Can you hand quilt without a thimble?
 

Can you hand quilt without a thimble? I have sewn all my life, though I have only been quilting 3 years. ButI have never been able to sew with a thimble. It just isn't comfortable and it seems to get in the way. I think I might be interested in hand quilting, but can it be done without a thimble, or is that just a dumb question? It sounds real dumb right now. I guess the question should be "Can I learn to use a thimble, even though I have never been able to successfully use one."

Or maybe I should ask "Does anyone do hand quilting without a thimble?"

Hmmmm, well, I am still going to ask. Can you hand quilt without a thimble? I never even thought of using a thimble until I watched some videos as I was trying to figure out if I could do it if I decided to try.

Thanks for any comments that might be helpful...

Dina

The real answer ........... whatever works for you, is the right way to do it! :)


I'm like you and am thimble-challenged!
The only hand quilting I have done are for mini quilts ... sans thimble! :D

I find it difficult using a thimble. I suspect that I would probably do more hand quilting if I could get used to using one. It's a bit chicken and egg!

When I first started using a thimble, I found myself going for a different finger, and really had to concentrate on the one I was SUPPOSED to be using. I finally got it, an am okay now with the thimble. If this is something that is really bugging you and you feel as though you cannot get past it, how about trying a bandaid on that finger? You may forget that it's there and you can get on with your sewing. Give it a shot. It never hurts to try.

When I first tried to use a thimble I kept that finger up in the air and not down where it was supposed to be. But, MADE myself use it and found that it is a very useful item. Don't know how you can not use one truthfully. The eye end of the quilting needles are very sharp and would go through a bandaid quickly. Maybe you could quilt one stitch at a time but that would take a lot of time.

There are so many thimble options now. I use a clover leather one. Very comfortable and easy to use. You can do without you'll build up a callus on whatever finger your pushing through with but I have found I don't quilt as long without one. Everyone is different.

I hand quilt and don't use a thimble. Of course I don't do a rocking stitch either - I do a stab stitch with my right hand on the bottom and left hand on top. I've got a good callous on my finger that pushed the needle through. When I tigers a little sore, I put a bandaid on it and that helps. My finger sweats in the thimble and the smell of the metal drives me nuts.

It took me a while to get used to the thimble. Now I am so used to it, I find myself driving with it on, going to bed, getting in the shower... I tried almost every thimble under the sun and did not like any of the metal or plastic ones. I really like the leather Clover thimbles.

You might try dabbing a layer or two of super glue on that spot on your finger. It will protect your finger and won't drive you crazy - at least until you're done quilting, lol.

I do hand quilting all the time and it took me a little while to get used to a thimble, but these days as I tend to use a silk batting so the need has gone.

Glad to see I am not the only one, always having people ask me "Where's your thimble?"