Vintaj Zipper Pulls

This is a great tutorial on how to create zipper pulls (or buttons and other embellishments) from Vintaj Natural Brass.

Do you love zippers like I do? If you do, this is the project for you. As soon as I learned about the Vintaj altered blanks, I was itching to transform them into zipper pulls for pouches and other sewing projects. It’s such an easy way to add a custom touch to a handsewn item.

First I embossed a selection of altered Vintaj natural brass blanks in different sizes and shapes. I used Sizzix embossing folders for some of the zipper pulls.

For others, I used the Vintaj DecoEmboss Dies. The Vintaj dies result in a crisper embossed image but both turned out well. Then I used the reliefing block to highlight the raised portions.

I took my pliers and bent a head pin at a 90 degree angle at the tip.

Then I slid my zipper pull onto the head pin.

After that, I added some spare beads left over from other projects, and secured the end of head pin to my zipper by turning it into a tight loop.

There are so many possibilities! I chose this button embossed design to coordinate with a Japanese Alphabet print I planned to use for a project. It features a button design amidst the letters.

I’m not going to explain the general construction of a zipper pouch here but I would like to explain how I used the Sizzix Bigz L Die-Borders, Ribbon and Scallop to embellish the pouch.

I used the die to cut two strips of bamboo-rayon blend Xotic Felt in Caribbean Surf provided byCommonwealth Felt.I used the die to cut two strips of bamboo-rayon blend Xotic Felt in Caribbean Surf provided byCommonwealth Felt.

I then sewed the felt strip into the seams of my pieced pouch front and embellished with a cross stitch on my machine. I think it adds a really professional looking touch to the pouch.