I wanted to share a quick little tip on how to thread a drawstring that has come out or slipped past the opening and is lost somewhere in the casing. This happened with Cal’s favorite PJ pants and as I was threading it back in I wondered if everyone knows how to do this, so thought it was worth sharing. The easiest way that I have found to do this is to pin a safety pin on the end of the string and then you can kind of push it through the fabric, scrunching up the fabric as you go, then sliding it along the string. I’ve made a quick little video that shows this which I think is always easier than trying to explain it in writing. I’ve also thought of a couple of other things that you could use if you didn’t have a safety pin close by – an earring or paper clip could work or you might even be able to tie the string to something like a washer.

This is also the same process I use when adding elastic to a casing in a garment that I am making, usually a skirt. Skirts can be very easy to make by sewing a tube of fabric. On one end of the tube, you sew a casing and thread elastic through it. On the other end is a regular hem.

I’m sure there are many other uses too. I love it when we can apply a technique or come up with something clever to fix something instead of running out to replace it. (In our house, we call it “MacGyver-ing” for those of you old enough to remember. 😉 )