Sewing for dolls is a great way to break into sewing, for those who’ve never sewn before, so it probably won’t surprise you that I get questions about very basic concepts in my inbox now and then.
Someone reached out to me in 2025 with the question, “What size straight pins should I use?” And I thought, That’s a good question to address in a blog post!
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Before I address the ideal size for straight pins, I think it would be smart to talk about how straight pins are used.
As you can see in the image above, straight pins are used to pin the sewing pattern onto the fabric before cutting around the edges of the pattern. So the coat pattern at the top is just laying on top of the purple felt. If I didn’t pin it down, the paper would move around while I cut around the pattern. This would cause errors in the cut, and with something as tiny as a doll’s coat, you want to avoid even the smallest errors when cutting.
The bottom image shows the coat pattern after I’ve pinned the pattern to the felt fabric. Now that the pattern has been pinned to the fabric, I’m safe to cut around the pattern. It won’t move, while I cut around it.
There are many other uses for straight pins. In the image above, for example, I’ve used a straight pin to hold the garment shut while trying it on the doll. (See figure 6.)
This is done, so I can align the straps before sewing them to the dress. (See figures 7 and 8.)
We also use straight pins to hold elements of a garment in place as we sew.
Now I know that some of my followers sew using the metric system. The pink cutting mat shown in the image above uses the imperial measurements, but be patient. I’ve got another example of the same pins on a metric cutting mat.
With that said, take a moment to read through what I’ve written in the illustration above. (If you click on the image, you’ll get an enlarged version, which clearly illustrates and answers the question, “What size pins should I use?”)
You see what I’ve said about using various pins for whatever purpose you see fit? There’s truth in that statement. I don’t just use my teeny-tiny 3/4 inch straight pins for applique. I also use them to pin little itty bitty doll clothes like underpants.
Sometimes I use them to hold elastic in place as well. I mean, look how tiny that elastic is on those little panties!
And like my daughter, sometimes I use the bluebird quilting pins to pin a woman’s garment pattern to a woven fabric. In fact, I recently made myself a pair of shorts, and that’s exactly what I did.
But it’s a good idea to keep all the pins that are of the same size and used for similar purposes, confined to their own area of a pincushion. That way, when you reach for a 1 and 1/16 inch ball head straight pin, you won’t accidentally grab a 3/4 inch one.
If your pins and needles form a wacky chaos, like you see in the image above, you’ll never be able to tell one kind of straight pin from another!
By the way, if you want my dragon pincushion pattern, it can be found in the crafts gallery. Click there for a link.
And now for the metric version of the image I showed earlier:
If you’re just learning to sew, and you need supplies, please note that some of my handmade frog pincushions are for sale in my Etsy store. You can also make yourself a pincushion, using one of the patterns on my craft links page.
Before I go, though, I’d like to ask the more experienced sewers, what are some unusual ways you use straight pins? Please leave your thoughts in the comments!
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*Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include Amazon, Etsy, and the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how my website uses affiliate marketing, please visit the website’s Privacy Policy page.
Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with any of the doll or toy companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly enjoys designing her doll clothes to fit a variety of dolls. To learn more about the doll companies mentioned in today’s post, please visit the doll or toy company’s website.