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.

Because I'm not thinking straight...didn't comment on this in the above post.

I do not use an underneath finger protector of any sort. I just deal with the callus and the residual peeling when I'm done with the current project. Not pretty, but it's what I do. I have not tried the Aunt Becky and/or spoon process. Maybe on the next quilt. The one I'm working on now is only a baby quilt so that's not so bad. But it would be really nice to not go out in public with horrible fingertips!

I found myself using the non-thimble finger, too, so I put a thimble on every finger. Yeah, THAT really worked. Not.:hunf:

Now I quilt without a thimble on either hand and use my index finger nail to push the needle. No, I have never gotten a hole in the nail. No, I have never run the needle up under the nail bed. Yes, I build a small callus on the underneath finger. I rarely quilt more than an hour or two at a time due to nerve damage in my hands, maybe that's why I can manage this.

Jan in VA

try the red dot or the sticky leather dot they work great for those of us that do not want to wear a thimble i use the dot on my middle finger and use my thumb nail when quilting away from me. Yes I have run the needle through my nail.

I do the same thing! That's why I switched to the Thimblelady's thimble...love it...her needles and technique are great too.

To get used to thimble: wear it on finger all day while doing other things...your brain will except it as your fingertip and will not "fight" it when you quilt with it......that's the theory......

I do use a thimble but I'm always looking for a better one. Right now I'm using the leather thimble with the metal coin in it. I'm like Jan, don't stitch for too long at a time.... usually 3-4 hours. That's enough. My back can't handle longer either.

I also can't HQ with a thimble, I've tried and tried. My best thimble is those little sticky round leather dots. As far as underneath, well I've not tried the spoon, but my fingernails get a beating.

I purchased a needle puller, can't remember where I got it, but I use it a lot.

I can't get used to a thimble. They are usually too big. The small ones are sometimes snug, and my fingers start to sweat. I found that I eventually make a hole in my pushing finger, and hit it every stitch. Such precision!! then I have to wear a thimble, but don't like it. I have been sewing for many years, and tried the thimble over and over. Wish I could get used to it.
Sue

I LOVE Thimble-it self sticking vinyl finger pads. They just stick onto your fingertip and protect it from pokes. I re-use the same one a few times...just stick it back on the package after use until it wears out. http://www.joann.com/self-adhesive-t...g/4049409.html

Aren't we silly sometimes? Can see myself doing that, too

Sounds like a plan!

I have found that tourniquets (when you have to have your blood drawn at the lab) are WONDERFUL for pulling the needle through when hand quilting. Sometimes I just hit a tough spot, maybe a seam allowance, and my hands are dry and just won't pull that needle through. I can cut up that tourniquet and share. When I explain to the lab girl why I want it, they don't care if I take it. Sometime they will say, "I don't see a thing." They are disposable so they are thrown away anyway.
Also those big rubberbands from broccoli at the stores---they work,,,but not as well as a tourniquet.

Don't laugh too hard, I could never get used to wearing a thimble, even for hand sewing, and then carpal tunnel took care of any hand quilting for me.

I "discovered" those silicone finger cots that they sell in office supply stores. They protect my fingers so I can sew longer, and none of the akwardness of a thimble, and room for my nails. Works for me. They are so comfortable I once noticed while standing in line at the grocery store that I still had one on!

I just use an old pair of forceps.

I just learned to use a regular thimble many years ago. I never think about it except to grab one every time I do hand sewing, even a few stitches. I see videos of people stitching without a thimble and shudder. My poor hands would be raw meat! The little hand quilting I've done absolutely required a second thimble on the left hand to protect that finger, too, but it was a different style from my regular metal one. I must be tender, like the princess who felt the pea through 20 mattresses, LOL.

I had trouble with thimbles until I got the little plastic one that you can boil and adjust it to your finger. But then I found TJ Lane thimbles and she makes them to size. Over the years I have bought 4 of them. (I love the different designs and decided I needed a heart, then the angel, then the fairy and a butterfly.) She doesn't come to San Diego so have to find what is new at the Road to CA show in Ontario. I have tried to use the generic ones now and they just fall off.

I taped my fingers with duct tape when I hand sew and my fingers get tender.

also little balloons....learned that at a hand-quilting class where the instructor handed us each one to use.

My grandmother tried for years to teach me to use a thimble and was totally unsuccessful. She insisted and I resisted. I just cannot keep a metal thimble onnmy finger. I sewed for years without one and pierced my finger countless times. A couple years ago I discovered the Clover silicone thimbles with the metal tip. Yeah! They stay on my finger and I don't even notice I'm wearing one. Many times I've left the sewing room and gone to start dinner only to find out that the thimble is still there when I go to wash my hands. :-)

This tip really works and is how I teach students to learn to use a thimble.

Just bought Aunt Becky and a Sterling Silver custom fitted thimble for people with long fingernails along with 3 yards of thin batting and good quilting needles. I WILL PRACTICE til I learn how to hand quilt with this method! I hate pricking my finger and it bothers my wrist to "rock" the needle. My daughter started hand quilting a top she made for me then hurt her hands. I want to finish hand quilting it.

I have tried several (many) thimbles and could not get use to using it, UNTIL i tried the Clover natural fit leather thimble. it is so soft and fits the whole top joint of my finger. I push with the side of my finger…try it.

Susie

I'm the same way, have many thimbles and find myself using a different finger than the one with the thimble. Been sewing for over 50 years and have never figured or liked using any of them.

I had to force myself to use the finger with the thimble when I first started out. After a while, it became second nature.