Vicki1212

I would like to know what other members do. I sew over mine but when I reach a pin, I take my foot off the peddle and turn my machine slowly by hand to guide it past the pin, which is a rather slow process. I have had a few 'mishaps' where my brains message to "stop sewing!" hasn't reached my foot in time and I've hit a pin but fortunately no damage was done to my machine. The reason I don't remove my pins is because my fabric moves slightly as I go and I find it very difficult to get my seams to line up perfectly. What does everyone else do? Is there a method to speed up the piecing process but still keep seams perfect aligned?

NJ Quilter

I'm one of those bad people who sew over pins all the time. I do slow down but not to the degree you mention. Yes, I've hit a pin or 6 in my lifetime but suppose I have been very lucky that I have never done serious damage to any of my machines.

MarionsQuilts

I sew over them all the time too LOL ... And, I don't usually slow down, never had any problems (knock on wood)

annie123

No I don't sew over pins. I pin from the bottom far enough down that the tip of the pin is not in the seam.

Mitty

I remove pins when they're right in front of the foot, or sometimes already under the foot but before they get to the needle. By that time there's not much left to slip. Besides eliminating the risk of hitting a pin, it also means that when I'm done sewing I don't have any stray pins left in that I haven't noticed.

Sometimes when I don't pin but need to keep seams aligned, I just pinch it with my fingers until I get to that spot. When the fabric is really bulky, the pin itself can warp it, and pinching it works better for me.

Fabric clips might be something to consider. I have some and use them occasionally, and they work pretty good for some things.

quilterpurpledog

I try to never sew over pins because of all the possibilities of accidents happening. It can severely damage a machine-especially a computerized machine. The needle can break in more than one place and send a shard into the bobbin area and cause really expensive repair. Most significant is the possibility of flying up into your eye. So please, stitch up to the pin but not over it. If you have stitched the sections of your blocks accurately they will nest easily together. If you think you must have the pins for accuracy you are generally trying to 'make' something fit by distorting it by stretching or working in extra fullness. In either case the distortion will remain after taking out the pins. Be safe!

Jingle

Sometimes I remove them, sometimes I sew other them. If they are holding a intersection I sew over them, otherwise I remove them.

grammy Dwynn

I REMOVE the pins before sewing over. I was taught this when much younger and also heard the stories of breaking and flying into your eye.

Jackie Spencer

I pin alot, but my pins are back away from the 1/4 inch sewing line, I would never sew over them, as I have a computerized machine, and you can do alot of damage that way!

piker6ca

Ok
New quilter question .
Your saying you sew over pins?
I,d love to do that saves my fabric from moving a little .
Are we just talking about normal straight pins?
Thanks
Tom