I was taught to pin at right angles to the line of sewing, as most of the time the sewing machine needle will slide over it rather than hit it if it is not removed. Only once have I hit a pin, and that was because I had not lengthened the stitch sufficiently after doing a buttonhole.

I find that pinning at right angles helps to prevent skewing of the fabric, and being left handed I can have the pins inserted left to right and whisk them out as they reach the presser foot.

I have only used a sewing machine for a few kilts, as I progressed I did less and less with the machine and now tend to sew everything by hand, though that is partly because I take kilts out of the house and sew in the open air quite a bit.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: