The Great Debate: Sewing Clips vs. Pins – Which Tool Rules the Craft Room?
For centuries, the humble straight pin was the undisputed monarch of the sewing room. From intricate haute couture to simple mending, the metallic glint of a pin was a constant companion. But in the last decade, a challenger has risen: the sewing clip (often popularized by the red “Wonder Clip”).
Walk into any modern quilting guild or scroll through Instagram sewing feeds, and you will see a divide. Some sewists have completely abandoned pins for the safety and speed of clips, while others argue that precision is impossible without the traditional steel shaft of a pin.
So, which is better? The answer isn’t a simple binary choice. It depends heavily on what you are sewing, the fabric you are handling, and your personal tolerance for accidental finger pricks. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the mechanics, pros, and cons of both tools to help you decide exactly when to clip and when to pin.
The Rise of the Wonder Clip: Why They Took Over
Sewing clips look like miniature clothespins, typically made of plastic with a strong metal spring. One side is usually flat (to glide along the sewing machine bed), and the other is curved. Originally designed for holding thick quilt bindings, they have exploded in popularity for general sewing.
The Major Advantages of Clips
1. Zero Fabric Damage: The biggest selling point of clips is that they do not puncture the fabric. When working with vinyl, leather, cork, or laminated cotton, a pin leaves a permanent hole. Clips hold the layers securely without leaving a trace.
2. Handling Bulk: If you have ever tried to pin through four layers of denim or a thick bag stabilizer, you know that pins tend to bend or distort the fabric layers. Clips have a wide mouth that can easily accommodate thick stacks of fabric without shifting the alignment.
3. Safety (The “Ouch” Factor): We have all swept our hand across a table and found a pin the hard way. Clips are blunt. If you drop one on the carpet, you won’t find it with your foot three weeks later in a painful surprise. They are also much safer to use around children or pets.
If you are looking to upgrade your notion stash, checking out the best sewing clips available is a great place to start to ensure you get durable springs that last.
The Classic Power of Pins: Why They Aren’t Going Anywhere
Despite the popularity of clips, straight pins remain a necessity for serious garment construction and precision patchwork. Not all pins are created equal—glass head pins, silk pins, and ballpoint pins all serve specific purposes—but they all share a common advantage: manipulation.
The Major Advantages of Pins
1. Ultimate Precision: When you need two seams to match perfectly (like nesting seams in a quilt block), a pin can be inserted precisely at the intersection point to lock the fabric weave together. A clip holds the edge, but a pin holds the interior.
2. Flexibility in Placement: You can place a pin anywhere on the fabric, not just the edge. If you are attaching a pocket to the middle of a shirt front or securing a dart, a clip is useless because it cannot reach the center of the fabric. Pins provide 360-degree utility.
3. Less Bulk: When feeding fabric under the presser foot, clips can sometimes be too bulky, hitting the foot and causing the seam line to waver. Pins, especially fine silk pins, lay flat and allow the fabric to feed smoothly.
It is crucial, however, to ensure your pins are straight. Using bent pins can lead to alignment issues and can even damage your machine. If you are experiencing skipped stitches, read our guide on sewing machine needle problems to ensure it wasn’t caused by hitting a pin!
Head-to-Head Showdown
Let’s look at the metrics that matter most to sewists.
| Feature | Sewing Clips | Straight Pins |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric Safety | Excellent (No holes) | Moderate (Leaves holes) |
| Precision | Good for edges | Superior for alignment |
| Bulk Handling | Excellent (Handles heavy layers) | Poor (Bends easily) |
| Ironing | Poor (Plastic melts) | Excellent (If glass head) |
| Cost | Higher ($0.10 – $0.20 per unit) | Very Low ($0.01 per unit) |
| Visibility | High (Easy to see) | Low (Hard to find on floor) |
Workflow Scenarios: When to Use Which?
To maximize your efficiency, you should likely own both. Here is a breakdown of specific scenarios and the recommended tool for the job.
1. Bag Making and Upholstery: CLIPS
When sewing tote bags, you are often dealing with canvas, interfacing, and straps. This stack is too thick for pins. Clips clamp everything down tight. Furthermore, materials like vinyl or faux leather are unforgiving; one pinhole ruins the waterproofing and aesthetics.
2. Garment Construction: PINS
Setting in a sleeve or sewing a curved princess seam requires easing fabric. Pins allow you to distribute the ease evenly along the seam line. Clips tend to push the extra fabric to the next clip, creating puckers. Also, cutting out patterns usually requires pinning the paper to the fabric. For the best cutting results, always use sharp sewing scissors alongside your pins.
3. Binding a Quilt: CLIPS
This is what Wonder Clips were born for. Once you wrap that binding around to the back of the quilt, clips hold it perfectly in place while you hand stitch or machine stitch it down. You don’t get pricked while maneuvering the heavy quilt.
4. Delicate Silks and Satins: PINS (Specialty)
Clips can be too heavy for very lightweight chiffon or silk, causing the fabric to drag or distort. However, standard pins are too thick. You must use “Silk Pins” or “Super Fine” pins to avoid snagging the weave.
Safety, Speed, and the Serger Danger
One area where clips are undisputed champions is Serging (Overlocking). If you accidentally run a pin through a serger knife, you will destroy the blade, potentially break the needle, and send metal shards flying towards your eyes. It is a violent and expensive mistake.
Clips are much larger and more visible. Because they sit on top of the fabric rather than inside it, it is visually impossible to miss a clip before it hits the serger blade. For this reason, many serger owners strictly ban pins from their overlockers.
In terms of speed on a standard sewing machine, clips are generally faster to apply and remove. You can grab a clip and snap it on in one motion. Pins require a two-handed motion (pick up, insert, weave out). Over the course of a large project, clips can save significant time.
Regardless of which you use, always protect your work surface. Dropping metal pins or heavy clips can scratch tables. Using a self-healing cutting mat under your workspace protects your furniture and your tools.
The Hybrid Method: Professional Best Practices
The most experienced sewists do not choose sides; they choose the right tool for the specific seam. A common “Hybrid Approach” involves:
- Long Straight Seams: Use clips spaced 4-6 inches apart to keep the edges aligned.
- Complex Intersections: Use a pin right at the seam intersection to ensure points match perfectly, then clip the rest of the edge.
- Ironing: Use glass head pins to press a hem in place (since you can iron over them), then switch to clips if moving the project to a machine.
This approach maximizes the speed of clips while retaining the precision of pins where it counts.
