Had To Laugh At Myself!!
 

I've been determined with the most recent hand quilting project to learn to use a thimble. Just started using a spoon to help with the underneath hand being stuck all the time and that's working wonderfully so thought I'd work on protecting the other hand too. I love to quilt by hand and find it very relaxing but it's sure rough on the hands! This morning I noticed the first finger on my right hand was really sore and then started wondering what I could have done to it to make it so tender. I started paying closer attention to what I was doing and found I'm avoiding the finger with the thimble on it and pushing the needle through with the first finger. That's defeating the whole purpose so off went the thimble. Maybe next time. :D

When I am pinning with straight pins putting together the blocks for a quilt top, I have noticed that my pointing finger on my left hand (I am right handed), just before the first knuckle is getting ripped from all the points on the straight pins. I have tried the wraps and so far, I found nothing that works. Hope that you are able to find something that will help you.

One of the online sites sells the Aunt Betsy (i think its called) for the underneath hand. I saw the woman who invented on youtube so I bought one thinking I was going to learn to handquilt. But alas, never did. Maybe someone on the QB has tried it and give you better advice about it.

I have a thimble and see many of them at the Walmart and JoAnn's and Hancock's It pink on the inside with a leather strap. It is also adjustable (stretches a little) I use it on the index of my left hand as I'm also right handed. It works great for those points on the straight pins. It also works great as a back up pusher. I usually use it for all hand sewing. Fairly inexpensive. I still revert back to the videos for handquilting. I just ordered an "Aunt Becky" I got hand cramps with the spoon.

A woman in Australia who also found the traditional hand quilting stitch to be very hard on her hands, developed an alternative technique, which is similar, but eliminates all pricking and tension, and the accompanying hand stress. Her name is Liuxin Newman, but most know her as Thimblelady. Her technique depends on a thimble with a deeper dimple that is worn down on the finger rather than on the tip, and a very loose quilt in the hoop, which is then folded up and down while you stitch. I would urge you to look into her website, or her book, called 'Perfect Hand Quilting without Pain'. I got my copy used on amazon, and ordered a thimble through her website for $15.00. I can now hand quilt without any pain or stress!

The tool Lafpeaches is referring to is the Aunt Becky. It's sold by Connecting Threads and probably lots of other vendors too. Good luck finding something to protect your fingers.

I used to stab the heck out of myself when doing binding, and I found that switching to longer needles made all the difference. I can now use my fingers to guide the needle through the fabric, instead of using the sides of my fingers to push it through.

It is the BACK of the needle that causes me pain, not the front...

Yep, this is how I use a thimble too. Put it on your finger, then use a different finger. Never could get used to using one, used to drive my mom nuts that I couldn't get the hang of it.

The best item I have found for the hand under the fabric catching the needle point then pushing it up a false set of nails. Needle goes down and stopped by nail then push-up with inside of nail. A thimble useless that is if I. Can find one to fit either tooo big or small. Tried all kinds. Oh I use a pair of tweezers to pull needle through fabric if it sticks.

I second this recommendation. I have used these thimbles for several years now and am very happy. I much prefer pushing with the pad of my finger vs the top. Much more comfortable. I'm not sold on her needles but the same principle applies with either short or her longer needles, in my opinion.