Bodkin or Safety Pin for Threading Elastic?

Eight Needles Journal · Small sewing tools

A safety pin can be enough for an occasional elastic replacement. A bodkin becomes useful when you want a different grip, a longer reach or a flexible shaft. Choose by the narrowest part of the casing and the way the tool holds your particular elastic.

Two red Clover flexible bodkins in different lengths — This flexible two-piece set uses eyes to hold the material. It does not have clips at the ends.

Compare the attachment as well as the length

Tool	Useful when	Check before threading
Safety pin	You already have one that fits a short or straightforward casing	The clasp closes securely and the pin plus attached elastic can pass through.
Eye-style bodkin	Cord or elastic can be secured through its eye	The attachment holds without creating an oversized lump.
Clamp-style metal bodkin	You prefer to grip the end between jaws	The locking ring holds and the complete clamp fits the casing.
Flexible bodkin	The route curves and a rigid tool is awkward to manoeuvre	Both the shaft and attached material can negotiate the tightest section.
Wide-elastic clip or plate tool	You regularly insert broader flat elastic	The specified elastic width and thickness match your project.

Clover’s Flexible and Glide Bodkins set contains a long and a short flexible tool. Do not confuse this eye-style set with a clip-style elastic threader. Product names can sound similar while the attachment works quite differently.

Measure the whole assembly

A bare bodkin that fits the entrance may become too bulky once elastic is attached. Check the eye, jaws or clasp together with the folded elastic. The casing also needs clearance at seams, where allowances can narrow the passage.

A longer tool gives more reach, but may be harder to steer around a tight bend. A flexible shaft can help follow a curved route; it cannot pass through a section accidentally stitched closed. If replacing old elastic, check first whether it is stitched down anywhere inside the garment.

Thread in short stages

Attach the new elastic using the tool’s intended method and gently test the hold.
Secure the free end outside the casing so it cannot disappear inside.
Feed the tool in, gather a little casing onto it, then slide that fabric behind it.
Keep moving the gathered fabric along instead of packing it tightly around the attachment.
Stop at resistance and check for caught seam allowances, a loose attachment or a twist.

With a safety pin, keep the point fully enclosed. If it opens inside the casing, stop and recover it carefully. With a clamp-style bodkin, follow the direction shown in its instructions so gathered cloth does not release the locking ring.

If the elastic slips off

Recover the tool and elastic before starting again. Recheck the attachment and whether the tool is appropriate for that elastic’s surface and thickness. Avoid repeatedly pulling harder: a bulky gathering of fabric can overwhelm an otherwise adequate grip.

If the entrance is the problem, review the opening rather than using a sharper object to force the way through. Protect the stitching that forms the channel.

Check for twists before joining

Spread the casing and follow the elastic all the way around. Bring the ends together without turning one over. Check the required overlap and garment fit before permanently joining them and closing the opening. The threading tool helps with access; the elastic type, length and construction determine the fit.