I've been sewing and quilting for almost 30 years now, and have tried a big range of all sorts of pins.

From the cheapest plastic coated dollar store variety, to specialised pins like ones needed for lace and fine silk.

As with most activities that you will do, using the right tool for the right job always makes doing it much more enjoyable, and pins are no exception.

I recently ordered a set of Sohmo pins from The Next Stitch, and after using them for a few weeks now, thought I'd share with you how these particular notions are to use.

Firstly however, it's always fun to know a bit about where your products originate from, and the back story behind them.

The Sohmo brand is actually an innovative Australian business, who saw a gap in the notions industry that needed to be filled with functional, yet beautiful tools.

You can see immediately from the stylish but clever tins that the pins arrive in, that a lot of thought has gone into their design.

It's understated elegance that functions extremely well.

There's a range of three different pins in these tins: Glass headed everyday use, Entomology pins for fine fabrics, and Basting pins for quilt basting multiple layers.

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Sohmo Glass Head Pins

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These pins are nickel plated, which every good pin should be, and like the name suggests, have a glass head.

This is important if you've ever accidentally melted a plastic headed pin.

But those cheap pins usually deserve what they get anyway!

These ones in contrast are sharp, strong, and feel good to use.

I love the tin design, which has an easy to use sliding lid that lets you open it one handed.

They're perfect for everyday use in sewing and quilting general fabrics where the pin holes left by piercing the fabric is not an issue.

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Sohmo Entomology Pins

Same tin, different pin, and (different colour!)

I was intrigued, and delighted when I first tried these out, with as you can see, my favourite Liberty fabric.

These are specifically designed for fine fabrics like these, and I'd much rather be sticking these into my Liberty than into beetles, just sayin' ;).

I tried these out while making my Liana Lawn Scarf, and found them great to use.

Why do fine fabrics need a special pin all of their own?

So a finely woven fabric like Liberty means that regular pins can leave quite a hole behind, and you don't want that!

If you've ever been aghast at finding a large hole in your precious Liberty from a big ol' pin, than fear no more...these pins are perfect, no visible hole left.

These pins are long, and the extra length did take me a bit to get used to, but this makes them perfect for applique pieces that need a bit of extra length to hold them in place.

I will keep them exclusively for my Liberty tho, as I think they will bend easily if too much pressure is applied.

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Sohmo Basting Pins

And last but not least, the Basting Pins.

Well, I have to be honest here, I'm not a fan.

I'd didn't find mine to be sharp, and when basting this quilt sandwich they were surprisingly hard to poke through the three layers. One of them snagged the fabric and left quite a pull and a hole :(

I don't know if mine were just a bad batch, but that's a thumbs down from me.

So overall, I love the design of these products, the ease of use, and the beautiful presentation.

The basting pins were a bit of a let down, but the others were great.

So let me know what you think! Have you tried these pins?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Ali x