they are not silly questions at all.
if straight pins are all that you have, you certainly can use them. however, they could fall out or you can seriously jab yourself with them. curved safety pins for quilters is the best choice. i'd found mine at walmart.
to make things evenly spaced and straight, you should mark your quilt top. you can use washable Crayola markers, or i sometimes just use a sliver of soap. there are also other markers ... just read the package to make sure it is the method you want to use because afterwards, you'll have to remove the marks.
keep us updated on how you do.
and welcome to the board.