I use the yellow pins also!! I must be doing the right thing. I have tons of quiting safety pins but I don't like them. I use the spray for smaller projects, and I do like that.

I havent got as far as sandwiching yet - but have very nearly finished my first quilt top so should be attempting to sandwich later this week

I have bought both long straight pins with big white blobs on the top
and the curved special quilting pins

so I have found this thread fascinating - I have no doubt I will be letting you all know at some point how I have got on :)

I also use the ones with the yellow balls. I really like them.

I use the curved safety pins, too. I don't always close the safety pins. I like to use them on projects that I know are going to take me a while. I can close them and know one of the kids won't get poked (or take them out!) while they're (the project--not the kids! LOL!) sitting around waiting to be finished.

Well I use the yellow ones too. But as I am learning on my third quilt, I didn't use enough, I do have some puckers....OMG
But, I am finishing it and am awaiting Christmas and will ask santa for a long arm machine. I have been quilting the bloody thing for a week and it is stillnot finished.
I should have used more pins. I did get a walking foot which really really helped with the "in the ditch", but so many little squares...ugh.
I love piecing.

I think the pins are a preference to each different person. I have a friend that DOES NOT use pins. She bastes it all together, then ties or quilts it. She says that is the way she was taught. I guess we do what we are used to, huh? :)

MPspeedy--I'm so glad to hear you use pins for hand quilting too! I just HATE that whole basting process! I've never tried pinning for hand quilting, but I'll try it on my next project--guess I just needed permission!

I knew a quilter once that had the neetest gadget for closing her safety pins. It was a small piece of a dowel with a screw in the end of it. She used this little gadget toclose all her pins when basting.
I use basting spray and a few pins only hand baste with thread as a last resort.

I use the curved safety pins with the grooved thingamajig to close the pins. So quick and easy. They really secure a large quilt as you fluff and stuff it through a domestic machine.

I use curved safety pins, but I also use Quilters Delight pin covers and a Kwik Klip tool. You can pin for hours without getting sore fingers. Also, with the covers on the pins, they no longer get tangled together. Does anyone else use them? You can check them out at -

http://www.patchworks.com/fingertips.htm