The selection of pins at Sewing Gem has certainly grown over the last few months so we thought it useful to cover some of the more specialist pins (and when to use them) in a Tips-on-Tuesday.
Currently we stock stretch, glass-head, ultra-fine, patchwork, flower-head, fork, silk, marbled-glass and applique pins. Hopefully we have you covered!
As with most things it's important to have the right tools for the job and this is definitely true when pinning. I can vividly remember using thick & not overly sharp pins with a delicate and slippery fabric, which was in all honestly, a bit of a nightmare. If only I knew then, what I know now. :)
Read on for Part 1 of all things pins... Part 2 to follow!
These are my go-to, everyday pin, thanks to my mum, who also uses them regularly. As the name suggests, these pins are designed for use with silk as they are quite fine with a sharp point, but they really do work well for all sorts of fabrics. (if I am working with a particularly heavy weight fabric, such as a denim, I would opt for a stronger pin.) I love silk pins as they just glide through most fabrics without leaving any marks. The fact that they have a glass head means they will not melt with the iron too. Example shown - Clover Silk Pins
The tip of these pins has a ball point rather than a sharp point which is what makes it great for working with knits, such as jersey. The ball point means it can slip between the continuous loops without causing breaking and damage to your fabric. This is your go to for working with knit and stretch fabrics, particularly if you're not a big fan of using clips. Example shown - Sewparts Stretch Pins
These look quite different to your average pin and that is because they are effectively two pins in one. This makes them perfect for using with slippery fabrics as the double pin holds them together more securely. This is also a great pin choice for pattern matching as it really works well to keep everything in place. Use the pin in key places (such as a design or stripe that need to meet) to make sure everything stays lined up! Example shown - Clover fork pins
These are the newest addition to the pin selection at Sewing Gem. They are actually made out of piano wire (how cool is that?!) meaning they really are ultra-fine and super flexible. It also means no broken needles when using them with a sewing machine. This is the pin you need if you are working with very, very fine and delicate fabric like a chiffon. Example - Bohin Ultra Fine
