... I decided to piece all HSTs, QSTs, and the resulting block without using one pin today.
Seriously, not all the points were this good but I can honestly say that they were no worse than if I had diligently pinned. Pure luck or years of wasted time pinning? That is the question.
I was wondering something similar the other day. I concluded that one does just get better at lining stuff up and sewing it together. What have you decided.
I think I pinned my first block, and then was like, uh, I'm not wasting my time with this business. I can hold it in place just as well as a pin can. I think you've qualified to toss the pins aside and sew forth without them!
I do this sometimes, too! I am working on a quilt for my nephew and didn't pin hardly anything when I was sewing it together, and I had the same results that you had… no better or worse than if I had pinned the whole thing. I think it helped knowing that it will be going to a 9 year old and he will hardly be critical of my points :)
I think maybe the years of pinning trained your hands and eyes to recognize correct placement. I no longer pin either unless I'm sewing long rows of piecing together. I do better trusting my hands and eyes than trusting the pins.
Hi! I read your post before spending the day with sewing friends. I've been making different blocks using HSTs and flying geese as the main components. I did use pins to try and match up the points but I think the most important thing I did was to trim each HST and flying geese unit before putting them together to make the blocks. Is making sure the pieces are trimmed to fit more important than pinning?
I think it's the fabric. Some fabrics (Art Gallery) just work better if I pin with my Pfaff. Other's (maybe with a bit more texture) just slide through. Unstitching is no fun so I'm usually a pinner because I have overall better luck with pins.
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I never pin unless it's a zip!
ReplyDeleteI hate pinning and avoid it wherever possible.
ReplyDeleteI love pinning, wouldn't be without it!
ReplyDeletenever pin.... hate it!
ReplyDeleteRarely pin. Out if it needs a bit of fudging
ReplyDeleteOnly!
ReplyDeleteI pin if it is a long seam.
ReplyDeletePractice and experience! and a little natural talent...
ReplyDeleteOnly one way to find out: stop pinning and wait to see if disaster materializes!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering something similar the other day. I concluded that one does just get better at lining stuff up and sewing it together. What have you decided.
ReplyDeleteI think I pinned my first block, and then was like, uh, I'm not wasting my time with this business. I can hold it in place just as well as a pin can. I think you've qualified to toss the pins aside and sew forth without them!
ReplyDeleteI do this sometimes, too! I am working on a quilt for my nephew and didn't pin hardly anything when I was sewing it together, and I had the same results that you had… no better or worse than if I had pinned the whole thing. I think it helped knowing that it will be going to a 9 year old and he will hardly be critical of my points :)
ReplyDeleteI only pin tricky stuff, or when I'm not confident seams between blocks will match and I have to be a bit creative with the seam allowances...
ReplyDeleteI think maybe the years of pinning trained your hands and eyes to recognize correct placement. I no longer pin either unless I'm sewing long rows of piecing together. I do better trusting my hands and eyes than trusting the pins.
ReplyDeleteHi! I read your post before spending the day with sewing friends. I've been making different blocks using HSTs and flying geese as the main components. I did use pins to try and match up the points but I think the most important thing I did was to trim each HST and flying geese unit before putting them together to make the blocks. Is making sure the pieces are trimmed to fit more important than pinning?
ReplyDeleteHi I don't pin at all either. With certain zips I will but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteI think it's the fabric. Some fabrics (Art Gallery) just work better if I pin with my Pfaff. Other's (maybe with a bit more texture) just slide through. Unstitching is no fun so I'm usually a pinner because I have overall better luck with pins.
ReplyDeleteI only use pins when i have a million and one seams to line up, otherwise way too lazy!
ReplyDelete