Originally Posted by
Hinterland
Every quilter has their own preference - there is no right or wrong, so long as your stitches go all the way through the sandwich and are relatively even.
I completely agree with that. It's also a matter of the technique you use, how you hold your needle etc. I don't use a thimble at all and I don't have sore fingers - but I think this is the result of 6-8 hours hand quilting per day. My finger tips are used to the needle.