I have been handquilting for 40 years and have dozens of thimbles scattered around my house. I prefer the brown deerskin leather ones. They have a little plastic disk under the tip that helps keep the needle from punching through the leather. I long ago taught myself to quilt with both hands. I wear the thimble on my right middle finger and another on my left thumb. I have never been able to use a metal one. For the one for my thumb I usually cut off some of the leather skirt as that gets in the way on the shorter appendage.