romlm

I have been making my own leather thimbles and love them. They are great and easy to make plus inexpensive. You can easily adjust the size for your finger. Look for directions and pattern below. I do not use the little circle of plastic in the tip and they still work great.

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00077.asp

sweetpea

I have not tryed yet it but a quilting freind of my mom's and was talking about her thimbles. she told me her make her own out of that first-aid tape that stick to it self. I found a roll the other day and plan to try to make one. Her said she fold a pad of the tape for the end of her finger and warps it with more of the tape until it fall right on her finger.

Peckish

Thank you for this!!

I tried the black leather thimbles, but I push the needle with the side of my finger, not the tip, and the needle head would go right through the seam. I like the Dritz leather thimbles, the seam is on the top of the finger instead of the side, but I love the idea of making my own thimbles!

okie2tx

I think the Diamond thimble is no longer available but the W'nder Thimble is still available.

FroggyinTexas

Ditto! I have my mother's brass thimble as well as several that I have bought for myself. They stay with the pincushion I am using at that moment in whatever room I am in. I've had to use mini-pliers from time to time, but nothing takes the place of my thimble. froggyintexas

sap

I've made many leather thimbles. just 2 pieces of leather the width if a finger, sew them together with the sewing machine. I've repurposed old leather purses for this. works for me.

P-BurgKay

I also started sewing with a thimble, as that is what grandma said to do. I sure wish I had my silver thimble from when I was a child. Now I use TJ Lane's open ended silver thimbles. I only have 5 of them and love each one of them.

Edie

I always use a leather thimble. And when push comes to shove, (to coin a phrase) my favorite tool comes into play, that being the needle nose pliers to pull the needle through.

Bess, my avatar and super dog ate my leather thimble. Thank heaven I was through tying a quilt, nevertheless, I have to get a new one.

So when I go on vacation in a couple of weeks, I will bring home a souvenir from a quilt shop - a leather thimble, this time remembering to put it in a prescription container/bottle (those brown plastic things). Gotta keep all that stuff away from the canine vacuum cleaner.

Have a great day - I am having a deck put out in front of the porch and I have two rocking chairs I am putting out there and I am going to enjoy what's left of Spring and the summer doing a bunch of embroidery and hand sewing rockin' away and listening to a good book (right now it is "Mrs. Lincoln's Rival" by Jennifer Chiaverini. Very good book. Edie

jitkaau

Japanese thimbles are shaped like rings. This means that you can hold a needle easily and push with the side of the thimble-ring. Clover sell them. They come in metal and also hard plastic, covered with a leather tie which accommodates differently sized fingers easily. As well, there is a shashiko needle as well. It goes on as a ring and there is a small, round, metal plate that sits in the palm of the hand. I have never had success with a conventional thimble which mostly falls off. I've been very happy with the Japanese ones.

Lavada

I use the finger of a rubber glove with a piece of a Tupperware shaped like the end of my finger inside I use my index finger and thumb so the glove finger helps to grip the needle to pull thru the layers of fabric works for me