Cut your nails too short!!

Been forced to try out the thimbles again last night when I gave my nails a trim and figured out they're too short to hold my needle! Guess that's one way to break this bad habit. Still really awkward with the thimble, but it's getting there.

It took me forever to use a thimble. The leather ones work best for me. Hang in there:)

damn those fingernails they are just so eay to find when the thimble rolled under the couch

I thought you were going to say the needle slipped and went all the way under your nail.

Ooooooh!! I think that's a type of Chinese torture, and I can actually say I did it once or twice and it really hurt but not enough to prevent me from changing my ways.

Curious, why do you consider fingernail quilting a "bad habit"? Did the dreaded quilt police tell you this?

I have been hand quilting for over 20 years and still prefer to use my nail. Born to hand quilt doesn't use a thimble either and her work speaks for itself. I do use a TJ Lane thimble but I have to get my stitches started with my fingernail first before I can use it. I guess it is a pain when I drill a hole in my nail and have to wait for it to grow out but it also slows me down slipping the thimble off and on every needleful. I will admit, when I try to use the thimble more I find I have not drilled a hole in a very long time.

I say do whatever you are most comfortable with and what produces results you are happy with. Why use a thimble if you are more comfortable not? I do not think it is a bad habit and previous topics have shown there are a lot of us fingernail quilters out there.

When I was learning how to hand quilt a thimble felt strange. I started with those little round 'sticky things' and then graduated to a bandaid. Then finally a leather thimble.

Thank you for making me feel normal!! Book after book I've read says that you really need to use a thimble. I push with my thumb nail, quilting away from me, but I also have worn several holes in my nail causing me to have to stop for awhile. Then there's the dreaded "under the nail stab" every once in awhile. Ouch! I always hoped to be able to train myself to use one for that reason alone.

Hum... now you've got me thinking again. If I can't break myself of the habit (although I have no other choice to but try this again time!), maybe I'm just going to have to stay being a "naked hand quilter". ha ha

I "nail" quilt, too! I have tried every imagineable thimble and other tool on the market (many times!) and still revert to my nail. Have never had the dreaded under nail torture, but do occasionally get a hole in my thumb nail from depressing the fabric in front of the needle at the "out"stroke of a stitch.
I just wish I had some close-ups of my work to share.

Jan in VA

I would like to see what thumb quilting is and nail quilting pictures. lol I too cannot get used to a thimble as of yet, still trying. I just bought a nice rubbery one by clover with metal tip and it may work out for me. At least it doesn't fall off! :)