How do I turn a thin cloth tube inside out?

Question

I want to make a cord by sewing the 2 long sides of a rectangle together and turning it inside out. The only problem is that the tube's so long I can't turn it inside out by hand. Any suggestions? And let me know if I'm not describing it good enough.

...using readily available household items?

Answer 1

The way I learned to do this in my junior high school sewing class was to attach a safety pin to one end of it and push the safety pin through the tube until it comes out the other end. You will have to pull the fabric down often because it will bunch up until you can't move the safety pin.

Answer 2

I find it easier if I sew one end of the tube shut (if for some reason you need both ends open, make it long enough so you can clip off the end after you are done). Then take a knitting needle or other long, skinny object and push it against the closed end. Keep pulling the fabric down, until you've turned the whole thing right side out.

The safety pin works really well, too.

If the tube is very thin, you may have to really work at it to get it all the way turned, but if you do it little by little, you should be able to do it.

Answer 3

Easy enough. Just take a long ang narrow object (for example: a pen). Tie a thread to it and tie the other end to one of the tube's opening. slide the pen down the tube till it comes out the other end, pull the thread through.

Voilà!

They even sell special plastic tools for this purpose by unless you are going into massive production, stick with what you have around the house.

Answer 4

A coat hanger really works great

Answer 5

Try a chop stick or meat skerw.

Jenn