Helpful Hints: Turning lingerie straps
Have you figured out what I’m making? This post will give you another hint and will help you with a common sewing step. Sewing a tube of fabric and turning it is used in a multitude of projects—lingerie or spaghetti straps, belts, purse handles, etc. The photos and instructions below will show you how to turn them right side out without a turning tool or any other special equipment. And, it works with any width of tube. Mine were quite narrow and this trick seems almost magical with the narrowest tubes.
Step One: Sew your narrow tube and trim the seam allowance at the corner.
Step Two: Thread a hand sewing needle and knot the ends together.
Step Three: Make a couple stitches within the seam allowance at one end. Two or three stitches is plenty. It just needs to be enough to secure the threads.
Step Four: Very gently and delicately, pass your needle through the tube of fabric. Be very careful not to catch the fabric with your needle.
The knotted thread end is at the bottom right end of the fabric tube and the threaded needle has been passed carefully through the tube so that it comes out of the tube at the top right end.
Step Five: Hold the needle in one hand and the other end of the tube loosely in the other. Gently pull at the needle so that the other end begins to pull itself inside the fabric tube. (You may have to help get the turning process started.)
Step Six: Continue gently pulling the knotted end of the tube through the inside of the tube. It will eventually make it to the opening at the other end of the tube and will look like this. Both ends will be facing the same direction—one inside out, one right side out.
Step Seven: Finish pulling the tube until it is entirely right side out. Clip the threads to detach the needle. Press and continue on with your project.
