I do enjoy hand quilting. The stitches on the back are not as even as on the front, but I’m working on that. I think I did a better job of it when I wore the brass thimble. You can see it has a smooth, rolled edge so that it doesn’t dig into the side of my finger. It also has a bit of a ridge at the top that is also an indentation inside the thimble so there is room for a fingernail. The dimples do a great job of keeping the eye of the needle in place while I rock the needle through the layers of the quilt.
I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m not still using it.
Can you see why? You aren’t supposed to be able to stand a needle up in your thimble like that. That little white dot in the second picture? That’s daylight shining through. Yes, I wore a hole through this thimble! Yes, I did find out by getting stabbed by the eye of he needle breaking through.
I scoured the hobby stores and quilt shop for a new one, but couldn’t find the same kind. I found the selection to be quite limited, unless I was willing to spend large sums of cash online for a custom fitted one. I tried soft silicone ones for comfort but found the needle just slid right off the tip of those. The closest I found to my old thimble was this one:
I’m sorry I can’t tell you what the brand is. I found it on the notions wall at JoAnn’s a couple of years ago. It is just OK. The grid does help keep the needle from sliding off, but the thimble is nowhere near as comfortable as my old one. The edge digs into the side of my finger if I quilt more than an hour at a stretch. There is no room for anything more than a very blunt cut fingernail.
As I prepared this post I tried on the old thimble again and it reminded me how much more comfortable it was! I miss it! If anyone knows where I could find one I’d love to hear from you. The only identifying info on it is “EZ 7”. I bought it at a Walmart about 10 years ago for about $2.00.
http://www.simplicity.com/p-4376-solid-brass-thimble-small.aspx
ReplyDeletehttp://www.craftconn.com/Main.asp?Task=Custom&Step=Notion+Details&productID=27003
ReplyDeleteHere's another place.
Sorry I haven't seen your old thimble...have you tried using one of the leather patches quilters sue as thimble on the inside of the thimble? It may keep you from getting poked? I use them sometimes when my thimbles are loose...
ReplyDeleteOh my -- I had an EZ 5 that fell out in the car and we never found it. We have now traded the car and I lamented that my thimble went with it. I LOVED IT and can't find another one. Unfortunately as my knuckles grow with arthritis, my fingertips don't grow proportionately and I now have to use the sticky leather pads. I like them OK but I'll never love them like my EZ5. Jan
ReplyDeleteI have a thimble that looks very similar to yours and got it at Wal-Mart quite a few years back, too. I was ready to offer it to you, but it looks like yours is a 7 and mine is a 9...probably too big? (I think it's probably too big for me, too?) But I hate it! The ridge at the bottom digs into my next finger, so probably I'm using it wrong? I can't believe you used it so much you wore a hole in the bottom! Of course, you do lots of beautiful hand-quilting, so I guess I shouldn't be suprized.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if I can post a comment here, after I sent you an e-mail about your thimble. Hope you find one soon from one of the places online; better yet at Walmart? ---"Love"
ReplyDeleteHi I read your story and I wonder could you not drop a small washer in the thimble so you can still use it, or would that get in the way of your finger nail.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like just the sort of thimble I need, I find the needle slips off the end of the ones I have, so I just dont use them.
I used to have a brass thimble also and now I can't find it. I'm going to check out those links your readers sent. I'm so glad Bonnie did this link up.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you are having trouble finding a replacement thimble. Hope you find one soon. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI am stopping by from Bonnie's link up!