Thimbles
 

When doing hand sewing, especially applique, do you wear one or more thimbles? If so, which thimbles have you had the best luck with?

I don't do hand applique, but when I do English paper piecing I don't use a thimble. I do put a bit of medical tape on my fingertip, though. I always get a sore spot where I hold the needle, and the tape helps both with gripping the needle and keeping my skin intact.

I have only just started doing applique but have done a lot of embroidery and I tend to like using thimble pads, link below. They are as bulky and cumbersome, and I don't really need a thimble as much w/embroidery or applique as I do w/hand quilting.

http://www.connectingthreads.com/Too...d__D80561.HTML

When hand sewing, like Tartan, I do not use a thimble. I find that a thimble, even the fingertip thimbles, interfere with my hand sewing. But that's just me, I also don't wear a thimble when I hand quilt.

When I started hand quilting I started using the beige colored plastic thimbles because I could adjust it to my finger by putting it in boiling water. Then I went to the Road to CA show and met TJ Lane. She makes thimbles using silver and has them fitted to your finger. That made all the difference for me. I have 3. One is a bit larger for use in the summer when my finger swells a bit. I keep it on my middle finger on my right hand. When quilting I use a little disk that sticks to the middle finger on my left hand. I tried to use a thimble on my left hand but it didn't work for me. Nor could I work with one on my right thumb.

I wear leather thimbles made by Clover. Most thimbles seem to be made under the assumption that you are pushing the needle with the pad of your finger. However, I don't hand quilt. I hand applique, hand bind, and do some hexie hand-piecing, and I find myself pushing the needle through the fabric with the side of my middle finger, just below the nail. Most of the plastic and metal thimbles don't work for my style, but I really like the leather thimbles.

I'm with Tartan.

I always wear a thimble. Have several. One is a quilting thimble with the hole for your fingernail by T.J.Lane. Love it. And a plain silver thimble for all other handiwork, applique and hand sewing. Got both at the big quilt shows.

I tried a couple different leather thimbles, but I still haven't found anything that beats the traditional metal thimble (you know, like the one that used to be a Monopoly piece).