I think on all the projects I have made the zipper has only worked out well once… That was when it was part of my Thru-hiker down jacket kit. I see everyone using continuous coil zipper on what seems any type of project and it seems to work out well. I see how continuous coil works on a project that doesn’t completely come apart like say a tarp beak or tent entrance. At the top you just sew the ends into the fabric and the slider can’t come off at the bottom you fold the ends at a 90 and sew them into the seam and then the slider can’t come off the bottom.

I am lost on garments. I made a pair of down pants that I wanted to completely unzip up the sides but when my continuous coil zip came I couldn’t figure out how to cleanly do that with the two open ends. I am about to make a vest with another section of continuous coil zip but I want to get it right this time.

So is it possible to make a piece of clothing and have the zipper come apart but also stop the slider from falling off the bottom cleanly? Or am I just completely backwards and need to order a separating zipper with the plastic stop on one side and the feeder on the other side?

You need to order a seperating zipper.

If it's too long, you can cut it off at the top, to size. To put in a zipper pull stop, take a manual needle and about 20 loops. If that's not enough to keep zipper pull from going past it, do some more. I just tie it off with a square knot.

They also have double seperating zippers, but you probably don't want that. Then you can also zip it up from the bottom. It's good on rain jacket for more ventilation. Harder to zip up and easier to break.

You cannot make a separating from a continuous coil of tape. A separating zipper needs a pin (the long piece at the bottom on the side with the slider) and a box (the box at te other bottom end). These can't be installed with out special fixtures to make sure that everything is properly lined up with very close tolerances, and essentially only exist in zipper factories.

As suggested, buy a separating zipper, and cut it to length. You can buy zipper stops that you clamp into place at the top of the tape. It doesn't matter much if the zipper top is buried in a seam, but on things where it's exposed, a stop looks better.

Hi,

About 5 years ago I went to a zipper class at a local sewing center. The instructor was very good and we got to install several different types of zippers. I did OK but at the end of the class I asked the instructor about someone to do my zippers for me and was given a couple names. The first one I called said bring me what ever you have and let me see what you are doing.

She makes her living sewing all sorts of stuff and did my zipper at a price that was low enough that it wasn't worth my time to even try. She is very good and has become my "Zipper Lady" and does 3 or 4 zippers a year for me, some years more.