How To Insert A Drawstring: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

Home » How To Put A String Back In A Hoodie » How To Insert A Drawstring: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

Maybe your like

Skip to ContentQuizzes
  • Home
  • Random
  • Browse Articles
  • Quizzes & Games
  • All QuizzesHot
  • Love Quizzes
  • Personality Quizzes
  • Fun Games
  • Dating Simulator
  • Learn Something New
  • Forums
  • Courses
  • Happiness Hub
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Thread a Drawstring Back into Clothes PDF download Download Article Get a drawstring back into a hoodie, shorts, or anything else Co-authored by Mia Danilowicz and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Fact Checked

PDF download Download Article
  • Using a Safety Pin
    • |
  • Using a Straw or Chopstick
    • |
  • Using Other Tools
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Mia Danilowicz and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Mia Danilowicz is a Master Tailor who works onset and on the red carpet in Los Angeles, California. With over a decade of experience, Mia specializes in bridal and gown couturier fittings, garment reconstruction, and custom design. Mia has worked at the Oscars, Grammys, SAG Awards, and Golden Globes. Her clients include a long list of entertainment and fashion industry headliners, major fashion magazines, luxury consumer brands, and popular media. Mia was trained at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and received her AA in Fashion Design and BS in Business Management. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 751,946 times.

Drawstrings on things like sweatpants, hoodies, or bags have a tendency to slip out of their casings. Luckily, putting them back is a cinch! We’ll show you how to quickly and easily reinsert a drawstring with just a safety pin. If you don't have one on hand, we’ll also show you how to use a straw, coat hanger, bodkin, and other household items.

Rethreading a Drawstring

  1. Secure the end of the drawstring to a safety pin or paperclip.
  2. Insert the safety pin into one of the clothing’s eyelets.
  3. Bunch the fabric around the pin and pull the pin through the casing.
  4. Remove the pin from the drawstring and tie knots on both ends.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Using a Safety Pin to Insert a Drawstring

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Secure a safety pin to 1 end of the drawstring. 1 Secure a safety pin to 1 end of the drawstring. Use a large safety pin so it's easier to handle and feed through the casing. Ensure that the safety pin will fit through the casing and secure it about 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) from the end of the drawstring.[1]
    • If you're buying safety pins, look for skirt pins, which are larger and sturdier than standard safety pins.
    • Also, if the drawstring is lost partway inside the casing, just pull it all the way out. It’s easier to reinsert it completely than to fish it out.

    Variation: If you don't have a safety pin, use a paperclip! Thread the end of the drawstring through the paperclip so it's snug.

  2. Step 2 Insert the safety pin into the eyelet. 2 Insert the safety pin into the eyelet. Pro tailor Mia Danilowicz says to push the safety pin into the closure, clasp-side first.[2] To do this, first find the eyelets, which are the circular openings where your drawstring comes out. Push the safety pin into 1 of the eyelets until it’s totally inside the drawstring casing.
    • Again, this process is easier if you insert the paperclip so that the metal clasp, rather than the looped end, goes in first.
    Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Scrunch the fabric and pull the safety pin through the casing. 3 Scrunch the fabric and pull the safety pin through the casing. Now, Danilowicz says to work the safety pin through.[3] Hold the safety pin in place with 1 hand and use your other hand to scrunch the fabric casing toward the pin so it bunches up. Then, hold the safety pin in place with your other hand and pull the bunched up fabric away with the opposite hand.
    • It's important to hold onto the safety pin so you don't lose it inside the casing.
    • Repeat this until the safety pin comes out of the other end of the fabric casing.
  4. Step 4 Remove the safety pin and knot the ends of the drawstring. 4 Remove the safety pin and knot the ends of the drawstring. Pull the drawstring until both ends are equal lengths. Then, remove your safety pin. If you'd like to prevent the drawstring from sliding back into the casing, tie a large knot at each end of the drawstring.[4]
    • Make the knots larger than the eyelets so the drawstring doesn't slip back in the casing.
    • This also works for making a drawstring bag! Just thread 2 drawstrings through the bag’s casings so that one drawstring’s ends are on the opposite side of the bag from the other string’s ends.
    5. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Using a Straw or Chopstick to Thread a Drawstring

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Insert 1 end of the drawstring into a straw and staple them together. 1 Insert 1 end of the drawstring into a straw and staple them together. A sturdy straw can make this process easier. First, insert 1 end of the drawstring about 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) into a straw. Then, staple the string in place inside the straw to make sure it doesn’t come out.[5]
    • Don’t worry—the staple will come out easily without much damage to the drawstring. If you don’t want to or can’t staple it, though, secure them together with a bit of tape.
    • This works with any sturdy, long, and thin object. For straw alternatives, tape the drawstring to a chopstick, knitting needle, or crochet hook.
  2. Step 2 Feed the straw through one eyelet and out the other. 2 Feed the straw through one eyelet and out the other. Now, hold the straw with one hand and stick the straw into the drawstring holes. Once inside, use your free hand to bunch the drawstring casing down around the straw, threading the straw through the casing and out the other side.[6]
    • This works best with a straight, non-bendy straw. If you’re using a bendy straw, use scissors to cut off the bendy part before you thread it through.
  3. Step 3 Separate the straw and drawstring, and tie knots in the drawstring. 3 Separate the straw and drawstring, and tie knots in the drawstring. Once the drawstring is clear through the casing, remove the straw from the string. Use a staple remover to get rid of the staple, or peel back the tape, if you used it. Then, tie a knot in both ends of the drawstring to make sure it doesn’t come out again.
    • Make sure your knots are larger than the eyelets to prevent the drawstring from coming out.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Using Other Tools

