Okay, this is backwards, but if I put the photos in sequence to the story they won't enlarge for you. So, read down and then come back here for the final solution to my zipper problem.
Rather than resort to Velcro I decided to try a loop and button. I used fabric from the tea towel edge and a very pretty star fish lavender button that matched exactly (old garage sale find, I have a box full of old buttons to choose from.). It amazingly keeps the whole thing closed nicely. Whatcha think?
Yesterday I made a first (for me) what should have been a 12" purse, cut down to a 4" purse, but the zipper works in that one after much struggling to make is behave!

Same drawing but back of purse shown here.

Today after finding some cute tea towels at an estate sale I came home and made this second bag (16" long). the zipper has yet to behave on this one, so I might add Velcro circles (Mims' suggestion) or snaps. But it's cute and could hold a lot of art supplies, you think?

This is part of the bottom of the bag.
I told the man who was selling his grandmother's effects that I would take them
home and turn them into treasures. This is treasure #1.
Now go back to the top and see the finished item with button and loop again!
;-)