My quilt shop sold me "T-pins" ... they are almost two inches long, and quite sturdy ... I use fabric leaders. It seems that the longer pin allows me to manipulate the pin through the layers without pinning myself in the process.
I think I read somewhere that if you are doing hand quilting, the longer the needle, the shorter the stitch you can take. I am thinking that is the process here ...
*disclaimer* I could be remembering something wrong <g>