Here’s how it works:


When you’re sewing by hand — especially in a pinch — you don’t always have a knot ready, or the fabric is too thick to pull the thread through easily.


So what do you do?


You thread the needle, then hook the end of the thread through the hole before pushing the pin through the fabric.


The hole holds the thread in place, so:


You don’t lose the end

You don’t have to knot it

You can pull the pin through like a tiny, metal needle driver

It’s like a built-in thread guide — perfect for:


Emergency repairs

Sewing in tight spaces

Hemming pants on the go

Crafting with thick or slippery thread

And yes — this was intentional.


🛠️ How to Use the Hole Like a Pro

Step 1: Thread Your Needle

Pass thread through the eye of the needle

Leave a tail (no knot needed)

Step 2: Hook the Tail Through the Hole

Slide the loose end of the thread through the hole in the coil

This secures it

Step 3: Push the Pin Through the Fabric

Use the safety pin like a needle — push it through the material

The thread follows behind, held taut by the hole

Step 4: Pull and Stitch

Once through, pull the thread free from the hole

Continue stitching as normal

✅ Bonus: Great for threading elastic through waistbands or ribbons through hems.


🧪 A Little History: Who Invented This?

The modern safety pin was patented in 1849 by Walter Hunt, a New York inventor.


He didn’t just create it to pin things.

He designed it to be safe, reliable, and functional.


The coiled spring?


To keep it closed.

The clasp?

To cover the sharp end.

The hole in the coil?

To make it useful beyond pinning — especially for sewing and mending. 


Hunt sold the patent for $400.

He never got rich.

But his tiny invention changed everyday life.


🧰 Other Clever Uses for the Hole

Even if you’re not sewing, that hole is still useful:


Tie a ribbon or string

Use it to hang the pin or mark a spot

Attach a tag

Loop a label through the hole

Hold a second pin

Clip another pin through the hole for storage

Make a quick keychain

Thread a cord through and use it as a temporary keyring

Organize cords

Use it to bundle charging cables or earbuds


It’s not just a pin.

It’s a multi-tool.


🧠 Final Thoughts: Sometimes the Smartest Design Is the One You Never Noticed

We think innovation means apps, AI, and smart devices.


But some of the most brilliant ideas are hiding in plain sight.


Like the hole in a safety pin.


It’s not flashy.

It’s not high-tech.

It’s just perfectly practical.


And it’s been helping people fix, fasten, and survive since the 1800s.


So next time you grab a safety pin…


Don’t just close it.

Look at it.

See the hole.


Because sometimes, the difference between a simple tool and a brilliant one…


Isn’t in the point.


It’s in the loop.


And once you know its purpose?


You’ll wonder how you ever used one without using it fully.