Oh I like your idea Zinda, I often see bags/kits of those alphabet beads at the thrift store. Sometimes the kits might even work for me to hold the finished product. I'm thinking of using the diaper sized safety pins with a little jewelry ring through the number/letter beads through the round spring of the safety pin.
Never would have thought of this without you, and right now I'm working with some hand dyed fabric and really appreciating the organizational aspects of a basting pin right now.