, boxed corners, zipper tabs, pressing and more.
If you're just getting started, you can also grab my free Beginner Bagmaker Starter Kit for my go-to bagmaking tools and supplies.
And if zipper tape has been sitting in your sewing room because you couldn't get the pull onto it?
Go get it.
You've got this part now.
Happy sewing!
Amanda
Be Mandy Things
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