Can you sew over pins? This is a widely discussed topic. Some sewers will say yes and some will say never.
Can you Sew over Pins?
My thoughts – I say NO WAY! This is because when you sew over pins you risk:
- Damaging yourself with a broken needle point. You don’t have to look far for sewers who have ended up with a broken needle tip in the eye. Try googling it!
- Damaging your machine – If you hit a pin with the needle it can put the timing of your machine out which means a costly service bill.
Either scenario is not good.
Most of the time the needle will miss the pins or slip over them but it only takes one slip up to wish you had slowed down and removed those pins. I wrote this post as last week I hit a pin and it put the machine timing out causing it to need a service. Wasted money – if only I had been more careful!
Can you Sew over Pins: Alternatives
Ok so what about if you are in a hurry and must sew over pins?
- Make sure your pins are vertical (stitching out from the edge) and not horizontally placed. This way you are only sewing across the narrowest part of the pins.
- Use really fine pins with small heads. (Read types of pins)
- If you are wanting to leave the pins in the fabric due to a difficult curve or slippery fabric, consider hand basting instead. Hand basting with a simple running stitch. It really doesn’t take that long and can be a more secure way to hold your fabric.
Take a vote. Do you sew over pins? I’d be willing to bet it is about 50-50. But I could be wrong. Please share your thoughts.
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