If I'm sewing strips I pin parallel to the seam. If I'm matching seams, I pin perpendicular
to the seam line first, put a pin where the seam should match. THEN I pin parallel about an
inch from the needle and remove the pins that I put perpendicular. That way I don't have
any pins going under the needle. I know this may sound odd or a waste of time for but it
works for me. I starch my fabric heavily and this helps a lot with cutting and sewing accurately.