Sorry to hear about the fingers. :)

Try using a rubber fingertip - like the kind they use for counting money - on your gripper finger. Works a charm for me. I get them by the box from the office supply store; far cheaper than at the quilt shop. I also use small needle-nosed pliers for those needles that just won't pull through. The only fingers that I destroy are my 'under' fingers. Eventually they just callous over so it's not too bad. Keep up the good work.

cool ideas, thanks. Rubber fingers I use at work occasionally. I'll try that first since I'm used to having those on, and won't be anything to get used to. Thanks for the suggestions. Although I'm at the border on this quilt, I think I'll work on a different one for a couple of nights (dye sticks and fabric markers) and give my poor fingers a few days to get better. I find that quilts and blood do not go well together. Work today - (job) on the computer - is not pleasant. ugh!

I used a leather thimble that had a metal tip. It helped when I hand quilted a king size quilt. The bag balm does work wonders!

I use leather thimbles. Can't use the others.

I use both a Roxanne thimble and the leather thimbles with the coins and the dots. I also use a finger cot on my needling finger. You get them at walgreens and walmart or staples. it keeps the needle from sliding on the skin. Love that you hand quilt, I do as much as my achinbg hands can do. Pace yourself. Flex your fingers. I also founs=d a product called Crack it I think it is for the annoying cracked fingers. It stings when put on at night but it works. Good Luck

As for the splitting try putting Vicks vapor rub on them every night very thick with plastic gloves! My hands/feet would split and bleed! hurt like the devil! this works!! and has cured it!!!

I use a leather thimble and I love it. I'm always amazed that they feel so good, and seem to last so long. I started using the leather thimble for embroidery and am now using it to hand quilt. But I haven't been hand quilting for very long. The metal thimbles are not designed for my shape of finger! They are very uncomfortable to me. But I have ordered a 'tower thimble' from the ThimbleLady and her book to see if I can learn to quilt smaller stitches and a little bit quicker.

Boy, I know I have!!! And I end up making a hole. Then get the needle in that hole contantly!!!! OUCH!!!!!

I'm currently hand quilting my daughters quilt and I use the leather with the coin insert. It seems to help me I can go go for hours I have callouses building up on the others but the thimble works for me and not distracting or uncomfortable. Hope that helps!