I am going to the quilt show tomorrow and I need a new thinmble for hand quilting. I have all metal ones and they hurt my finger after a few hours of quilting. The leather ones seem to wear through for me too fast. What do you use and why do you love it??

I have worn out 3 of the metal ones that leave one side open so your fingernail is out. The last one I got is a little thicker but the same thimble and I love it. I was so proud of myself when I wore out my first thimble hand quilting !! Then I knew I was a true hand quilter !! I think I ordered it from Keepsake Quilting but most QS carry them.

TJ Lane Thimbles. I like them because they are the ONLY and I mean only thimble I have ever been able to use. They fit and they work. I can't tell you how many I have tried prior to trying the TJ Lanes. The price of them will give you a heart attack though!! They are sterling silver and run roughly about $100 each now. :shock: :shock:

http://www.thimbles2fit.com/cgi-bin/...mble_open_main

When I got mine the one I use on my index finger was $60. I actually had to think about it for a year! I saw them at a local show one year and the next year the vendor was there again so I tried it out again at the show, the vendor properly sized me and I bought it. I still had problems dealing with spending that much for a thimble for weeks. But after using that for several years I got one for my thumb and the price had gone up to $80. I didn't bat an eye because I knew this thimble worked for me.

Yes incredibly expensive but worth it as I will most likely never ever have to buy another thimble again. She guarantees them for life and if you wear a hole into them she fixes it for a nominal charge.

I like the light brown leather thimbles for handquilting. I pick up a few everytime I see them. They have a little plastic disk inside that keeps the needle from going through my finger. I probably have half a dozen of them currently in use all over the house. I have even cut one down to use on the thumb of my left hand as I quilt with both hands when using a frame. It's called a Skin Thimble.
I wear them out but they are the most comfortable for me. I could never use a hard one. I find I can't even sew on a button now without wearing one.

I also have a TJ Lane thimble. I like it alot, but I also use my Roxanne thimble, which is relatively cheap in comparison. The Roxanne thimble comes in lots of sizes, so it's easy to get one that fits.

Janet

Holy cow. I never knew you could spend so much for a thimble. Other then being silver and pretty why these?

They fit and they work. At least for me. They actually size them like a ring. I have never had a thimble I could use until I got this one. Although, I had not tried the Roxanne. Believe me I thought LONG and HARD before spending so much on a thimble and I take care of the two I have so they aren't misplaced like so many other things in my life! (car keys, glasses, the spatula I just used to flip my pancake a second ago) :lol:

What part of the thimble do you use to push the needle? I use the top or end of my finger. I have seen people who use the pad of their finger.

I am a fingernail quilter by nature so when I use the thimble I end up using the top part right about where that lip comes up and nests inside your fingernail. I have never used the pad of my finger area. When not using a thimble the shaft of the needle is balanced against the tip of my finger with the eye end set into my fingernail. So when I use the thimble it is always the top but more often the dimpled area that nests behind the fingernail.

dThat is the one I have too and I got it at a quilt show....best investment. It cost me $80 and was worth every cent. Because it is silver and I hadn't used it for a few months it tarnished, but a little toothpaste shined it up beautifully.