So far I don't pin. :) Miss Handwork puts a tack stitch and knots it in place. Can you say ssssllllloooooowwwwwaaa? I know it's only worth it for this applecore--there are definitely pins in my future.

I guess I just lost the reply I typed (if not and first posts, sorry for duplicate). Because I started sewing in junior and senior high home economics classes and sewing mostly clothing, from all kinds of fabrics, I learned that it was important to baste pieces together. Pin and thread basting was recommended in many cases. Because I'm mostly lazy, I learned to skip the thread basting and just pin baste, using more when setting in sleeves or where easing was required. When I started quilting 5-6 years ago, the pin basting just seemed reasonable to do to hold and stabilize the pieces. Thus far, I've never had to resort to starch or sizing to keep fabric from stretching and I attribute that to good pinning and taking care to handle fabric as gently as possible. Pinning using regular sewing pins, thin and fairly short ones, at right angles to the seam all facing to right so I can easily remove the pin just before it would be fed under the foot works well for me.

Mostly it depends on the block I am making. For squares/rectangles - 4 patch, 9 patch, rail fence, etc. - I press the seams so that they will nestle together and they don't need pinning. If it's something like a lone star or triangles, I pin them.

If I am "good" and cut borders the correct length, I pin them so they don't stretch while sewing. I am really guilty of just making a long strip for a border, sewing it on, then cutting off the extra, instead of measuring and cutting the correct length. Consequently, I get ripply borders!

Donna

I don't pin a lot but when I do, I use a very thin glass head pin. But, my latest change has been fork pins. The two points are very sharp and work wonders on matching seams because it locks the seam allowance down on both sides at once. They've made my "intersections" spot on.

I have about 4 different kinds of pins sitting around on my table! I have long flower head pins: these are good for DD because she can see them and they move over my throat plate. Long, large ball head pins: I use these for pinning in my quilts to my frame. They cover lots of space and the thicker pins don't matter. Long glass head pins: these are nice and thin and don't matter when I iron over them, but I find they bend very easily. Small, 1" ball head pins: These I use the most now. But boy are they small when you drop them on the floor! And it's hard on arthritic hands!

As a general rule, I don't pin much. If there's a particular intersection that needs extra care or if I'm doing long rows where blocks need to align to each other or corner stones, then I pin.

I was taught in sewing classes to baste. Hated it then, and hate it now. LOL. So I usually pin when quilting and only baste when necessary. As for using pins, when I am sewing, with the ample seam allowance that allows, I get very lazy and usually work with minimum pinning without problems. It's a bad habit. Quilting with the necessity to have numerous exacting points, and narrow seam allowances, begs for at least pins.

So, I am using them more, even though it takes time to do it. I use a long, skinny, glass headed pin mostly, because I notice they usually sink into the sewing room carpet point down when they are dropped and are more visible. And my arthritic fingers can pick them out of a bin or cushion more easily. I always get them yellow, so my brain notices them easily.

I almost always pin when piecing. I pin all intersections and I pin the end of the seam. That helps keep the top from stretching past the bottom piece.
The only time I don't pin is sewing 4 patches, etc. where the seams are pressed so they nest together.
I place the pins so the heads are pointing to the right when I sew the seams. I can pull them out as I sew up to them. I don't like to sew over pins.
Linda OH

Fork pins sound like an excellent thing!

I use starch and pins. I bought a lot of straight pins when a quilt store went out of business. They bend so easy that I can't use them on quilt sandwiches (border, binding, etc.) but the are great for piecing.
I am making scrappy 9 patches and they are going together pretty good without too much pinning.
Pinning prevents me from using the ripper as much.
I agree, I'm looking into the fork pins!!!
Thanks Linda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rosa

I pin crucial intersections, especially when sewing entire rows together or adding borders. I hate wavy borders.

I find I can "finger-pin" a 4 patch intersection 99% of the time. If I have more pieces in the intersection, I use an actual pin.

I guess I'm lazy because I almost never pin blocks unless they are very complicated and don't think I've ever thread basted in my life! Yikes! Maybe I should start!
I am a committed ironer and nest intersections. Once I start sewing blocks together I do pin at the main intersections. That's about it though. Like I said: lazy.

Kate

I do believe in pinning, especially at the seam crossings. Even though the nestling is used, I pin anyway.
I have used many different sewing machines and found that a lot of the time the problem is the machine..... for feeding the bottom layer faster than the top. Thats why I love my "featherweight" so much, a nice even feed.

I am not a very good presser so I need to compensate by being an avid pinner. Anything more complicated than a four patch gets pinned at every intersection. Sometimes I will stitch a tricky intersection with a big stitch just to make sure it will work.

What interesting responses!

I want the fork pins!! I saw them when I ordered the small patchwork pins, but they were shown used instead of the safety pins.

I have a Pfaff with an attached small walking foot & I have sewn forever with one, so I take the even feed for granted-plaids match perfectly& easily if you cut your pattern is correctly.

I never thought to hand baste a difficult intersection. On this stack-n-whack, I followed Bethany Reynolds' directions explicitly on when to press seams open & when to press to one side, as well as when to cut off the bunny ears. She states this all helps to match & nest the intersections & points, which are every 5" in all directions. She was right.

Next to sewing, pressing is so rewarding to me. That's when you realize how good (or bad) your sewing is :) I think nicely pressed seams are essential for accuracy. I remember "pounding seams" in materials that you can't press because they were too thick or would melt -wools, leather, furs, upholstery,etc.