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Question of the Week

Question for the week of April 11, 2005:

Our question this week comes from Sue B:

I'd like information on which thumb thimble will work the best when hand quilting - I have fairly long fingernails and standard thimbles are not comfortable.

Mary Wylie :
Enjoy your long nails! I have two thumb thimbles that are open at the top and work well. One is the Roxanne, which I highly recommend. Ask at your local quilt shop. HINT: Try on several even if they say they're the same size. They vary a lot in sizing. The other one is solid sterling by Liuxin Newman, the "ThimbleLady" from Australia. She also has a book on pain-free quilting. "Perfect Hand Quilting without Pain." Look on the Internet under Thimblelady. Also the Connecting Threads catalog has her newest thimble which I haven't tried. It is like a silver tube. Mine is more of a traditionally shaped thimble. Best of luck!

Connie :
The Roxanne thimble is the best metal thimble that I have found. They are not cheap but considering that they will last for years (mine is made of brass) it's money well spent. There is also a goat leather thimble found mostly in the Midwest that works very well. It's double-thickness, no outside seams to get humg up on your work either. It's made by CONSIDINE CREATIONS phone 608-742-6554. It was a gift to me and it's the best leather thimble out there.

Louise :
I have a silver thimble made by TJ Lane.It is fitted to your thumb or finger. Mine is open on top. She has several styles.Address is PO Box 30595, Lincoln, NE 68503.I tried a lot of thimbles and couldn't use them. This one is great.

April :
trim your long nails!

Amber :
trim your long nails!

Carla :
I'm with Joan. I had a leather one that was awesome but havn't been able to replace it since I wore through it.

Other leather ones too stiff and won't break in.

In desperation took an old office thimblette/page turner home for a trial (I had turned so many pages with it that it lost it's bumps but was fine for quilting). So the office option works for me too.

I keep trying the silver type, can't get used to it. Have a friend who has her mum's and loves it. I should persevere with that.

Holice Turnbow :
I have practiced with a leather thimble on the thumb that worked very well. I had to learn to quilt away from me rather than toward or to the left when using the leather thimble.

Donna :
I am told the Roxanne's thimbles are great, and are open ontop to accomodate long nails.

Joan :
I don't use a thimble, I use a finger cot. Available at business supply stores, they come in many sizes and they are cheap!

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