Thimble, Thimble...Who's Got The Thimble?
 

Remember that childhood game?

I wonder, what is your favorite type of thimble and what task do you use it for? Have you ever tried Japanese thimbles? Ring thimbles? Leather? Beeswax? Plastic? Metal?

~ Cindy

i've never been too successful with a thimble. my best try was a leather one. now i just quilt in my lap and push the needle with the bottom side of my long thumbnail. i don't hadn quilt very much... about 1-2 hours a week.

I have never seen the Japanese thimbles before, or I didn't know what they were. I now think I must acquire one or two.

I use some old jelly thimbles that I bought years ago when I was showing some kids how to quilt.

I have small hands and trying to find the right thimble to fit is a pain. What I've come up with and since my little niece who has super tiny hands is; I went to the pharmacy and I needed an support bandage (Ace type). They have come out with what is called self adhesive. I cut some of it off for myself and my niece. The bandage holds the thimble in place and is easy to adjust. You can also get this in blue. I am super allergic to the adhesives on band aids. The bandage is called COACH self-adhering bandage.

I like a metal thimble, for hand quilting I used the Roxanne thimble, loved it. I no longer hand quilt but still use that thimble when doing hand stitching down the binding.

Japanese thimbles are out for me, I use more of the tip of my finger. I don't like the feel of the plastic/rubber thimbles. Leather worked well until the eye end of my needle punched through the leather into my finger. Have always used the full metal thimbles but was gifted one of the Clover open metal ones, they are designed for people with long nails, So far I really like it. Not as hot on my finger, and no needles running up under my nail.

I have not been very good with using a thimble, have only used metal and the soft plastic type.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that hurts. My nails are not one bit hard.

I've seen a couple of types of Japanese thimbles. One has a little paddle tab that sticks out from a ring. Another one I've seen is a ring style, with dimples in the band. Try Googling it to see what comes up.

Personally, I love my leather thimble. It feels extremely comfortable and fits my middle finger perfectly. I don't do any hand quilting though. I just use it for binding and other simple, hand sewing tasks.

I did! that's why I think I need one ;-) I have one of the dimpled metal rings that I inherited from MIL. I would love to have one of the beautiful wrapped rings.

I have not used a thimble much as I always felt they were cumbersome.....but, recently I have been doing more hand sewing and one night I was pushing the need through several layers and ended up pushing the needed right through my finger - literally in one side and out the other! So I pulled out the old metal thimble that I think used to belong to my grandmother. I really don't like how it feels so I am going to look into some of the others that y'all have mentioned. Good thread! Terina

I use silver thimbles made by T J Lane. She makes them to fit your finger. It was wonderful buying one that actually fits. Several years ago she had a booth at the Road to California show and I was able to try several. My treat to myself was going to her booth and picking out a new thimble and haven't been able to find her the past few years. According to the website she is going to be there again this year so I am really looking forward to checking out the new stock

oh my, quiltingcandy. Such gorgeous stuff.

I buy these from my local quilt store:

http://www.amazon.com/Colonial-leath...ds=thimble+pad

Love them.

Several years ago, I bought a thimble at the Houston International Quilt Festival. It was made from a black, rubber-like material, and it is wonderful to work with. The woman sized my finger so that the thimble would fit correctly, and it is dense enough that I will never need to worry about a needle piercing it.

Also, when I am doing applique work, I use the "Nimble Thimble" which is a very lightweight leather with a slit in the end if you have long fingernails. I have also used the thimble pads and a similar product which is a clear, oval thimble pad called "Thimble It".

I hand quilt all the time. I use TJ Lanes thimbles. They are the best IMHO, Just received 2 back in the mail today.
I end up wearing holes in them when quilting, and she either fixes them or replaces them. She has moved to Iowa
her address is: www.thimbles2fit.com
[email protected]
Thimbles by TJ Lane
P. O. Box 2140
Fairfield, IA 52556 USA. I am not affiliated with her or anything else, just love her thimbles.

I have a sterling silver antique thimble that belonged to my Mother's Aunt. It has and engraved band around the base and dimples all over it. I don't use it often but I keep it handy for tough hand sewing.

I use the extra small leather thimbles made of goat leather. They are hand made. If they get a little loose I lick my finger before putting it on. Used it to hand finish a 108" x 116" quilt. I pick them up at large quilt shows and we have 1 local quilt shop that carries them. I have 4 - 5 around now because they are so hars to find in the small size.

I always use a thimble. The end of the needle hurts when it pokes my finger and I don't like that. I love these thimbles:

http://stores.delphinesquiltshop.com...ble/Detail.bok I have about a dozen of them because when anyone borrows one I never get it back.

The Clover silicon thimbles are nice. They are my second choice. http://www.clover-usa.com/product/69..._Grip_Thimbles

I learned this trick years ago. If you have trouble with a metal thimble not fitting your finger, buy a cheap one and using a hammer hit it until the opening is oval shaped. It makes 100% difference to being comfortable fit.

I think I have tried every type of thimble out there! Don't like any of them. My fingers get too hot! I tried using the little leather dots on my middle finger nail, but eventually the needle broke through and went into my fingernail. Ouch! Then I discovered those little red dots! They are called Poke-a-Dots my Jillily Studio. I take the adhesive off and super glue them to my fingernail. Stays on for weeks, keeps clean and so far has not let the needle come through.

