How to Install Drawstring Elastic

I have only seen instructions for drawstring elastic which include the following concept: Make two (or one) buttonholes in the center front. After the elastic is installed, pull the draw cord out, cut it, and tie a knot in the ends of the cord.

Well, that is NOT how I do it. Kids like to untie things and cut them off (OK, not all kids).

I press the center front seam open, and topstitch around the seam at the place where I'm going to rip the seam open. This will be on the inside after the elastic is turned to the inside. A loop is made of the elastic, and the elastic is stitched on "Stretch&Sew" style. This means quartering the elastic, pinning the elastic to the inside edge of the waist with the quarter marks at the seams and also at half-way marks in-between, and stitching together with a large zig-zag stitch.

The elastic is turned to the inside, and pinned down at the seams and at half-way intervals. The elastic may be top-stitched at the lower edge from the inside or the outside, using medium zig-zag stitches for knit fabrics or straight stitches for woven fabrics.

The draw cord is pulled through to the inside. Yes, it is possible to tie this. The pulled-out loop is stretched out by using one finger of each hand, pulling away from each other. These two "loops" are then tied together.