Creative Pins: 7 Helpful Tips to Collecting Pins

The history of lapel pins dates back to the Civil War. Still, learning how to collect creative pins will boost your style and stash all at once.

During the Civil War, pins officially signified government merits or awards. After that, people started using pins to signify their political affiliations. Now, pins are trending as an expressive and varied form of fashion.

Pins are fun and fashionable. You deserve to have a pin collection you’re proud of.

Here are 7 useful tips for collecting pins.

1. Follow Your Interests

Consider your interests when you’re picking out pins. The best pins are the ones that resonate with you.

If there’s a theme you enjoy, collect pins that relate to it. Make a list of potential themes to get a better idea of what kinds of pins you’ll enjoy collecting.

A lot of people collect pins that represent some aspect of their identity. For example, members of the LGBTQ+ community often enjoy collecting rainbow pins, cat lovers collect cat-themed pins, etc. Think about the traits you’re proudest of, then look for pins that celebrate it.

2. Find Good Pin Brands

When you start shopping for pins, you’ll notice that pins by certain brands stand out to you more than others. Write down which brands appeal to you and note their similarities for future reference. For example, you might like pins from DIY stores more than corporate brands.

On the flip side, some people are only interested in pins with corporate logos on them. The variety of pins out there reflects how many different tastes there are.

3. Design Your Own Pins

Making your own pins is an important part of pin-collecting. After all, the pins you make yourself have more personal significance and value than others do.

Look up companies that create custom pins. Always read each company’s reviews to get an idea of how they operate and handle customers.

When you finally approach a company, please have design ideas in mind so they can bring your vision to life. Write down any questions you have beforehand so you remember them.

4. Clean Your Pins

Knowing how to collect pins includes knowing how to clean them. The pin-cleaning process only involves a polishing agent and polishing cloth, but it’s more complicated than that.

Different pins require different cleaning strategies. It all depends on what kind of metal pins you have. The aforementioned link will tell you all about different types of pins, metals, and how to clean them.

Be gentle while you’re cleaning a pin. Dab it with a polishing agent instead of wiping it down.

Warning: Never use anything with citrus or vinegar to clean metal pins. Both ingredients damage metal and enamel. Speaking of enamel.

5. Mind the Enamel

Soft enamel and hard enamel are different. Both types are die-struck and filled with enamel, but hard enamel is overfilled, then polished down to a smooth surface. The more pins you examine, the more you’ll be able to differentiate the types of enamel there are.

While soft enamel pins have raised edges, hard enamel pins are flat. The raised edges on soft enamel pins act as “walls” that outline a design.

Soft enamel pins offer raised, textured designs for an affordable price. For this reason, many DIY pin designs are made with soft enamel. Hard enamel pins are sleek and professional, but they’re more expensive.

Nonetheless, both kinds of enamel have the potential to be detailed and outstanding. Be sure never to use a polishing agent on soft enamel. Also, using harsh/abrasive cleaners on hard enamel will damage the design.

6. Collect Different Kinds of Pins

Even if you’ve decided on a theme, your pin collection should still be diverse and interesting. A complete collection has different designs, colors, and types of pins in it.

For example, consider looking into bobble-head pins. A bobble-head pin is a small pin attached to a larger pin. The purpose is to create a sense of movement between the connected pins.

You should also look into pins with danglers. Danglers are small, singular attachments that connect to a larger pin through a hoop or anchor. They’re good for showing off branded designs like logos, slogans, or mottos.

There are also spinners, which is a pin that spins on top of another pin design. You’ll even find pins out there with translucent colors, glitter, and LED blinkers!

As a rule of thumb: If you can dream up a pin, that means it probably exists. If it doesn’t, then you should design it on your own.

7. Put Your Pins On Display

Sure, it’s great to wear pins with your outfits. However, it’s even more satisfying to put your pins on display. Displaying your pins shows that you’re proud of them.

Fortunately, there are many creative ways to display your pins. For instance, you can stick your pins into a corkboard to display them. You could also display them on an embroidered hoop.

If you want something that displays your pins’ fronts and backs, get an earring tree. It doubles as a pin holder if you choose the right one. Keep them in your room to make your living space more aesthetically pleasing.

The fun part about pins is that you can stick them almost anywhere. Stick your pins onto a lanyard so you can wear it whenever you feel like flaunting them. You can even jazz up your lampshade by sticking pins into it!

More Creative Pins Mean More Passion

Organizations and businesses still use lapel pins as achievement symbols. Meanwhile, any collection of creative pins counts as an achievement in and of itself.

When you display your pins, keep them slightly out of reach from the busiest area of the room. This ensures that your pins will stay safe and free from damage.

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