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Use a bodkin to save time and effort. 1 Use a bodkin to save time and effort. This small tool looks like a large, dull sewing needle with a large hole or clamp at the end. Push about 4 inches (10 cm) of the drawstring through the hole and then push the bodkin through the casing of your garment. If your bodkin has a clamp on the end instead of a large hole, open it and put the end of the drawstring under it before you clamp it closed.[7]
    • Bodkins are handy for this purpose since they’re smooth and well-sized, which makes them easier to handle and push through the drawstring casing.
  2. Step 2 Bend a wire hanger to make a hook for pulling the drawstring through. 2 Bend a wire hanger to make a hook for pulling the drawstring through. If you'd like to make a sturdy tool that you can use again and again, find a wire coat hanger. Untwist the hook and shape it into a long straight wire. Then, clamp the very end of the wire around one end of the drawstring. Push the hook end of the wire through the eyelet and keep pushing the wire until the drawstring comes out the other side.[8]
    • Feel free to bend the wire as you feed it through the casing, especially if you're inserting the drawstring through the rounded part of a hoodie.

    Tip: Use caution when you're pushing the wire through the fabric since you don't want to accidentally rip the material.

  3. Step 3 Wrap the drawstring around a pen with a pocket clip. 3 Wrap the drawstring around a pen with a pocket clip. If you can't find a safety pin, straw, or hanger, look for a pen or mechanical pencil that has a pocket clip and wrap the drawstring around the clip. Then, slide the writing end of the pen through the casing—just make sure the inky tip isn’t exposed. Feed the pen through the fabric and pull it through the casing until the pen and drawstring come out of the other end.[9]
    • Ensure that you're using a pen with a pocket clip so you don't accidentally push an exposed tip through your fabric.
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question The end of my drawstring is frayed, making it hard to use the safety pin. What can I do? Community Answer Community Answer Make a knot at the frayed end of the drawstring and insert the safety pin behind the knot. You can also buy a cheap toothbrush with a hole at the end of the handle, break the head, smooth it with an emery board, and pass the string through the hole and use that. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 11 Helpful 22
  • Question How do I put it in without using a safety pin? Community Answer Community Answer If the drawstring is already hard around the end (using the plastic tube-like thing), then you can insert and use that to pull it. If not, then put a thick piece of duct tape around it so that it is hard and you can grab it. I have also used bobby pins in the past. To do this, put the bobby pin on the drawstring and tape it on. Then use it as you would the safety pin. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 10
  • Question What do I do when the safety pin falls open in the middle of pulling the drawstring through? Community Answer Community Answer You can close the pin while it is inside. It is common for it to open up inside. You'll need to adjust it while inside so you can pin it again. Push it back if going forward or pinning it is getting too tiring. Going backwards won't have it get stuck. Do it with a bigger pin after you get that out. Make sure to push the lower end of the pin up while in the case and not to hold the top side. Or, you can remove the stitch with a seam ripper or scissors to remove the pin. Then you can sew the opened stitch again. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 11
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Tips

  • If you don't want the drawstring to slide around or come out, find the middle of the drawstring while it's in the casing and stitch it in place. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 5
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

You Might Also Like

How toZip a Back Zipper by Yourself How to Tie Hoodie Strings and Create the Perfect Knots Replace a Zipper PullHow toReplace a Zipper Pull Tie Pants Strings5 Ways to Tie Pants Strings (Plus, How to Restring Pants) Sew a Hook and EyeHow toSew a Hook and Eye Sew a Fabric PouchHow to Sew a Fabric Pouch: An Easy Guide for Beginners Thread a Needle and Tie a KnotA Simple Guide to Threading a Needle and Tying a Knot Sew Coat ButtonsHow toSew Coat Buttons Put Eyelets in FabricHow toPut Eyelets in Fabric Fix ClothesHow toFix Clothes Sew on SnapsHow to Attach Sew-On Snaps to Your Latest Sewing Project How to Sew on Suspender Buttons (with Pictures) How toSew Sticky Back Velcro Darn a HoleHow toDarn a Hole Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/XN5_cIymyA8?si=ExQpflroGq7Oy4bM&t=15
  2. ↑ Mia Danilowicz. Master Tailor. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Mia Danilowicz. Master Tailor. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN5_cIymyA8&t=25s
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-OE3LxVkGk&t=12s
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN5_cIymyA8&t=92s
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/bVJmIhEGmA8?si=knrl3Mr6SgGVae20&t=74
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/dF9_-OlmhU8?t=193
  9. ↑ https://youtu.be/lMGQWUs-ajo?t=22

