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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Thimble Pads – Pros & Cons for Embroiderers

 

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The Thimble – it is a humble little tool that’s been around for a long time! Did you know the earliest archeological thimble-finds date to the 1st century AD? So it’s a little tool with a long history, and throughout the thimble’s history – whether made from ornate, precious materials or simple wood or leather – the thimble’s Ultimate Goal has been to protect the fingers of people like you and me.

And that is a Noble Goal.

But there are lots of people out there who don’t use thimbles. I was one of them. I didn’t learn to stitch with a thimble, so at first it was pretty awkward getting used to working with one. This is the thimble that I use when I use a thimble, and I’ve gotten a whole lot better at using it.

But when I came across Thimble Pads the other day, I thought, “Why not? I’ll give them a try.”

And I did give the weird things a try. These are my impressions.

Thimble

This is the concept: a small, round leather pad that’s Super-Duper Sticky on one side, that you stick onto your “pushing” finger (which is normally the middle finger of your stitching hand), to protect from the eye of the needle slipping into your skin.

Thimble

They come in packages of 12 little sticky pads, and they are supposedly re-usable ad infinitum, or until they lose their stickiness, which apparently is next to never? At the end of a stitching session, the package prompts the user to remove the thimble pad and stick it somewhere on the frame or workplace, to use next time you visit the project. Think of it, in a sense, as a child thinks of bubble gum – you might have to take it out to eat your dinner, but you want to get more chew out of it later, so you tuck it away somewhere for a bit. That’s the concept.

I have always had an aversion to things that stick to the skin. I think I invented band-aid-aphobia. But I was willing to give these things a try, because they do promise the protection of a thimble without the inhibiting mass of the thing on the finger.

Boy, golly. These things take “skin sticking” to a whole new level. They stick to the skin. Serious peeling is required to get the things off. On the “pro” side, they don’t leave any residue. But I’m surprised they don’t separate the skin from all that’s underneath it during the removal process.

Though they seem unobtrusive when compared to a full-fledged thimble, the thimble pad does take getting used to. I found myself having to “retrain” the movement of my hand, in order to aim for the target of the thimble pad. It’s a good enough sized target, that little leather circle, but nevertheless, you don’t want to miss the target when you’re expecting protection from the eye of the needle. So you have to get used to wearing the thing, just like you have to get used to wearing a thimble.

Does the thimble pad work? Yes, it does. It provides the finger with a layer of sturdy protection suitable for pushing the needle out of the fabric, just as it promises.

And I was just contemplating the fact that it did work as promised, even though I wasn’t really keen on the whole stick-on thimble, when I ran into a definite problem that turned me off thimble pads for life.

Thimble

They are kind of suede-y, hairy leather, and they have a serious shedding problem. Tiny bits of leather flaked all over my embroidery surface and got caught in my couching threads before I realized I had a Situation. I had to employ a careful pair of tweezers to remove the bits of leather from the un-couched flat silk and to wrestle the bits out of the couching thread where they were caught. And the leather stuff doesn’t just blow off, either – it sticks to the silk as if it has found its life-long mate!

So, Thimble Pads, the Upshot:

1. Yes, they work.
2. They still take getting used to.
3. They stick like the dickens to your finger (which is what they promise – but it’s not necessarily a pleasant thing).
4. They shed somethin’ fierce.

I can see using Thimble Pads for certain sewing applications – I think they’d probably be great for hand quilting and for working on items that can be washed or brushed with a certain amount of vigor. For fine embroidery applications, if you need finger protection, I’m inclined to say the Thimble Pad isn’t quite the way to go.

Any input? Have you discovered any thimble-esque tools that you consider indispensable in your embroidery pursuits? If you’d like to join in with some thimble-chatter, feel free to leave a comment below!

 
 

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(58) Comments

  1. I use thimbles on occasion – only when sewing something tough to get the needle through. I have about 8-9 various thimbles, purchased in search of one that I can stand to use. I also have a pack of stick-ons, but haven’t used them yet. Every now and then I find a tiny old thimble in a shop that’s bent to fit and has holes in it, I’m always amazed that someone could stand to use it so much. I’m glad to see they really do stick and work well, except for the shedding. I wonder if a coat of fray stop or nail polish would work?

    Another well written product review – thanks!

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  2. I’ve seen similar ‘plastic’ stick on thimble pads — have some and have used them when putting the binding on a large quilt, so I was hand sewing for hours. [I think they’re called Thimble-It] I’m not really into a lot of hand quilting/embroidery, so it took a bit for me to get used to them. I have a silicone thimble which I enjoy, but most times, I just sew bear fingered.

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  3. Hi Mary! I am rolling on the floor laughing at the moment about the same issues on the leather sticky thimble pads.

    Here is a little trick I learned. I use the leather ones on my left finger while I quilt. It is enough to keep me from checking my blood sugar the hard way. There is another sticky thimble that is the shield. Looks and acts like a real metal thimble but it is a sticky circle. Try using that as it doesn’t shed. I’ve gotten used to this shield while quilting and works great on my needle finger.

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  4. I’ve never used these and I very rarely use a thimble either. But, I think this is one of your best and most useful reviews, Mary! Entertaining and very informative! Thanks.

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  5. I wonder if the company would like to hear these comments and come up with a solution?…giving you credit of course…
    I have never gotten use to thimbles…I’m waiting for a totally flexible one/second skin type with a shell like pad cover…if I can get use to wearing gloves in the medical field, than a glove with a hard spot to protect my finger would work too…they make silicon finger protectors for ironing now…so now it’s time for a silicon thimble with a spot of plexi on the pad.

