A pin is the smallest piece of art you can wear, and the cheapest way to make a plain jacket or bag yours. One pin says something. Five pins, arranged well, say a lot. Five pins stuck on at random say that you own five pins.
The difference is placement. Here is where pins look best on each kind of item, how to group them, and how to keep them from falling off.
Kiyo Arts pins are glossy metal buttons with a safety-pin back, in three sizes: 1.25, 2.25 and 3 inches. If you are not sure which to buy, see button pin sizes explained.
Three ways to arrange pins
- The single statement. One pin, on its own, in a spot where it will be seen. This is the most restrained and often the most effective.
- The cluster. Three to seven pins grouped closely in one area, with the rest of the item left bare. This is the classic look.
- The line. Pins in a row along an edge: a collar, a pocket flap, a bag strap. Neat and deliberate.
What rarely works is the scatter: pins spread evenly over the whole surface, each on its own. It has no focus. Group them, and leave empty space around the group.
On a denim jacket
Denim is the best fabric for pins. It is thick enough to hold them flat and it hides the small holes they leave.
- The chest, above the pocket. The prime spot. A cluster here, on one side only, is the traditional arrangement. Asymmetry looks better than matching both sides.
- The collar. One small pin on a collar point, or a short row along the collar edge. Use the 1.25 inch size.
- The pocket flap. One or two small pins. Good for a single statement.
- The lapel area. One pin, where a brooch would go.
- The back. A large panel that suits one big 3-inch pin in the centre, or a wide cluster. Bear in mind you will lean against it in chairs and car seats.
Avoid the sleeves near the elbow and anywhere a bag strap will rub. Pins there catch and come loose.
On a backpack
A backpack has more space and takes larger pins.
- The front pocket. The natural display panel. A cluster here faces the people walking behind you.
- The top flap or upper front. One large pin as a centrepiece.
- The straps. A line of small pins down one strap, where you can see them yourself.
Pin through a single layer of fabric, away from seams and zips. A pin that goes through two layers will sit crooked. Avoid waterproof bags if keeping them watertight matters to you, since every pin is a small hole.
On a tote bag
Canvas totes are almost as good as denim. Cluster pins in one upper corner, or run a line along the top hem. A tote hangs flat against your side, so pins on the outward face are well displayed. Keep them off the side that rests against your body, where they will rub your clothes.
On a hat
One or two small pins, 1.25 inch only. On a cap, the side panel or the front, off-centre. On a beanie, the folded cuff. Larger pins look out of scale and weigh the fabric down.
On a lanyard
A line of small pins up the strap. Lanyards are narrow and they twist, so stick to the 1.25 inch size. Larger pins flip the strap round until they face your chest.
How to build a cluster
- Lay them out first. Put the jacket or bag flat on a table and arrange the pins on top before you pin anything.
- Start with the biggest. Place the largest pin slightly off the centre of the group.
- Add smaller ones around it. Keep them close, about a finger's width apart. Pins that nearly touch look like a group. Pins two inches apart look like strangers.
- Vary the sizes. One large, two medium and two small is more interesting than five the same.
- Use an odd number. Three, five or seven. Odd groups look more natural than even ones.
- Keep the outline loose. A rough triangle or a soft circle, not a grid.
Making them look like a set
Pins look collected when something links them. Choose one thread.
- Colour. All in blues and purples, or all with a bit of orange.
- Subject. A space cluster: Hand of the Stars, Purple Pink Wormhole and Cosmic Deer. A creature cluster: Frost Owl, Phoenix Fire and a cat.
- Mood. All dark and neon, such as Cyberpunk Slick Street with other city pieces.
A set that tells people what you are into is better than a random handful.
Matching pins to the fabric
- Blue denim: everything works. Orange, pink and white pins stand out most.
- Black denim or a black bag: bright and neon designs glow. Very dark pins disappear.
- A pale tote: dark and saturated designs show best.
- A patterned fabric: keep pins few and bold.
Keeping pins on
- Close the clasp fully. Push the pin point right into the catch.
- Pin through thick fabric. Thin fabric lets a pin tilt and work loose.
- Check them now and then, especially on a bag that gets thrown around.
- Take them off before washing. The machine can bend the pin and the metal back can rust if it stays damp.
What not to pin through
Leather, faux leather, silk, fine knits, waterproof coatings and anything you might want to return. The hole won't close. Stick to woven fabrics like denim, canvas and cotton twill, where the weave shifts back when the pin comes out.
If you have more pins than jacket
Rotate them. Keep the rest on a cork board, a fabric banner or a strip of ribbon on the wall, where they become a display of their own. Pair them with acrylic keychains on the same bag for more texture, as described in bag charm stacking.
Browse every design in the pins and buttons collection.