On my first few quilts I used the quilting pins (long ones with the flat yellow heads), but after getting stuck by them MANY times while quilting I quickly changed to a different methodology. I got some large safety pins (#2s, I think), and they were a great improvement. But they were the straight ones, so distorted the fabric some. I then got some of the large curved safety pins, and they're great. It is MUCH easier to pin the fabric since they curve in to gather the layers as you insert them and they don't distort the layers near as much as the straight safety pins.