Types of Sewing Pins Explained: Which to Use When

Pins are the small, easy-to-overlook tools that hold sewing projects together. Most home sewers use the same generic pins for every project — the box of mixed plastic-head pins they got with their starter kit. That works for casual sewing, but the pins you use affect your results: a pin too thick distorts fine fabric; a pin too short fails to hold heavy fabric; the wrong head type catches on the iron during pressing.

This guide explains the main pin types, their best uses, and what to add to your kit as you tackle more demanding fabrics.

What pins do

A pin holds two pieces of fabric together temporarily, before sewing or during fitting. Common uses:

• Holding seams in alignment before machine sewing.
• Pinning patterns to fabric before cutting.
• Marking fitting adjustments during muslin work.
• Holding pleats, gathers, and folds in place.
• Pinning during pressing (some types only — see below).

A good pin is sharp enough to enter fabric without distortion, slim enough not to leave holes, and long enough to hold the layers without slipping.

The main pin types

Glass-head pins

Pins with small spherical glass heads. The standard upgrade from generic plastic-head pins.

Length: 4–5 cm. Diameter: 0.5–0.8 mm.

Pros

• Heat-resistant glass heads can be ironed over without melting.
• Precise pointed tips; minimal fabric distortion.
• Available in fine variants for delicate fabrics.
• Visible against most fabrics.

Cons

• More expensive than plastic-head pins.
• Glass head can chip if dropped on hard floor.

Recommended brands

• Clover Glass Head Pins: long, thin, sharp. The standard recommendation.
• Dritz Extra-Fine Glass-Head Pins: very fine, suitable for fine cottons and silks.

Glass-head pins are the default upgrade from beginner kit pins. For most home sewers, this is the only type they need.

Plastic-head pins (ball-head pins)

The standard pins from most beginner kits. Pins with small plastic balls on the end.

Length: 3–4 cm. Diameter: 0.5–0.7 mm.

Pros

• Cheap.
• Visible heads.
• Available in bulk.

Cons

• The plastic head melts if touched by an iron.
• Often slightly thicker than glass-head pins.
• Quality varies dramatically; cheaper sets are dull and snag fabric.

Recommended

• Dritz Quilting Pins (plastic-head): solid mid-range option.
• Singer Plastic Head Pins: budget option.

Plastic-head pins are fine for general sewing and pinning patterns but should be removed before pressing. For most projects, glass-head is preferable.

Silk pins

Very fine pins designed for silk and other delicate fabrics.

Length: 3.5–4 cm. Diameter: 0.4–0.5 mm.

Pros

• Extremely fine; minimal fabric distortion.
• Sharp points for clean entry.
• Won’t leave noticeable holes in delicate fabric.

Cons

• Easy to lose (small heads, fine bodies).
• Bend under pressure; not for heavy fabric.
• More expensive per pin.

Recommended

• Clover Silk Pins: gold standard for fine fabric work.
• Dritz Super Fine Silk Pins: more affordable option.

Silk pins are essential for serious silk work. Otherwise, a small box can sit in your kit until needed.

Quilting pins

Longer pins for holding multiple layers of fabric together (typical for quilts).

Length: 5–6 cm. Diameter: 0.7–0.9 mm.

Pros

• Long enough to hold thick layers.
• Often have larger heads for visibility.
• Designed for repeated pinning of the same project.

Cons

• Too long for fine fabric work.
• Visible at every distance.

Recommended

• Dritz Quilting Pins: standard option.
• Clover Quilting Pins: longer with brightly-coloured plastic heads.

Quilters need these. Garment sewers can usually use glass-head pins instead.

T-pins (tag pins)

T-shaped metal pins with a flat horizontal top.

Length: 4–5 cm. Diameter: 0.7 mm or thicker.

Pros

• Very stable in fabric (can’t slip out).
• Excellent for pinning to a surface (e.g., pinning fabric to a fitting wall).
• Reusable indefinitely.

Cons

• Bulky.
• Too rigid for fine fabric.
• Specialty use; not a daily pin.

Recommended

• Dritz T-Pins: standard option.

Useful for pin-fitting on a dress form, holding fabric on a fitting wall, or for working with vinyl/leather. Most home sewers can skip these.

Fork pins

Thin pins with two prongs (rather than a single shaft) bent in a U-shape.

Length: 3–4 cm. Diameter: very fine prongs.

Pros

• Two prongs distribute holding force; less fabric distortion.
• Excellent for matching plaids and stripes (more on this below).
• Can be left in during sewing without causing puckering.

Cons

• Specialty use.
• More expensive.

Recommended

• Clover Fork Pins: the most-recommended brand.

Fork pins shine for pattern matching. See our pattern matching guide for context.

