ive had the pleasure of watching and talking to this lady she is a very giving of her different tecniques i have adapted her loose +long needle way of quiltingit feels right for me---her quilts are exquisite her applique is magnificent the way she does leaf points makes a huge difference one tip she uses very small pins about 2 cms long and she pins the piece from undernesth so your thread does not get tangled in the pin ends as you sew--she has a book+dvd for applique well worth it--she is also a very nice lady----she has plastic thimbles you could try before buying the silver--i cannot wear a thimble feels wrong