Feeling silly about pins

[Tamnymore]

That's an interesting word. I know clootie (or cloot) as a Scots word for cloth and a clootie dumpling is a pudding boiled in a cloth so you are also correct @Nevis5 . But I didn't know clootie was the 

And while we're thinking about clooties or even cloots let me remind you not to cast a cloot till may is oot although plenty of cloots seem to be cast in this mini heatwave.

[Surest1tch]

I've been sewing for more years than I can remember, I qualified as a tailor and I'm still learning. I don't think anyone can claim to know everything about sewing and be honest. Keep learning and don't be embarrassed to ask, one of us will likely to have the answer you need

[Greybird]

I hadn't thought about it in connection with this, but for many things I am ambidextrous. I can't write with my left hand, but I can paint (windows, doors etc) with both hands and do quite a few other things. I can remove pins with either hand.

[Lizzy777]

I have always pinned my fabrics the same way and have only just realised partly thanks to @BrendaP on another thread, that I have been doing it wrong 
I always put the pins horizontally along the join / seam / fold and now know they should be at 90 degrees  How stupid I feel  No wonder I can never sew up to ( or even across ) them
I feel so utterly incompetent ( what else am I doing wrong???  ) and will never be a proper sewist 

I can't understand why you would think you are doing it wrong?  You can sew but if you keep telling yourself that you cannot sew then you won't? Many people are self taught from the beginning and learn to do more through experience and
from other people. You're not incompetent, please stop being so harsh on yourself. There's no right or wrong way when pinning. Whatever works for you is good.

Have a read of this, will help ...really

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2017/08/08/how-to-pin

lizzy

[datcat23]

It depends on what exactly you are doing too.  So, when I pin a pattern down, I pin parallel to the pattern edge, because I have nicked a pin with scissors and damaged the scissors in the process.  Some seams, I pin parallel (long straight seams for eg,), some I pin at 90deg (sleeve heads, gathering, tight curves etc), and some I do a mix of both.  As long as it does the job, nothing is actually "the wrong way". 

[Nevis5]

Oh in that case I'm actually not a clootie one at all I'm right handed!

Looks like @wrenkins was right, then @Francesca , it's me that's the devilish one 

[Sakar]

I feel so utterly incompetent ( what else am I doing wrong???

Is there a wrong??  I didn't know that either!! 

[BrendaP]

The only 'wrong' way to pin is if you are using something like pvc or a very fine silk that will retain the hole when the pin is removed.  For those fabrics you have to either stick the pin into the seam allowance or use clips.  Otherwise anything goes.

PS the other 'wrong' way to stick a pin is to get your finger, or any other part of your anatomy, stabbed by the point.

[wrenkins]

Yes clootie here means left handed.  My dad, my aunt, my cousin, my OH and his son...all clootie.
When I was sewing yesterday I tried the 'points out' approach with varying degrees of success. My pin cushion hangs on the right of my machine so I was like a points policeman, arm waving and crossing over myself. 
@BrendaP it doesn't matter what direction I put them, I still end up bleeding. 

[Ploshkin]

it doesn't matter what direction I put them, I still end up bleeding. 

I've managed on occasions to actually pin fabric to my skin (I don't have much feeling in my fingers).

[Gernella]

There are no rules. You can do it how you like.

I didn't know there was a right way either, @Lowena , I generally start by pinning the line marking the fabric line and go from there, and yes I generally finish up with blood.  The way I've found round that is to hold down with some cheap spanners I have (too mean to buy the proper tools).

[snoozi soozi]

Hmm sewing the 'right' way and the 'wrong' way. I took a few general dressmaking classes about three years ago after I'd already been fumbling around for a good year, with the intention of learning how to do things the 'right' way. Well it was a waste of time for me, we went through the most basic tasks which I already knew how to do - self-taught and plenty of common sense 

The lady teaching us was demo-ing something one day and although she showed us the correct procedure in theory, I do remember she got in a bit of a tizz and had to fudge around fitting it in place; hence I realised it's all part of the fun 

I no longer feel a failure when I have to bodge something 

[Lowena]

That's my trouble @snoozi soozi  I have no common sense or vision, and I am not a visual learner ( hence never posting pics  ) I need to be told one correct way to do something, step by step, like a recipe.... no deviation.
That's why I was horrified that I'd been putting pins in wrongly for years.

[Ploshkin]

That's why I was horrified that I'd been putting pins in wrongly for years.

@Lowena if it hasn't had a detrimental effect on the outcome then it's not wrong.
I was taught a method of pinning, for cutting out, with a logical (to me) explanation of why it was done that way so that is how I've continued to do it and that is how I teach others to do it.  That doesn't make it any more correct than another method though.

[Lowena]

You're right @Ploshkin but as I only do patchwork, patterns/ papers don't feature and whenever I have needed to pin 2 patches / shapes /rows together it's never worked properly because the machine hits the pins. This means I take them out prematurely and then it all goes wonky