The True Purpose of the Small Hole on the Safety Pin — A Seamstress’s Secret That Saves Time & Thread!

Pull the Needle Through Tough Fabric

When you are sewing thick or stubborn materials such as denim, canvas, wool, or upholstery fabric, pulling the needle through can quickly become the hardest part of the job. Fingers slip, nails bend, and even a thimble sometimes feels awkward or ineffective. This is where an old fashioned trick using a simple safety pin can make all the difference.

Start by opening the safety pin slightly. You do not need it fully open, just enough to expose the clasp. Hook the eye of your sewing needle into that clasp. Once it is secure, grip the safety pin and use it as a lever to pull the needle through the fabric. The added grip and leverage allow you to yank the needle through dense layers with far less effort and strain. No sore fingers. No broken nails. No extra tools required.

This trick is especially useful when working with seams that include multiple layers or thick folds. It is also a lifesaver for people who struggle with hand strength or arthritis. What looks like a simple household item suddenly becomes a powerful sewing aid.

Why This Old School Trick Still Matters

In a world full of high tech sewing machines and specialty tools, hand sewing is still an essential skill. Machines are wonderful, but they are not always available or practical. Hand sewing remains invaluable for quick repairs, delicate fabrics like lace or silk, travel mending kits, and teaching beginners or children the basics of sewing.

The beauty of the safety pin trick lies in its simplicity. That tiny hole and clasp turn an everyday object into a multitool that fits in any sewing kit. There is no need to buy specialty needle pullers or grips when the solution is already sitting in your drawer.

Old sewing wisdom often focused on making do with what you had, and this trick is a perfect example. It saves time, effort, and frustration while keeping the process approachable and accessible.

Bonus. More Time Honored Sewing Secrets

While we are sharing classic wisdom, here are two more grandmother approved sewing tricks that continue to work beautifully today.

🕯️ Wax Your Thread

Before you begin sewing, run your thread across a block of beeswax or even an old candle. This simple step strengthens the thread and smooths its surface. Waxed thread is far less likely to tangle, knot, or fray while you sew. It also glides through fabric more easily, making stitches neater and more consistent. This trick is especially helpful for hand sewing, embroidery, and quilting.

🧼 Use Soap as a Fabric Marker

Instead of buying specialty fabric markers or chalk, reach for a dry bar of plain white soap. Lightly draw your lines directly on the fabric. The marks are faint but precise, making them perfect for hems, darts, button placement, or cutting guides. Best of all, the soap washes out completely with water and leaves no stains behind. It is simple, inexpensive, and surprisingly accurate.

The Bottom Line. Simplicity Is Genius

That little hole in a safety pin is not a design accident. It represents generations of practical knowledge passed down through hands that stitched, mended, and repaired with care. Sometimes the most brilliant tools are not shiny or new. They are the ones that have quietly done their job for decades.

So the next time you reach for a safety pin, pause for a moment. You are not just holding a fastener. You are holding a small piece of sewing history and a reminder that ingenuity often lives in the simplest places.

The best hacks are not invented. They are inherited.

Did you know this trick already? Do you have a sewing secret of your own? Share it and keep these traditions alive, one stitch at a time. 🪡✨