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Owww! Pins!

I've been quilting-as-I-go for a while now on a horse-flavoured quilt for my sister.

Now, normally, I'm not a happy pinner, preferring to just buzz along and use my fingers to keep those layers together. However, with QAYG, you really either need a second set of fingers or a good set of stout quilting pins.

'kay. So, with all these pins lurking in my work, you should see me poor little handies! They're all pricked and scratched from those pesky pins! Poor me!

A bit slow on the uptake, I finally realised that, when you pin, it only takes one little extra push to bury the point of the pin in the batting. This means that a) it won't stick itself into my precious flesh and b) it won't catch on the front of the footplate as I sew.

DUH!

My question is: did everybody already know this small factoid or have I just made a fabulous discovery???

Reply to
Trish Brown
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Trish - when pinning a quilt (or any part of it) for quilting, it is more usual to use safety pins - not giant baby nappy pins, but small ones. You can get them slightly curved, which makes it easier to get them back out again when you have pushed them in. Some people use a small gadget to close them again - to save wear and tear on finger tips. I've never used one, but I am so slow making my quilts that I don't quilt very many in any one year (none for two years with my current project!!). If you do decide to buy a 'bag' of safety pins, do be sure to try the points. I once bought a bag of pins that were so blunt it hurt my fingers to even push them in, let alone through a bit and up again. You can get brass ones which will be less liable to damage fabric by rusting (if they are left in a long time). You can also get them in varying 'thicknesses' - the finer the pin, the smaller the hole. Burying the point of the pin in the batting is fine, until it moves with all the movement of what you are quilting. So, do still be careful. . In message , Trish Brown writes

Reply to
Pat S

Thanks, Pat. I've actually got some safety pins, but haven't been brave enough to use them yet. I like to hand-baste to within an inch of my life, usually! LOL! It never occurred to me that safety pins might be good for QAYG. I'll give 'em a try tomorrow! I'm *so* heartily sick of catching the edge of my thumb as the pins come up and over the flatbed of my machine. ;D

Reply to
Trish Brown

When pinning a quilt together I use Thimble-It to protect my left index finger. If you don't have that wrapping s few layers of masking tape around your finger tip will do the trick as well.

Reply to
larchie

I use pins like you Trish and I do QAYG. But I have found this terrific little gadget called pinmoor; it's a silicon plug that slips onto the point of the pin and therefore prevents the pin from falling out and your fingers from getting sore. Great little discovery. No affiliation and so on.

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I love them!

Claudia

Reply to
Claudia

pin and therefore prevents the pin from falling out and your fingers from getting sore. Great little discovery. No affiliation and so on.

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Aha! Very interesting! Thanks for the link, Claudia ;D

Reply to
Trish Brown

Thanks. Looks like just the thing for poor arthritic fingers. I just ordered some. Gen .

Reply to
Gen

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