How to change a zip slider and pull - tutorial

I didn't manage a post for Handmade Monday last week.....having got distracted by the lovely weather!

But I did promise a tutorial in how to jazz up your zippers. So - better late than never - here it is.

Ever since I started making handmade bags I have been constantly looking for ways to improve them and make them more professional looking. One of the easiest ways to add a bit of extra class to your handmade items is to change the zipper pull for something a little more interesting.

Most people who buy zips will recognise these....

 Nothing wrong with the zips, but I find the pulls a little bit - erm - standard, run-of-the-mill, whatever you want to call it! So when I discovered I could buy different bits for my zips (the ones below come as a complete slider and pull) I decided to try and turn them into these....

It's taken me a while to get the hang of it, but I've done enough now - and learned from mistakes - to be able to share a few tips.

So, here's what you'll need.

First, a replacement zipper slider and pull and some basic tools....

From left: zip, replacement pull, pliers, pinking shears

First, use the pinking shears to cut off the old slider and pull.

I use the pinking shears to try and get a cut which leaves one side of the zip very slightly longer than the other side - this makes it easier to seperate the zip when putting on the new slider.

Place the new slider over the end of the zip. Pull the zip slightly apart whilst pushing the slider along the zip (this is the bit where you really need 3 hands! - sorry, but I couldn't take a photograph and do the pulling the zip at the same time - I really needed 4 hands!).

 And, hey presto, that should be it!

 BUT...sometimes this happens.....OOPS!

....and the new slider doesn't quite do the job. I usually test my zip by opening and closing it about 10-20 times, just to make sure it isn't going to fail. But if this happens, don't panic - it's fixable! This is where the pliers come in. Very gently squeeze the bottom of the slider with the pliers, on both sides of the point at which it attaches to the pull (not too hard or it will stick!).

Check after each gentle squeeze on each side and the slider should get slightly tighter running along the zip. Once you can do you 10-20 checks without the closed section of the zip coming apart then you should be OK.

I don't know about you, but I think the new zipper pulls look far better than the originals and are now standard on all my hand made items?

 

Dragonfly messenger bag and trying to restock

My website and Folksy shops have been a bit low on stock lately. The problem is (well, it's not really a problem!) is that when I make a bag and post on my Facebook page it either i) sells straight away of ii) results in a custom order. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about either, but it does mean I find it hard to produce new stock for my shop. So I'm trying a new strategy. Each time I make a custom order, I make one or two bags in the same style which can go into my stock for sale.

So when I had two customers who both wanted one of these dragonfly messenger bags, I figured I may as well make 3.

They're not identical though. Each one has it's own unique design features - from the pockets, to the lining fabric or the ribbon detailing.

As soon as I get chance the 'spare' will be put onto my website and folksy.

I'm now trying to finish a custom order for this grey cat themed bag, so have another two on the go at the same time.

Hopefully this will mean I can build up some ready-for-sale stock.

I also took the opportunity of having 3 bags on the go to take some pictures for a blog post on how to change a boring zipper pull for something a bit more exciting. Would anyone find this useful for next weeks handmade Monday blogpost?

Catching up!

Has it really been January since I last popped in to Handmade Monday!? My, how time flies.

Things have been steady at HbyH HQ for a while. I seem to have become rather too distracted on enjoying our new rural life instead of sewing and promoting!

The last few weeks has really seen our garden blossom - literally!

We moved in to our house in July, so by the time we were settled most of the garden flowers had gone over. It's lovely to see it in spring and I'm grateful to all the previous owners who have, over many years, developed the garden so that there always seems to be something new coming into flower. I have to confess, I'm a bit of a rubbish gardener - so they've given me a great head start which I can just tweak.

It's been lovely to have a steady flow of customers. At the moment I'm working on two bags using similar fabrics. The customers started out with different requests. But both of them seem to be taken with this fabric combination.

Almost there....

My Mum has also been patiently waiting for a replacement bag for the one I made her 3 years ago. So I suppose I really should put her next on my customer list!

Back in the saddle again with a retro bag and a couple of sales

After such a long break since I moved house in July I was expecting it to take a while before I started selling again. So I'm super pleased that I've sold one of my bags I mentioned in last weeks blog and taken a custom order which I'm currently working on.

I was amazed when, within an hour or so of listing in my Folksy shop I sold this lovely peacock themed bag. This one seemed really popular, so maybe I'll make a couple more with the fabric I have left.

I've also taken a custom order for one of my messenger bags. I haven't made one of these for a while, so I'm looking forward to doing a few of these at the same time.

 

 The custom order is in chocolate brown faux suede, with this lovely quality embroidered fabric. I love it when I get custom orders that I'm really excited to make - and this is definitely one of those. I've wanted an excuse to use this fabric for a while.

I've finally finished my large retro shoulder bag, having, at long last, had a go at piped handles.

I'm a bit taken with the size and fabric on this one so I'm not sure whether to sell or keep!

Just time to check out what everyone else has been p to on Handmade Monday.

Back at it - and working on a premium range!

It seems I've been away for an age! So, what have I missed on Handmade Monday?

