SEW CRAZY GIRL-- if you go to SD and El Cajon. there is a cool quilt shop that may be helpful. I went there all the time when I lived SD and they were really nice people who worked there and always helpful. My quilting buddy and I would always go there on our girls day out. The address is
ROSIES CALICO CUPBOARD
7151 El Cajon Blvd # F
697-5758
Is the show the one they have in Del Mar each year? I really miss going to that one. It was alot f fun. Have fun..Ravonda (grew up by Sea World)

Look in the first aid section of your local drugstore. They sell a spongy bandage material that sticks to itself. I put a thin layer around my finger and slide the thimble over it. Works like a charm and the thimble doesn't fall off.

Try this: get some sculpy or fimo, roll it out, wrap your finger, put a top on it, cut it to size, bake, and presto!

Its a custom thimble, exact to size. :)

Hi, I have just gotten a TJ Lane thimble. It is wonderful! They are custom fit to your finger. They work with you to make sure you have the proper fit. They are expensive but well worth the money if you quilt by hand all the time as well as using it to put your binding on. Two websites you can look at. The first one is the lady I bought mine from: www.thimbleplus.com. The second one is the lady who actually designs the thimbles. Her website has all the different designs available. These are sterling silver and guaranteed for life. These are also the thimbles that Jinny Beyer and Alex Anderson use. TJ's website is: www.thimbles2fit.com.

Hope this helps!

Look for the leather ones. They have elastic that you could 'take up' with needle and thread. I love my leather thimble, I have exzema on my fingers so anything that makes them sweaty, also make them sore. The leather breathes nicely. I made my first one, cause I did not know that I could buy one. Mine was much more primitive. :oops:

Stick on leather patch. Put it right where the hole would be. Ask for Thinmble Pad by Colonial. I keep one stuck to the needle case in every carry project. You use it over and over.

I buy the rubber thimbles and then a metal thimble on top of it.

I have the same problem. All the thimbles at the LQS & fabric stores in town seem to come in S M & L. Even the S is to big for me. Until I found a thimble that worked for me I could only take 1 stitch at a time.
One day I found some thimbles at a consignment store. A whole new world in hand quilting opened for me. My stitches are smaller & I can take up to 4 stitches at at time & still be consistent.

I recommend that you find the right thimble for you. It'll make all the difference in the world.

Try breathing into the thimble like you do when cleaning your glasses. Works for me!

I agree. I do a lot of handquilting and have 2 TJ Lane thimbles. One fits when my hand is swollen (arthritis) and the other when it isn't. They adjust them to fit perfectly. I have quilted through one of them twice and they fix it for free!