Is the top a batik, because they are so closely woven it is best to use very fine pins. Many of the extra long , quilters pins will leave a hole in a batik.
One way to know is if you are feeling resitance and is hard to push the pin through the fabric, you are using a pin that is too big. I've some that it felt like driving nails into the fabric. .. I tossed those.

Bingo. Definitely a problem I'm having with these pins. The top is only regular cotton fabric, nothing special. But I'll find smaller pins (hopefully tomorrow night!).