I like powdered dyes for pine. They saturate much better (less blotching) and because they can be mixed in hot water, they are much more user-friendly and you can re-apply additional coats in a fraction of the time. Test scraps is essential. Dyes are very concentrated and you may have to adjust your powder/water ratio to achieve the richness you want. Do not be fooled by the samples hanging next to the stain in your box stores...they're laughable at best for pine, not oak.
I sand up to 180 then mist with water. Wait for it to dry and run your hand over the board. It should feel like a cat's tongue in some spots. Cut that down again with the 180 and repeat. Apply stain (oil or dyes) let dry completely and feel for jagged fibers standing up again. Knock those down gently with 220 along the grain. At this point you have to be careful not to put scratches in your color/finish. Remember, it's Pine so it's soft.
With practice and repetition you can make pine look pretty incredible. I've done a lot of "make it look old" for me pieces with new Pine and even though sometimes my methods are a bit unorthodox (usually out of frustration) the end results can be quite nice. Good luck!