I always remove them!!

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! [u]DO NOT under any circumstances sew over the pins. They have been know to break and could possibly fly up in the face.

Also, a lot of pins are bent and have to be replaced.

Please, please be careful.

Thanks everyone, I've ended up with a few "L" shaped pins. I need to either start squaring up after each step or pull them out right before I sew over them. For you talented quilters how do you not pin and end up with nice seams?
This is part of my D9P. It doens't lay completely flat (and I believe it is because i'm stretching my blocks when I iron). I pin it to death and still it ends up "wonky" (haha. learned that word on this board).

I have something dark behind my fabric. That is why it looks that way. I used my scanner.

have you tried a little spray starch before ironing. And, don't iron it to death. Just press. There is a difference in ironing and pressing. Let the starch dry really well before pressing.

I remove mine. I just slow my machine down a bit so I can grab the pin.

You might want to try "true-ing" blocks to size and shape before sewing them together. Sharon Schamber has videos on http://www.youtube.com that demonstrate how to either shrink or stretch a block to size. If you do that, your blocks will no longer be wonky and your top will lie flat of its own accord.

It does sound as if you are stretching the blocks out of shape when you iron. Also, unless a pattern is very complicated (involving arcs or circles), it's usually unnecessary to pin a lot to achieve sewing accuracy. It sounds as if you may be stretching your blocks out of shape when you iron.

Mom said I could sew over the pins if I went really slowly...that was when I was 8.

Last year when I bought my Bernina...the techie said..NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER to sew over pins......so I try to take them out before I get to them now.

One thing to remember, when we were in Home Ec, pins were made much stronger back then. They were made from a high percent metal not the diluted alloy most are made from now. Pins and machine needles will break and fly apart a lot easier now days.

I don't pin much except when I have to make sure my joints match or my points don't get buried. After reading this I will be more careful.