I use a Thimblelady thimble http://www.thimblelady.com. I initially tried the plastic one to see if I liked the design/fit. Loved both features. I'm now on my second stainless steel one (wore holes in a couple of the dimples). The dimples are nice and deep and pushing with the pad of my finger vs the top is more comfortable for me. I think the sizing directions on her site are great. I'm hesitant to spend the $$ on a really pretty sterling silver one (either thimblelady or Roxanne or TJ Lane) as sterling is a softer metal than stainless steel. If I can wear holes in the stainless after a few years, I'd hate to think how quickly I'd do that to a sterling one! I hand quilt almost exclusively and will go on binges of quilting from several hours a day to going months at a time doing none. Depends on the projects I have going at any given time. Right now I'm quilting my fingers off trying to get a quilt done for mid-Feb. I think I'll make it!

I use the Dritz inexpensive thimble. I use a thimble anytime I do hand sewing. I can't hand sew without it. The Dritz has a depression in the top. I also provide this in all my hand quilting classes. I learned to use a thimble many many years ago sewing patches on my military uniforms.

I started using metal thimbles as a child and that is what I continue to use. I cannot do hand sewing without a thimble.

I use Thimblepads, the adhesive leather pads that stick right on your finger. Love them! Never had a needle go through one. I often have one on my thumb as well to help pull the needle through when sewing through several layers of fused fabric. They also work well to add hand traction when machine quilting.

I like the leather one. For me it stays on better than a metal one. Haven't tried other kinds.

I am currently using some old vintage thimbles I inherited with a bunch of sewing supplies. Some years ago my husband bought me a beautiful Japanese thimble with the "coin" bit at the top....our big dog (now 8) was a youngster and whilst cruising past the coffee table (silly me for leaving my sewing stuff on it) he ate it.....haven't got around to buying a nice one. I am pretty keen on getting one from the Thimblelady....but just haven't gotten around to it.

I could never use a thimble until I discovered the leather thimble. They are more expensive than others, but well worth the cost to me.

[QUOTE=tropit;6452764]Remember that childhood game?

I wonder, what is your favorite type of thimble and what task do you use it for? Have you ever tried Japanese thimbles? Ring thimbles? Leather? Beeswax? Plastic? Metal?

I have all those mentioned here PLUS about 4,000 more, since I COLLECT thimbles :-) I use an adjustable size thimble made for long nails. Think it's by fritz and probably brass or base metal. Barb A.

I probably have a dozen thimbles, but my favorite is an old hard plastic one that I found in my mom's house. It actually fits and most of the others don't.

I just wish I could find one I liked and that actually fit! I also use the pad of my finger ~ the only handwork I do is binding. I have a permanent sore on my poor finger because I always use the same spot to push that needle through :(

I have small fingers (ring size 5) The thimbles I posted about fit the best I've found.

I cannot use a thimble...I have tried but it just does not seem to work....

I'm still using a thimble that belonged to my Grandmother. I also still have the tiny thimble that fit my finger when I went to quilting bees with Grandma - don't know how old I was, but do remember the quilt frame hung from the ceiling in everyone's home & I had a wooden box to stand on so I would be tall enough to quilt. I'm sure all the stitches I put in were taken out later, but I still remember how much fun it was to go quilting with Grandma.

I have never used a thimble much -
I need to feel the needle come through,
and did not like the bulk or stiffness,
but my poor fingers suffered
BUT
I have found that the Nimble Thimble (leather with a small metal disc in the side)
works great for me, the only thing
wrong is they fall apart quickly (made in China).

I use a Tommy Lane thimble, just my size. She makes your thimble to fit your finger and she resize it if you need it. Watch for her at quilt shows. They are not cheap, but the to is dimples and I have a place for my fingernail to stick out through the top. I have it on a thimble cage of hers and on a chain and have enjoyed using it for about 16 years. It does not leave home.

I have thimbles in two different display cases that have been given to me through the years. They are so very fun to collect. Some of these are pieces are from women are long gone now. My aunts, grandmother, hubby's grandmother, two of my best friends and their mothers, sisters (still alive), some from trips taken. Some are from second hand and antique stores too. I use a thimble that has a ridge around the top mostly. Not all the time, it depends on the project.

I will have to say this to anyone beginning to wear one. You have to get used to a thimble. It isn't something that right away you feel comfortable wearing.

I used to one of these: http://www.quilting-warehouse.com/072536.html
Its a metal thimble sold by John James. I can't hand quilt any more.

I have short stubby fingers like my father's and could never find a thimble that was comfortable until my LQS showed me the jelly type. I liked it, so I bought two. (Still not a great fit, but better than the nothing I had been using.) last year in a gift exchange among friends, I recieved a package of silicone thimbles. I am hooked! They look like the old rubber ones they used to sell at office supply stores, but they are blue ( I don't know if they come in other colors). For hand quilting, I put one on my under finger, then put a jelly on top of it, and can work all day without sore fingers. My upper hand only has the silicone on it to protect it from my habit of holding the needle to tight when I hand sew. Hand sewing is now so easy, I find myself more willing to do it.


I just found out that my silicone 'thimbles' are made for hair stylists for protecting fingers from chemicals and curling irons...who knew?