Sign up for 10% off your first order

Spend £85 for free shipping

Visit us - Make an Appointment here
Dressmaking Pins & Pin Cushions

Dressmaking Pins & Pin Cushions

Pins do more work than almost anything else in a sewing box, and the right head, length and gauge makes a real difference to how accurately you can pin. This collection covers glass headed, pearl headed, plastic headed and flat steel dressmaking pins, plus bridal and lace pins, safety pins, badge pins and a range of pin cushions to keep them all in one place.
View as:

Most people buy pins once and then wonder why some fabrics keep slipping or marking. It's usually the pin rather than the technique. A pin that's too thick leaves holes in fine cloth, a pin that's too short won't hold layers of coating together, and a plastic head will melt if you press over it. Getting the right one for the job is cheap and it removes a lot of frustration.

What's stocked here covers the main types a dressmaker, quilter or tailor needs. Glass headed pins are the workhorse: easy to see, easy to pick up, and safe to press over because the head won't melt. Superfine glass headed pins in a 0.4mm gauge are the ones for silk, chiffon and anything that shows a mark. Pearl headed and plastic headed pins are longer and more visible again, which suits loose weaves and layered work. Flat steel dressmaking pins sit flush under a pattern piece and under a ruler. Bridal and lace pins are the finest of all, at 0.53mm, for delicate and open fabrics.

Pin cushions and storage

A magnetic pin cushion picks up spills off the floor and off the cutting table in seconds, which is worth having if you sew where children or pets go. Magnetic arm cushions strap on so the pins travel with you between the machine and the ironing board. Traditional stuffed cushions and weighted pin cushions are quieter and don't risk magnetising your scissors or your machine needle plate. Whichever you use, keeping pins in one place is the difference between a tidy session and a hunt.

Which pins for which fabric

  • Fine and delicate cloth such as silk, chiffon, lace and satin: superfine or bridal and lace pins, pinned inside the seam allowance.
  • General dressmaking in cotton, linen, viscose and jersey: standard glass headed or steel dressmaking pins.
  • Heavier cloth such as coating, denim and canvas: longer, thicker plastic or pearl headed pins.
  • Quilting and patchwork through multiple layers: longer pins with a visible head, and curved safety pins for basting.

Looking after your pins

Pins blunt, and a blunt pin snags. Run your fingers along a few before a big project and throw out anything bent or rough, because a snagged thread in a finished garment costs far more than a packet of pins. Keep them dry, since damp will spot steel pins and a rusty pin will mark fabric. If you press over pins regularly, stick to glass heads. For the rest of the kit, browse our haberdashery and sewing supplies.

What type of pins are best for dressmaking?

For general dressmaking, a standard glass headed or flat steel pin in a 0.6mm gauge handles cotton, linen, viscose and jersey without leaving marks. Move to a finer 0.4mm or 0.53mm pin for silk, chiffon and lace, and to a longer, thicker pin for coating and canvas.

What are glass headed pins used for?

Glass headed pins are general purpose dressmaking pins with a heat-resistant head, which means you can press straight over them without the head melting or sticking to the sole plate. The coloured head also makes them much easier to see against patterned fabric and easier to pick up.

What's the difference between dressmaking pins and quilting pins?

Dressmaking pins are shorter and finer, designed to hold two layers of cloth while you sew a seam. Quilting pins are longer and often slightly thicker so they can pass through a quilt top, wadding and backing together. Curved safety pins are used for basting a quilt sandwich rather than straight pins.

Can you iron over sewing pins?

Only over glass headed or all-steel pins. Plastic and pearl heads can melt onto the fabric and onto the iron. Even with glass heads, pressing hard over a pin can leave an impression in the cloth, so it's better to pin inside the seam allowance where a mark won't show.

Why use a pin cushion instead of the box?

A pin cushion keeps pins point-down and within reach, which is faster than fishing in a box and much safer. A magnetic cushion has the added advantage of collecting dropped pins off the table or floor in one pass.

Join 30,000 Makers

Get 10% off your first order

Be first to see new arrivals and limited fabrics before they sell out.

No spam. Just beautiful fabrics.

Join 30,000 Makers