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Quick sewing tip: How to turn a fabric tube inside out without a tube turner

ByPetro Published Updated
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  • Place the fabric strip on the table, right side up.
  • Fold the fabric strip in half, wrong side out and press well.

  • Sew along the raw edges, using the seam allowance needed (for example, if you want a 1/4″  tube you need to sew 1/4″ away from the fold). Just make sure your straw will fit through that tube. If it doesn’t than you may want to wait a bit until I show you the method I use for making spaghetti straps which works for any super tiny tubes.

  • Sew one end of the strip perpendicular to the above seam (so the tube is now closed on one end).

  • Trim both seams as much as you can, going as close to the seam as possible without clipping through the seam (about 1/16″ away from the seam).
  • Grab the open end of the tube with one hand and a hard straw with the other.
  • Push the straw through the tube until it meets the sewn end.

  • Get the bamboo skewer and, using the blunt end, start pushing the sewn end inside the straw.

  • Push until the skewer goes out though the other side of the straw.

  • Grab this end with the opposite hand and the straw with the other hand then pull the skewer out, this way pulling the tube out, right side out.

  • Gran the tube from the sewn end and let the skewer slide out.

  • Smooth out the seam then press well.
  • And done! It all took you less than two minutes!

If you have other methods you like for turning a tube of fabric right side out I’d love to know so please leave a comment below. Thanks!

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How to turn a fabric tube inside out

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ABOUT PETRO

Hi, I’m Petro, author and founder of Easy Peasy Creative Ideas. Sewist, crafter, avid DIY-er, foodie, photographer, homemaker and mommy to one. I’m an expert at coming up with quick, clever sewing tips, recycling crafts and simple, easy recipes! You can find my ideas featured in reputable publications such as Country Living, Good House Keeping, Yahoo News, WikiHow, Shutterfly, Parade, Brit & Co and more. Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll stay for a while, get to know me better and come back another time. Stick around for real fun projects! Read more…

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13 Comments

  1. I’ve had good luck sewing a very narrow ribbon inside the fold, attaching it at the end by stitching across it. You have to be careful not to catch it in the seam along the length, but once you’re done you can just hold on to the stitched end and start pulling on the ribbon. It turns the tube right side out as it comes. Just make the tube longer than you need to so you can snip off the sewn end with the ribbon in it. I also have some very strong nylon string I use also.

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  2. Thank you for this tip, I was trying to turn a very thin strip with a safety pin and getting nowhere! This hack saved the day 😊

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  4. I ran across your post while having fits trying to pull a spaghetti strap right side out. I’m so glad I did! Your way is a great alternative to the safety pin method. However, as I was doing your step by step, I stuck a stainless steel straw through (as you instruct,) the end that has been sewn in and I just kept pushing it until the darn thing turned itself right side out! You need to try that next time. It’s even easier than your brilliant method.
    Thank you so much for sharing this!

    Reply

  5. Bless you for this instructional blog. Will definitely help in my attempts to making face masks. I’m a novice sewer And haven’t Touched a machine in about 40 years or so and I’m stepping up to answer their call to duty. Thank you sew much!!!

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    1. Hi Karen! Thanks so much for your kind comment! Masks are quite easy to sew, I’m sure you’ll have no issues! Happy sewing & stay safe! xoxo

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    1. It totally works, Jen! I had my share of struggles with fabric tubs and felt like I struck gold with this simple method! You’ll love it! Just make sure your straw is hard and it’s not wider than the final width of your tube.

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