Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting sheet material such as cloth during operations thereon such as cutting wherein a pattern is placed on a supporting surface provided with a plurality of pins extending through apertures in the surface, the pins are lowered below the surface for removal of the pattern whereupon sheet material is placed on the surface, typically a plurality of plies being layed up in a stack, and simultaneously the pins are moved through the sheet material to maintain alignment and matching of the plies in the stack. The pattern then is placed on the sheet material in a position determined by the location of the pins, and the material is shaped such as by cutting. A plurality of separate pin holding and supporting devices of narrow width are spaced lengthwise along the apparatus and independently movable lengthwise toward and away from each other. Pins of adjacent rows can be closely spaced together thereby achieving a grid pattern wherein the pins are relatively closely spaced.