Bag making has taken a bit of a back seat to other things I'm afraid. As well as (starting to) decorate the new house and helping Mr HbyH with his woodburning stove business (always a manic time from September to Christmas!) I've also treated myself to a leather bag making workshop.

Here's what I made....

.. with a lot of help from the lovely ladies at GDH leather.

I've come back with lots of ideas. My trademark is using lovely fabrics in interesting ways (i think!?) so I'm really keen to start using a combination of leather and high quality upholstery weight fabrics like this one....

.... to try and come up with something unique but that still has the feel of HandbagsbyHelen.

I've done a few sketches and grappled with the idea of using hand sewn leather with fabric - without the aid of an industrial sewing machine! I'm hoping to have some stuff to show you soon.

But in the meantime I've been finishing off a few other projects which have sat around making me feel guilty for a while.

These two mini-messenger bags have finally been finished and are in my Folksy shop.

And this large weekend style bag is almost there......

My first leather venture is going to be a chocolate brown and peach cotton patchwork messenger bag, but with a leather strap.

And in between there's still been time to enjoy the amazing views from our new (is it still new after 6 months?) home.

Time for a little celebration!

I don't seem to have found much time to take part in Handmade Monday since we moved house. We've been busy decorating - well, I've been busy decorating. Mr HbyH has been busy plumbing, so that we can run our heating and hot water from our wood-burning stove (inspired by the shock we received when ordering our first tank of oil - HOW MUCH!)

And, of course we've still been enjoying the lovely countryside. I still can't quite believe how luck we are to live here.

Still got lots to do, but I'm finally back at the sewing machine in between odd-jobs. AND...I have a nice new sewing room all to myself.

And to top it all off, my Facebook page has reached 900 likes. So I've decided to have a little celebration (I know, I could have waited until 1,000 but that just seems like aaaaaages away!). I'm giving away this teal and brown cross-body messenger bag to one lucky person who leaves a comment on my Facebook page.

There (may) still be time to enter by the time you read this. So if you want to pop by my Facebook page and leave a comment before 8pm this evening (29th Sept) then I'll add your name into the draw.

Ahhh, it's good to be back.

We're back.....

....it's been a hectic couple of weeks. The house move was on ... then off .... then back on .... then off again. We finally found out at five to five on the Thursday evening that we could move on the Friday. Well, we could - as long as we could find a delivery company before five o'clock that evening - we couldn't! (we'd already almost lost one deposit when the date got changed last time - so we weren't going to book one until we heard).

So it was a bit of a mixed evening of emotional ups and downs as we frantically tried all possible solutions. Fuelled on by alcohol and downright belligerence we managed to cajole, bribe and bully our friends and family to lend a hand and bring whatever vehicles they could lay their hands on.

We had a convoy....

So now we're finally in. There's lots to do, but isn't there always! The dogs love their new bigger garden and I wake up to this view outside my bedroom window every morning...

One of the spare rooms is in the process of being converted into my sewing room. Hurrah - no more sewing on the kitchen table and having to clear up for dinner. A couple of trips to Ikea for shelves and I should be back, up and running.

In the meantime it's good to be back as part of Handmade Monday and I've re-opened my Folksy shop with some of the bags I finished before the move.

Shutting up shop....

...but only temporarily..

This may be my last handmade Monday post for a little while. I'm hoping that by this time next week we'll be all packed up in boxes ready to move to our new house the following Friday. At least that's the plan!

After years of wanting to move out of the town, we're (hopefully!) finally on our way. It'll be so nice to have views over open countryside and plenty of garden for the dogs (the garden in our 3-bed semi in town looks like the Somme half way through the winter).

One of the most exciting things is that our sellers aren't leaving any curtains. So, aside from a few early starts at the crack of dawn because we can't shut the light out, it does mean I'll be able to go on a fabric buying spree.

I'm already planning the redecoration....am particularly excited to decorate and furnish my conservatory (I've never had one of those before). I'm planning a retro feel, with 1950's B&W fashion prints and this fab wallpaper..

So, this weeks projects has been concentrated on tying up a few loose ends.

I've assembled my quilt squares...

But no idea what to do next. Advice greatly appreciated.

And finished one last order for a customer. Now, time for a glass of wine in the sunshine I think....

Unfinished projects.....

I haven't managed a handmade monday post for a wee while. The weekends just seem to fly by so quickly. Five days at the day job and then helping Mr HbyH with his business on a Saturday doesn't really leave much time for sewing.

Consequently I have an accumulation of projects waiting to be finished:

1) I've made all my quilt squares, but haven't got around to putting it together yet...

2) I used the same fabric to make 5 strip patchwork bags. 

Two are finished, but the other three are still midway through...

3) A bag i'm trying to design for a special order, but i've stumbled at the lining whilst I try and work out how to make a zipper pocket lining which divides it into two compartments...

Then there's a few orders in various states:

4) A black suede kitten messenger bag using a cream version of this lovely cat fabric...

5) This waterproof lined beach bag was one of the items I have finished...

6) And, finally, hot off the press....a bag I've finished for a leaving present for a work colleague.

Phew! Looks like i'm going to have to organise my evenings a bit better if i'm ever going to get these projects finished.