There is a conflict among sewers when it comes to sewing over pins. While some people think it is okay to sew over pins, others believe you should never do it.
As a beginner, you must be thinking that what is the truth. Can a sewing machine sew over pins?
This article is going to explain what happens when you sew over a pin and whether you should avoid it or not.
Is it okay to sew over the pins?
No, it is not okay to sew over the pins.
If you are a sewer, you must avoid sewing over the pins. Whenever you sew a fabric, you must inspect it thoroughly to ensure that it does not have any pins on it. If it does, you should remove them and then proceed with sewing.
The reason is sewing over the pins can be dangerous for you and your sewing machine. You can get physically injured or you will have to spend a lot of money on repairing the sewing machine.
That is why experts recommend you should always avoid sewing over the pins.
What happens when you sew over the pins?
Here are the scenarios that might happen if you try to sew over the pins:
1. The needle will break
If the pins are close to the area where the needle is making stitches, the needle and the pin will collide multiple times.
As a result, you will hear ticking sounds while sewing and your sewing machine will also start snagging the clothes.
These multiple collisions at a fast speed will bend or break your sewing needle and make it unusable. Thus, you will have to take more money out of your pocket and buy a new needle. Your needle will bend or break every single time you try to sew over the pins.
If your sewing needle has bent after hitting a pin, here is how you can sharpen it again instead of wasting money on a new one.
2. You can get injured
Secondly, sewing over the pins can get you seriously injured.
When you sew over the pins, the needle and the pin collide at a high speed. As a result, the sewing needle breaks into tiny shrapnel pieces and moves in random directions.
The shrapnel of the broken needle can hit your face, or in the worst case, hit the internal part of your eyes and damage it severely. There have been many unfortunate incidents where people suffered serious eye injuries after a piece of broken needle hit and stabbed the sensitive part of their eyes.
Therefore, we strictly advise you not to sew over the pins because it can lead to severe injuries.
You must follow these safety precautions in sewing to protect yourself from any injury.
3. The sewing machine might get damaged
If you sew over the pins, your sewing machine might get damaged.
The intense collision between the needle and the pins can disturb the internal mechanical system of your sewing machine.
Chances are that if you insert a new needle, it will not pick up the bobbin thread and fail to make any stitches.
Thus, you will have to take your sewing machine to a mechanic and get it repaired. It will cost you more money.
Now you have learned that sewing over the pins can result in serious injury, broken needles, and damage to the sewing machine. So, you must avoid doing it.
Read what to do if your sewing machine needle is not moving.
Can you sew slowly over the pins?
No, you cannot sew slowly over the pins.
Some people think it might be okay if they slowly sew over the pins, and there will be no damage.
The truth is that the speed of your sewing does not matter. The needle will always break or bend upon hitting the pins.
When should you remove the pins?
There are two options:
- You can inspect the fabric before sewing and remove the pins from the area you are going to sew.
- You can remove the pins when your sewing machine is about to stitch the area with pins. Stop the sewing machine when the pins are 1-2 inches away, remove them, and continue sewing.
Store all the pins in a safe place so you do not have to deal with the frustration of finding lost pins after sewing.
Can you sew over the pins with a serger?
No, you should not sew over the pins even if you are using a serger.
The reason is that when the pin will come under the knife of the serger, the collision will bend or break the knife of the serger machine. Then, you will have to spend money on getting it repaired.
Therefore, you should avoid sewing over the pins no matter if you are using a sewing machine or a serger.
What to do if you accidentally sew over the pins?
If you accidentally sew over the pins, you need to check the condition of the needle.
In case the needle is bent or broken, you will have to replace it because it is not suitable for sewing anymore. Also, if the needle has broken into many small pieces, make sure to find them all because someone else in the house can step on those pieces and injure their feet.
After that, you can add a new needle and see if the machine is working properly. If it is not, you will have to visit a mechanic and get it fixed.
If your sewing needle has broken, you can read our guide on how to sew without a needle where you will also learn tips on making a sewing needle at home.
What is the alternative to sewing over the pins?
If you cannot remove the pins from the fabric due to any reason, the alternative option is hand basting.
You can take a needle and a thread and sew the part of the fabric containing pins with your hand. This way you can easily skip through the pins and sew the fabric only.
Once you are done with the pinned area, you can use the sewing machine again to stitch the rest of the fabric that is without any pins.
What type of pins can you sew over?
No, we do not recommend sewing over any type of pins.
The reason is that there is a high risk of your needle getting broken or the sewing machine getting damaged. Moreover, the shrapnel of a pin or needle can injure you.
Therefore, please avoid sewing over the pins and keep yourself and your sewing machine safe.
In the end, you might also be interested in knowing if a sewing machine can sew over leather or plastic. Happy sewing!
