Buzz
Drawstrings are a great feature for shorts, skirts, bags, or hoodies, but they tend to slip out easily. Instead of discarding them, you can quickly re-thread the drawstring back to its original position using a safety pin. If you don't have a safety pin, you can also use a straw, a clothes hanger hook, or a pen cap as alternatives.
Steps
Thread the Drawstring with a Safety Pin
Pull the drawstring all the way out if it's halfway loose. If the drawstring is starting to slip but is still partially stuck in the clothing, pull it all the way out. Re-threading from the beginning is much easier than trying to push it back into place without the proper tools.
Attach the safety pin to one end of the drawstring. It's recommended to use a larger safety pin for easier handling and threading. However, make sure the pin fits through the drawstring hole and securely fastens about 1.5 cm from the end of the string.
- If you're buying a safety pin, consider choosing one designed for skirts, as they are larger and sturdier than regular pins.
Alternative method: If you don't have a safety pin, you can use a paperclip! Simply thread the end of the drawstring through the paperclip to hold it in place.
Thread the safety pin through the drawstring hole. Identify the two small round holes where the drawstring comes out. Then, insert the safety pin into one of these holes and push it through the fabric until it emerges from the other hole.
Pull the fabric towards the safety pin to move the drawstring inside the clothing. Hold the safety pin firmly in one hand and use the other hand to gather the fabric towards the pin, bunching them together. Then, with your other hand, firmly hold the safety pin and pull the gathered fabric through.
- Make sure to hold the safety pin securely to avoid it slipping out of the drawstring tube.
Continue gathering and pulling the fabric until the safety pin appears at the other hole. Keep repeating the process of moving the safety pin through the drawstring tube until it exits at the opposite end.
Remove the safety pin and tie knots at both ends of the drawstring. Pull the drawstring until both ends are of equal length. Then, take out the safety pin. To prevent the drawstring from slipping back in, tie a large knot at each end of the string.
- Make sure the knot is larger than the drawstring hole so the string doesn't slip back inside.
Threading the Drawstring with Other Tools
Purchase a drawstring threading tool to save time and effort. This tool resembles a large needle with a big hole at the tip. You thread the drawstring through the tool for about 10 cm, then push the tool through the drawstring hole in the clothing. If your tool has a clip at the tip instead of a hole, open the clip, insert the drawstring, and close it again.
- You can find threading tools at convenience stores or craft supply shops.
Use a straw if threading a safety pin through the drawstring tube is difficult. If you're trying to thread the drawstring through a larger tube or thick fabric, like on a hoodie, using a safety pin can be challenging. To make it easier, insert at least 2.5 cm of the drawstring into a straw and secure it with a paperclip. Then, thread the open end of the straw through the drawstring hole, continuing until the string exits the other side.
- Since the straw is wider than the safety pin, it will pass through thick fabric more easily without getting caught on the edges.
- To remove the paperclip, you can use a clip remover. Note that paperclips may damage delicate fabrics, but they are safe to use with thicker drawstring material.
Bend a clothes hanger into a hook to thread the drawstring. If you want a sturdy tool for multiple uses, you can use a clothes hanger. Untwist the hook and straighten it out. Then, bend one end into a small hook and thread the drawstring through it. Push the hooked end through the drawstring hole and continue until the string exits the other side.
- If the drawstring slips off the hook, bend the hanger around the string to secure it.
- You can bend the hanger while pushing it through the drawstring tube, especially when threading through the neck of a hoodie.
Tip: Be careful when pushing the hook through the drawstring tube to avoid accidentally tearing the fabric.
Wrap the drawstring around a pen cap if you don't have other tools. If you don't have a safety pin, straw, or coat hanger, you can use a pen cap with a clip. Attach the drawstring to the clip, then thread the other end of the pen through the drawstring tube. Continue threading until the drawstring exits the hole at the other end.
- Make sure to use a pen with a clip-on cap to prevent accidentally threading a smooth pen cap through the clothing.
Tip
- If you don't want the drawstring to slip out, locate the middle of the drawstring when it’s positioned correctly inside the clothing and sew it in place to secure it.
Things You Will Need
Threading the Drawstring with a Safety Pin
- Clothing requiring the drawstring
- Drawstring
- Safety pin
Threading the Drawstring with Other Tools
- Drawstring
- Threading tool
- Straw
- Paperclip
- Coat hanger
- Pen with a clip-on cap
