Q&A for How to Insert a Drawstring

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.

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.

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.

Whether ruched or plain, drawstrings go in the same way. You can use a smaller pin to insert the drawstring if the case is thin.