Never. You could damage your machine mechanism besides breaking a needle.

Never sew over your pins if you can help it, especially if your machine is computerized. If you should hit one of the pins it could cause your machine to go out of time and be an expensive repair. Of course that's just me. gl Emily

My mother taught me that it is ok to sew over pins but, recently, we had a thread on the Berninathirtysomethings site on the very subject. It's all been said here - potential damage to eyes, broken needles and severe expensive damage to machine. I for one am no longer sewing over pins. And don't you find that keeping pins in distorts the seam too?

NEVER! I love my Edith Ann (janome 6600)to much to hurt her!

I try very hard not to seww over them. I sew with an old singer and love it. Its not like you can just go out and buy one like it. I have lots of singers but the I sew with is my "baby".
Judy in Ohio

My machine is a 35 yr old workhorse that came with a foot designed to sew over pins. If I am sewing clothing, I do run over the pins, but not if I am quilting....it can distort the seam slightly, and I don't need that. :)

Patti

Guess I am the bad girl of the bunch! I sew over pins all the time with my Bernina. I like to make Irish Chains and to keep my seams going in the correct direction, I use pins, but they are the very fine silk pins, and I slow the machine down and sew very slowly over the seam intersections. I don't always use pins, but I do like to make sure my intersections come out perfectly and they help.

I did break a pin once and it was the large quilting pin with the yellow plastic head. I always thought they were too thick but was concerned about the silk pins getting lost in the quilt, but since I press seams right after sewing them, I have not lost a pin, nor have I broken one.

I used to make lots of clothing with my sewing machine and always kept the pins in (I learned to sew in the 60s). I don't know if I have just been lucky or more aware of the pins, but I have not had a problem.

Since I have been quilting, I do change machine needles more often than I used to, so I don't know if this is one of the reasons I miss the pins or not, but so far, so good.

Yes, I do lots of sewing without pins too, especially when I am chain piecing.

Diane

Now I think teachers insist on removing the pins as you get to them. When I learned to sew 50 years ago we always sewed over them. I did that for years. I guess too many hit/bent pins changed my habits. I try to remove them as I go along. I don't have an electronic machine, just the old mechanical ones.

i never go over them anymore after having the experiance of running one over sure made me slow down and pull them out!!

No - I've broken needles AND pins - and had a pin fly up. I don't wear glasses, and I was just plain lucky that the broken pin didn't put my eye out! Never again. Both the machine and I are too precious!