I thought I was the only weird one who does not like to use thimbles - I find that they get caught on the thread and seem to be in the way. I do not quilt in the traditional way, I "sew" and poke the needle in and out so sometimes I can get away with it. What does work is getting one of those small metal circles that adhere to your finger tip, and then putting a finger cut off surgical gloves on top of your poking finger. Necessity is the mother of invention!