3 Reasons Why You Should Ditch the Pins

Okay, here we go.  I'm going to try my hardest to convince you that sewing with pins actually hinders you and your sewing abilities rather than aiding you.  Hard to believe, I know, but please hear me out.

Way back when I was accepted into a sought after fashion program, I marched into a fancy sewing store and splurged on the prettiest box of pins I could find.  I was going to learn epic sewing and pattern drafting stuff so only the best in sewing pins was going to do. 

Fast forward to my first day in the sewing lab.   Sitting in front of an industrial sewing machine (read: SO fast and intimidating!), I had my trusty pins on full display.  After glancing at the room full of new and eager students the instructor, with his accent, said this: "You'll be learning industrial sewing techniques in this class.  There are no pins allowed in this program". 

OMG!  Seriously?!!  How on earth am I going to sew anything, yet alone sew it WELL (read: straight) without pins holding it all together?!  The panic was real.  The students went pale.  I'm sure many of us wondered if we chose the wrong program.  I quietly put my pins away, took a deep breath and learned to sew without pins and never looked back.  And so can you!

So why ditch the pin?  Here are my top 3 reasons:

1. Pins restrict the fabrics' natural movement:

• Each fabric has it's own unique characteristic and behavior.  Pins restrict that behavior and rarely allow you to learn how the fabric moves.
• Think of your fabric as a dancer.  Now imagine putting that dancer in harnesses and crutches as it learns a new move.  It just won't work. 

2. Pins slows you down:

• I know that the tendency is to think that if only you pin and clip together the seams you're about to sew you can sew it quicker.  But the fact is, you waste A LOT of time pinning.
• Then there is the hazard of sewing through pins and the wear and tear on your machine as well as the sewing needle as it tries to navigate the pins.

3. Pins hinder your skills/learning:

• Your craft is sewing and to do your craft very well you must learn the properties and behavior of the medium you're working with which is your fabric.

So how do you release the pins once and for all?  Start small.  Start with short and straight seams like a shoulder seam.  Work with your notches.  They are your guide posts for sewing without pins (yup, that's a blog in the making).  You can do this! 

Tell me about your journey to a pin less sewing project ❤️

~Joanna