The Sewing Place

Pins... and pincushions

Acorn

Re: Pins... and pincushions
« Reply #15 on: February 15, 2020, 14:37:37 PM »
Yes, but they might bend!
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Marniesews

Re: Pins... and pincushions
« Reply #16 on: February 15, 2020, 15:14:35 PM »
Since I started sewing dance wear I use a much greater variety of pin types than I used to.

I like glass headed pins, especially the fine, super-fine and extra-fine ones as they work so well with lycra & fancy ballroom fabrics. Mostly Prym, Dritz and Clover. I also like the long flower headed type (0.45mm) and haven't melted one yet as I angle them all in one direction into the ironing board to hold the item in place and use an organza pressing cloth (to see if I'm getting too near) applying the iron from the opposite direction. I like to keep them flat on the magnetic dish so they don't get bent sticking far out from the pincushion.

Fork pins are great for aligning crossing seams (I don't do a lot of pattern matching), a very specific use but worth it, always so satisfying when seams or stripes match up!

I bought ballpoint pins when I first started sewing lycra but find the fine pins are actually far better sliding smoothly into lycra without any damage whatsoever and organza, satin etc alike. The ballpoint pins were stuck back in their container years ago and not seen the light of day since.

I like the Liberty apple pincushion as I can organise my different pins for easy selection. The coloured ones around the top of the apple are older ones, shorter and thicker than the bigger groupings of white and red. The red are the finest (0.4mm), pretty sure the white are 0.5mm and good for thicker seams that might distort the others - also much less likely to slip into finger flesh before you know it.  :S  I use short silver bobble pins (sourced from shirts over the years) for quarter marks when matching lycra bands onto neck/arm/sleeve openings - easy to see but don't get in the way. Can't see them around the back of the pincushion.



And before anyone asks, no! I never stick anything into my little felted mouse.  ><
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Kwaaked

Re: Pins... and pincushions
« Reply #17 on: February 15, 2020, 21:45:50 PM »
Will silk pins still work if I'm working with denim?

Depends on the weight of the denim.  Generally, not really unless it's really light, but the balled ones do on most denim normal people use (12 oz and under).  For the heavier stuff, I use clips or dressmaker pins.

Addiscomber

Re: Pins... and pincushions
« Reply #18 on: February 16, 2020, 19:51:11 PM »
Another vote for Prym glass headed pins here, but I just use them from the box.

When I first started to sew in the early 60s I used much shorter, finer ones, whatever my mother used, but I prefer the longer Prym ones as I find it more difficult to see in electric light.