A Sharp Question: Tailor's Pins. Which Ones to Choose?

Personally, I've always used only two types of pins, that's just how it happened. And imagine my surprise when I found out (for once!) that there are many more varieties 🙃 Sharing the information )

1. The most popular type: sharp, medium length, with colorful plastic heads.

I only used these for a long time, until one day the bright red heads bled onto my embroidery in the sun. Since then, I don't buy them anymore. Only ones with glass heads, like in the photo below.

2. Pins with a blunt tip.

Very similar to option 1, but it's impossible to prick yourself with them. They are perfect for knitwear because they don't tear the fibers, but simply push them aside.

3. Pin marks disappear from almost any material, if not immediately, then certainly after washing and ironing. However, with delicate fabrics like natural silk, a problem can arise in the form of "permanent" holes. For these cases, extra-fine pins are recommended: they leave minimal marks behind.

4. Quilting pins. They are very long—almost one and a half times longer than regular ones. For comparison, they are number 5 in the picture. The increased length allows you to fasten several layers of fabric together at once, for example, with batting. For patchwork, such pins are also the most convenient.

5. T-pins. They are indispensable for those makers who sew outerwear from heavy, dense fabrics—regular needles might simply not withstand the weight of the garment.

6. Pleating pins. They are thin, very strong, and look like miniature nails—they have a distinct flat head at the end.

7. Appliqué pins. Their main feature is their small length, no more than 2 cm. Such short needles hold the decorative fragment well without getting in the way of the main stitching.

8. Flat pins. Everyone has definitely seen these ) They are very recognizable thanks to their characteristic loop. They are used during cutting and fitting much more often than pins with a round head—the flat loop ensures a more precise fit and seam between fabrics.

I hope this info was useful 🙂