One of the most important tools in embroidery is the thimble. It is made of various precious metals, with added materials such as plastic, porcelain, celluloid, bone, rubber, casein, and even glass. The thimble must be sturdy and comfortable, as its purpose is to protect the finger, but also to prevent the needle from being pushed while embroidering.
When purchasing a thimble, make sure that its walls and bottom, or just the bottom, are dimpled, so that the tip of the needle, which we place against the thimble when embroidering, does not slip. Today, plastic thimble is probably the most popular, and there are quite a few old handmade thimble designs.
We place the thimble on the middle finger of the right hand, so we buy it in the size that corresponds to the finger mentioned. The choice of finger may also vary slightly. Try embroidering without a thimble on a slightly thicker material. The sore finger is the one that is waiting for the thimble. Using a thimble requires practice. At first, it feels like a foreign object in the finger, which seems to hinder the work. Later, you get used to the thimble so much that embroidering without it is difficult and sometimes even impossible.
A thimble requires maintenance, like any other tool. During use, holes can wear out at the bottom of the thimble, which are especially dangerous because the tip of the needle can penetrate the hole and injure the finger. If the thimble is made of some stainless material, a small wound can even cause blood poisoning. Therefore, we replace a worn thimble with a new one, or if it is valuable, we have it repaired.
Every embroiderer should have a thimble handy. The best place to store it is in a small box with the aforementioned items on a table or in a desk drawer.
Have you also worn out your thimble? What kind of thimble do you prefer? If you have a really interesting thimble, send us a picture and a story. muhutikand@muhutikand.ee
See what tools Leida Kirst has used. They've accumulated quite a few over the years. In the gallery you'll also find a thimble with a hole that has done a great job.
Explore the galleries HERE.