Originally Posted by feline fanatic

I have been quilting for about 15 years and also hand quilt pushing the needle through with my fingernail. I use thumb and index nails. Once I get my needle started with about 3 stitches I sometimes slip a thimble on then but I prefer to quilt without. I end up eventually drilling a hole in my fingernail from it so I try to use the thimble so I don't destroy my nails and have to wait until they grow out again in order to quilt some more. I go into serious withdrawls without my handwork at TV time :lol:

If I am quilting straight lines I can take up to 8 stitches on a needle but curves I only take as many stitches as I can before I have to turn a corner, which means sometimes only 1 or 2 stiches. I also have nothing on my underneath finger but have formed a callous on it from the constant scraping of the needle on the pad of my finger. To make the hump like is done with spoon or aunt becky tool I again use my fingernail. But usually I don't need a hump. I get my stitch by rocking the needle and kind of pinching the fabric with my top hand. I posted this before but here is a picture of my current hand quilting project.