About This Article

Mia Danilowicz Co-authored by: Mia Danilowicz Master Tailor This article was co-authored by Mia Danilowicz and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Mia Danilowicz is a Master Tailor who works onset and on the red carpet in Los Angeles, California. With over a decade of experience, Mia specializes in bridal and gown couturier fittings, garment reconstruction, and custom design. Mia has worked at the Oscars, Grammys, SAG Awards, and Golden Globes. Her clients include a long list of entertainment and fashion industry headliners, major fashion magazines, luxury consumer brands, and popular media. Mia was trained at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and received her AA in Fashion Design and BS in Business Management. This article has been viewed 751,946 times. 5 votes - 80% Co-authors: 33 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 751,946 Categories: Featured Articles | Sewing Repairs In other languages Portuguese Spanish Dutch Chinese Hindi Korean Vietnamese Czech Japanese
  • Print
  • Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 751,946 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Angie Kelly

    Angie Kelly

    Nov 9, 2022

    "The safety pin and paperclip wouldn't work due to extra small eyelet hole and snagging. The straw method was..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Mia Danilowicz Co-authored by: Mia Danilowicz Master Tailor Co-authors: 33 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 751,946 80% of readers found this article helpful. 5 votes - 80% Click a star to add your vote Angie Kelly

Angie Kelly

Nov 9, 2022

"The safety pin and paperclip wouldn't work due to extra small eyelet hole and snagging. The straw method was..." more Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson

Nov 20, 2019

"This might be the best thing I've ever seen on the internet! I just used the biggest cotter pin in the garage..." more Judy G.

Judy G.

Feb 13, 2017

"Worked perfectly! The drawstring had fallen out of a sweatshirt in the wash, and this helped me reinsert it quickly..." more M. Y.

M. Y.

Jan 27, 2023

"The safety pin method only took me about 3 minutes on a really thick hoodie! Thank you so much!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

Quizzes & Games

How Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizHow Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizTake QuizDo I Have Common Sense QuizDo I Have Common Sense QuizTake QuizFinish the Phrase QuizFinish the Phrase QuizTake QuizAm I Smart QuizAm I Smart QuizTake QuizAm I Chronically Online QuizAm I Chronically Online QuizTake QuizWhat Should I Wear Today QuizWhat Should I Wear Today QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

Zip a Back Zipper by YourselfHow toZip a Back Zipper by YourselfTie Hoodie StringsHow to Tie Hoodie Strings and Create the Perfect KnotsReplace a Zipper PullHow toReplace a Zipper PullTie Pants Strings5 Ways to Tie Pants Strings (Plus, How to Restring Pants)

Trending Articles

What Emojis Mean Sex?What Emojis Mean Sex?100+ Flirty Things to Say to a Girl & Boost Her Self-Esteem100+ Flirty Things to Say to a Girl & Boost Her Self-EsteemType A B C D Personality TestType A B C D Personality TestKissing Tips: The wikiHow Guide to the Perfect KissKissing Tips: The wikiHow Guide to the Perfect KissTell That Your Crush Likes You BackHow toTell That Your Crush Likes You BackCat Sleeping Positions: 22 Common Poses ExplainedCat Sleeping Positions: 22 Common Poses Explained

Watch Articles

Calculate the Volume of a PyramidHow toCalculate the Volume of a PyramidThe Best Way to Exfoliate Your Scalp (Plus, What to Use)The Best Way to Exfoliate Your Scalp (Plus, What to Use)Save Money as a KidHow toSave Money as a KidPolish AluminumHow toPolish Aluminum2 Easy Renter-Friendly Options to Hang Your Window Treatments2 Easy Renter-Friendly Options to Hang Your Window Treatments Insert Slide Numbers in PowerPointHow to Insert Slide Numbers in PowerPoint

Trending Articles

Are You Unc? Discover How Old Your Vibe IsAre You Unc? Discover How Old Your Vibe IsWhat's My Hottest Feature QuizWhat's My Hottest Feature QuizGen Beta Slang QuizGen Beta Slang Quiz24 Different Types of Bras Explained24 Different Types of Bras Explained Play the Concentrate Game (For A Little Scare!)How to Play the Concentrate Game (For A Little Scare!)What Does Your Rice Purity Score Really Mean?What Does Your Rice Purity Score Really Mean?

Quizzes & Games

Impossible English TestImpossible English TestTake QuizWhat Piercing Should I Get QuizWhat Piercing Should I Get QuizTake QuizWhat Kind of Reality Check Do I Need QuizWhat Kind of Reality Check Do I Need QuizTake QuizWhat Makeup Should I Wear QuizWhat Makeup Should I Wear QuizTake QuizWhat Should I Do QuizWhat Should I Do QuizTake QuizEmoji TestEmoji TestTake Quiz wikiHow
  • Categories
  • Home and Garden
  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Sewing Repairs
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.
  • Home
  • About wikiHow
  • Experts
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info
  • Contribute

Follow Us

×

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

Subscribe You're all set! X --467

Tag » How To Put A String Back In A Hoodie