Question on Flower Head Pins
 

Back when I started quilting, 15 years ago, I bought the flower head pins. They were nice and sharp and went through the fabric easily. I bought several packages recently and find them to be very dull and can barely go through the fabric. Has anyone else experienced this? Are the thin, sharp ones still available? If so, any idea where I can get them?

Do you know what brand you bought? I purchased Clover brand and like them.

there are a few different brands of flower head pins- my clover flower head pins are nice & sharp, thin shafts- good pins- the ones my hubby picked up as a stocking stuffer @ hobby lobby are dull (round tips) and much heavier/thicker- they are also shorter than the ones I've been using- so, not all are created equal- look for a good brand and read the description- I've noticed the descriptions do tell if they are fine/sharp pins or round tip or heavy; the package also tells the size/length of the pins.

I also use the Clover. They cost more but are made in Japan and very good quality. Another really nice feature to them is that one side is light blue and the reverse side is darker blue. Makes it really easy to see them against either light or dark fabric if you put the "right" side up. I got mine at JoAnn with a coupon or when they put their quilting notions on sale.

I have bought regular stick pins and had the same problem. Don't remember the name of the brand.
I bought Clover flower head pins and they are nice and sharp.

The Clover brand are the sharpest...I have tried another kind but not nearly as sharp.

I've some that were purchased in a little tin box from a quilt shop. Great pins but unsure of the brand. So I went to Joanns and bought a package of Clover pins. Horrible pins! It felt like I was trying to push sandpaper sticks through my fabric. I wish I could find more of the little pins in a tin box.

F&P used to sell them in a tin, but i am not seeing them on their website now. I have some long ones, not flowerhead, from them that were in a tin, and they're viciously sharp. In fact, DH was vacuuming one day and kept getting poked in the leg, so he finally discovered that a pin was sticking out through the vacuum hose. Given how thin and bendy they are, the point must have been sharp indeed.

hugs,
Charlotte

I also second the Clover pins. They have 2 types: quilting and patchwork, both very sharp and thin. The quilting ones are longer and .05 mm thick, the piecing are shorter (like dressmaker length) and are .04mm.
Clover also makes flower head pins, which I suspect are pretty good. What brand did you buy recently?

I don't care for flower head pins. I bought Clover Patchwork Pins Fine. They are the best pins for piecing I have found. I tend to press most of my seams open. These pins are so fine I can put one in each side of the seam I have matched and with a small stitch length and going slow I can sew right over them. If I do hit one they are so fine they just bend and don't hurt the needle at all.