In search of more thimbles..

I posted this on the Quiltville facebook page about a discussion on favorite thimbles. It is something that comes up and around every once in a while because we all find things that we like that work for us....

I use these cheapie plastic ones the most...they are comfortable on my finger. I don't like metal thimbles, something about the feel of that metal needle against the metal thimble can give me the creeps like a fork scraping against a plate! And then there is that sweating thing, and no room for my nail.

I've tried leather ones only to have the needle work it's way through the leather and into my finger. OUCH! I know they have "coins" in them now to help that, but the leather ones always made my finger sweat too. And that room for the nail thing again!

I've had expensive $50 thimbles that were going to be the "cat's meow" in my mind, because they were beautiful and had designer names on them...but...they were still metal even if silver, the scraping feeling was still there, my finger would still sweat, even with an open nail thimble, and then the thimble would slide around.

And those expensive designer thimbles are HEAVY! I didn't like that at all.

Then there is the story of the EXPENSIVE designer thimble that went missing for YEARS, creating much panic and dismay on my part, only to be found in a FLOOR VENT about 10 minutes before we left South Carolina on our move to North Carolina. I just think $50 is a lot of money for something that I am going to worry about losing, and doesn't do as well as the cheapie plastic one I can get at Walmart or Joannes (on the notions wall, for those looking...use your coupon or go when notions are 1/2 off) and I don't worry if I lose them!

Not to mention...how many of these can I buy for that same $50 to $60 that the designer ones cost me? I'd rather spend my money on FABRIC! (Or Chinese food, but that's another addiction....)

I've never had the needle go through the plastic ones, and though they are a hard plastic, they seem to grip the needle. After a lot of use, you can find the dimples worn down and/or obliterated, but they are so cheap it is easy to toss one, and replace it with another.

Which is what I am about to do right now! I've got a flight to catch this afternoon, and my thimble top is all grooved up, so I'm going on a walk about to the Walmart that is down the road about 1/2 mile in search of a replacement so I can happily stitch my way home on the plane :c)

I know there has been discussion about using pony tail holders to keep thread on a bobbin when traveling, but here I tamed this wood spool of YLI red quilting thread (GO RED!! YEAH!) with a pony tail holder for the same reason! This quilting thread is a bit springy and there is no groove to catch the end in to keep it from unwinding, so the pony tail holder did the trick!

These are the cheapie scissors that have traveled to France and back with me...with no problem. No problem with them in the USA either, but even if there was, it wouldn't bother me..they were in a 3 pack for $3.96 or some stupid price in the sewing notions aisle at Walmart as well. (Probably not far from the cheapie plastic thimbles!)

I need scissors that are sharp enough to give a good clean cut on the end of the thread so it is easy to put through the eye of the needle. Those clover pendant thingies (or dental floss container cutters) always leave me with frazzled ends, and no amount of wetting the thread, or strategic poking can get a fuzzy frazzled thread end through that eye. So I risk taking these because they cut clean to the tip, making threading easy.

Got project? Check! Got book on mp3? Check! Got granola bar, an apple, a couple of tangerines, a zip lock baggie of animal crackers? Check! Got gum? Check!

And off I go!



PS.
This is not a paid advertisement or sponsored anything by any thimble company out there, this is just what I like to use to get the job done!

PSS! After all that walking (which I needed anyway) the thimbles could not be found at this walmart...truth be told..maybe since they got rid of the fabric departments they've even scaled down on what notions they carry, and I'm not happy at all! Pffft!