Flat-head (flower) pins

Pins with flat plastic heads shaped like flowers, hearts, or other decorative shapes.

Length: 4–5 cm. Diameter: 0.5–0.6 mm.

Pros

• Heads lie completely flat; rotary cutter can roll over them safely (a benefit for quilters).
• Decorative.
• Easy to pick up.

Cons

• Heads can melt if touched by an iron (depending on plastic).
• Slightly bulky for delicate fabric.

Recommended

• Clover Flower Head Pins: standard option.
• Dritz Long Flower Head Pins: longer variant.

Particularly popular among quilters who use rotary cutters. The flat heads don’t catch on the cutter.

Specialty pins

Several less-common types for specific situations:

• Magnetic pins: pins with magnetic heads that cling to a magnetic pin holder. Useful for organisation but not technically different in function.
• Curved pins: bent pins for binding work. Specialty.
• Sequin pins (or “lill pins”): very short pins for holding small embellishments. Specialty.

Choosing pins by fabric

Fabric type	Recommended pin
Silk and other fine wovens	Silk pins or extra-fine glass-head
Cotton lawn, batiste	Extra-fine glass-head
Quilting cotton	Standard glass-head
Linen	Standard glass-head
Knits (lightweight)	Ball-point glass-head (special variant)
Knits (heavy)	Long quilting pins or T-pins
Denim	Quilting pins
Wool	Glass-head or quilting
Vinyl/leather	T-pins or “wonder clips” instead
Velvet	Silk pins (in seam allowance only)
Sheers (chiffon)	Silk pins or fork pins

Pin care

Pins are consumables, but they last longer with care:

Storage

• Pin cushion: traditional cloth-stuffed cushion. The grit inside (often emery powder or steel wool) keeps pins sharp.
• Magnetic pin holder: pins cling to a magnetised disc. Easy to organise and pick up.
• Pin tomato (the classic): the cloth tomato pin cushion with a small strawberry attached (the strawberry is filled with emery for cleaning pins).

Avoid:

• Loose in a drawer (gets lost; bends).
• In a plastic bag (rusts in humid conditions).

Sharpening

Pins dull over time. The “strawberry” attached to traditional pin tomatoes is filled with emery powder — running a pin through the strawberry sharpens and cleans it.

For pins that have become noticeably dull, replace them. Pin sets are inexpensive enough that replacing 200 pins for $5 makes more sense than sharpening individually.

When to discard pins

• Visibly bent: bent pins distort fabric on every use. Discard.
• Dull or rough tip: catches and snags fabric. Discard.
• Rusty: rust transfers to fabric. Discard immediately.

A pile of “questionable” pins gradually accumulates. Periodically sort and discard ones that don’t pass inspection.

Pinning techniques

Pinning perpendicular to seams

Standard pinning method. The pin goes in perpendicular to the planned seam line, with the pin head on the side away from the machine.

Reasons:

• The presser foot can ride over a perpendicular pin without snagging (though don’t sew over pins; remove as you reach them).
• The pin holds layers in alignment without distorting them.

Pinning parallel to seams

Less common but useful for some applications:

• Holding gathers in place.
• Setting in a sleeve cap.
• Marking length adjustments.

The pin runs along (parallel to) the seam line. This pinning style is common in couture and tailoring.

How many pins to use

Rule of thumb: pin every 5–8 cm along a seam. More frequently for slippery fabric (every 3–5 cm), less frequently for fabric that holds itself well (every 10–15 cm).

For pattern matching at stripes and plaids, pin every 2–3 cm with fork pins for precision.

Removing pins before sewing

Don’t sew over pins. Modern machines mostly handle pins without disaster, but:

• The needle can break if it hits a pin.
• The pin can deflect into the throat plate, damaging it.
• The seam stitching wraps around the pin in unpredictable ways.

Remove pins as you sew, ideally just before they reach the needle.

Wonder Clips alternative

Wonder Clips (and similar plastic clips) are an alternative to pins for some applications:

• Holding multi-layer seams (vinyl, leather, heavy denim).
• Binding work where pins distort.
• Quilting layers where pins are slow to insert.

Clips don’t replace pins but supplement them. Most sewers use both.

Closing thought

Pins are a small line item in a sewing budget but a meaningful upgrade when you switch from generic kit pins to quality glass-head pins. The difference is most noticeable on fine fabric — where dull pins distort the weave — but applies across all sewing.

The recommended starter set: 100 glass-head pins ($8–15). Add silk pins ($10) if you sew with delicate fabric, fork pins ($10) if you do plaid matching, and T-pins ($8) if you work with a dress form. Total kit: under $50, lasts indefinitely with reasonable care.

For broader kit-building, see our essential sewing tools guide.