Quiltingboard Forums - My least favorite thing.....

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I used the quilting safety pins once and only once on my first quilt. It was a disaster! Since then I use straight pins and only pin the seam or area I am quilting. Then I press and smooth the next area and straight pin that and so on... It works for me and I don't break my fingers with those darn curved safety pins anymore!
My advice - try a couple of different methods and settle on the one that works best for you.

I only had 2 good grapefruit spoons and didn't want to use them for quilting so had a extra cheapie teaspoon that I didn't need. Had hubby file little tiny grooves in the spoon part on each side. Now I use it for when I pin the quilts but I pin them on a table so I have a hard surface underneath. Just an idea. Sure saves fingers.

When I do pin a quilt, which is more rare these days, I use a tool my son made me when I first started pinning. It is a small, old screwdriver that he filed a groove in. Works great and saves my fingers.

I put an old cutting board under my quilt sandwich and find the larger, curved safety pin pops right back up through the quilt for easy closing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidwent

As a newbie, of course everything on my quilt is new. I am now basting the quilt with those *insert expletive here* pins!!! I hate it Especially with my fat fingers!
I saw a tute when I first joined this board on you tube and this lady had a tool that looked like a wooden screwdriver, but instead of a blade on the end it had grooves that when she pushed the pins through caught a groove and she closed it right up. I didn't think much of it at the time but would I love one now!!
Yes I am working on my quilt on Christmas...told ya I am hooked! LOL
David

I agree with you about the safety pins. But I thought about one of those tools and decided it was just another thing to put down and pick up. I have a large 60x80 table I do my pinning on and I get more exercising walking around and around going after the pin pot on the other side of the table, one of those tools would give me twice the exercise because it would never be where I was standing. :roll: :lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mkotch

I put an old cutting board under my quilt sandwich and find the larger, curved safety pin pops right back up through the quilt for easy closing.

I thought about those curved pins, but since I have about 60,000 pins already I hesitated on buying more only to have the 60,000 go into retirement in some drawer.

I use a grapefruit spoon to close my pins, OR in a pinch one of those plastic knives that have serrated edge. Works like a charm, the serrated edge holds the pin head while I close the pin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by katier825

I hate pins! Love the spray baste. If you haven't tried it, give it a shot. You may never go back to pins. :)

Amen, Sister!! This works amazingly!

I just use a small size crochet hook. Works like a charm.:-)

I love the Kwik Klip. it really saves on the fingers. Just ask my DSIL who did not have one until I got her one for Christmas. It costs about $5 with coupon from Joann's. Well worth the money. Also not hard to use. Sure you need to pick up and put down but you need to smooth quilt betweening pinning anyways.