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  6. Re: Thimble Pads
    “as a child thinks of bubble gum – you might have to take it out to eat your dinner, but you want to get more chew out of it later, so you tuck it away somewhere for a bit. That’s the concept.” What a great analogy!

    In high school, I was always being caught without a thimble on my finger – a No-No.
    Even in college (Design graduate) and to this day, I don’t use a thimble.

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  7. Hi Mary!

    I have always had a hard time using a thimble but I stick myself often when embroidering. I found a product at Michaels craft store called Thimble It. They are oval shaped plastic discs that- yes stick to your finger but there is no material to shed onto your project because it is plastic. They are very pliable and form well to the shape of your finger pad. They are very easy to get used to and a life(finger and temper ) 😉 saver! You can also cut them to a smaller size if needed.

    Have a nice day!
    Melissa-Utah

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  8. When I must use a thimble I use a leather one with a metal “coin” inset at the spot that needs protecting. It is like a glove fingertip with a bit of elastic on the bottom edge for fit. The metal part is dimpled just like a regular thimble. I bought it either at a fabric store (Jo-ann or Hancock’s) or from Nordic Needle. They work beautifully and are comfortable.

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  9. I, too, was once afflicted with Thimble-Aversionitis, but I am now cured and wear a thimble whenever I sew anything. I found a thimble with a metal end (it’s designed for quilters so it has a metal ridge at the business end that keeps the needle from slipping off) and rubbery finger-sleeve. That meant it could go over my writing callus without being too tight. Then I simply wore it around the house for several hours a day. Although strange feeling at first, it didn’t take long for it to become a part of me, and as I said, I now wear this thimble when I embroider, hand piece, mend, or quilt. My finger is very happy!

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  10. I also use the plastic “Thimble-It”s. They don’t shed but do feel like they are taking off a layer of skin when I remove them. Better than bellding all over the quilt, though.

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  11. I have been using the thimble pads for “years” and have never seen them shed, ever. I always use them for embroidery and applique. I love them. Mine don’t shed don’t know why yours do. Love all the info I get from you.

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  12. I’m very bad about using thimbles. In fact, I’m so bad that I’ve been caught putting on a thimble, then using a different finger to push! When I do use a thimble, it’s a quilter’s leather thimble.

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  13. I use a leather thimble. When the leather wears thin, I stick one of these pads onto the leather thimble to reinforce the area where the needle hits the thimble. This has prolonged the life of my thimbles and keeps the needle from poking through the leather and my finger.

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  14. I use thimble pads and really like them because, like you, I did not learn to sew with a thimble. I haven’t noticed the shedding problem, but then I haven’t been doing any really fine embroidery lately. I wonder if spraying hair spray on them would prevent the shedding but not compromise the necessary roughness. Just a thought.

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  15. Sorry to hear you had trouble with the thimble pad, Mary.

    A few years ago at an EGA seminar, when my finger was pricked and bleeding from using a sharp, someone suggested a small piece of medical tape. It’s a waterproof, slightly spongey tape that sticks really well and comes in rolls of about five yards. She gave me a piece of what she had brought with her, and the next day I ran out to the drugstore down the street from the seminar hotel and bought a roll of my own.

    Doesn’t shed, sticks well enough for several hours of stitching, is resusable if it’s still sticky, is flexible and waterproof, comes in huge quantities (for a stitcher, at least), and is MUCH cheaper that then pads. A five yard roll runs about six dollars.

    I ALWAYS bring some with me now when I know I’ll be using a sharp. I highly recommend it.

    Carol S.

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  16. Mornin’ Mary!
    It is interesting to see so many non-thimble users. I have always had them in my sewing box(es) but rarely use them. I like to be able to feel with my fingers and find thimbles awkward. Of course now and then I have a few extra holes in my fingers!

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  17. Mary:
    Love your reviews! I have been using leather thimble pads for years, but not the brand in your picture. I love them, as I cannot find a thimble to fit, and they DO stick – although the brand I use doesn’t pull layers of skin off. I find I can use one for a very long time – often months, depending on how many on-and-off sessions I have. I have never had a shedding problem, but I do find you cannot use them with silk as they “catch’ the thread. I wonder if lightly sanding your with an emery board would help?

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  18. I love your product reviews, actually everything you write about, this one had me laughing, you’re so clever. I have a collection of thimbles and can’t get used to using them, if I need to push the needle, I use my nail. It works for me. I only quilt my minis by hand, don’t seem to need to need help with my embroidery.

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  19. I’ve always used the common metal thimble on my middle finger for hand piecing and quilting. I can’t sew without one – it just feels like a part of me when I’m sewing. So, when I recently started doing embroidery, I just naturally used one. Works very nicely for me. Only hitch is that I have to hunt around for the smaller size, which isn’t always available.

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  20. Hi Mary! I’m wondering if the “medical tape. It’s a waterproof, slightly spongey tape that sticks really well and comes in rolls of about five yards.” that Carol S. refers to is called Vetwrap. We used it to wrap horses legs when travelling, for cuts, abrasions and the like. It comes in a variety of colors and is indeed spongy and sticky without being so sticky it pulls off a layer of your skin…..Just curious….Brenda, Wilmington, Ohio

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  21. Thimbles- Can’t live with them, yet can’t live without them, either.
    Someone once said, if you see a stitcher working without a thimble, you won’t be seeing her for very long. No one can carry on for any length of time without proper tools and protection.
    I started using a thimble when I apprenticed with male tailors at the age of 25. That was 30 years ago, and I still remove them often while I work!

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  22. Mary, thanks again for the info on the thimble pads, I have looked at them before, just haven’t purchased them. I have used the thimble-its, with ok results. Like Kandy,I put them on then use a different finger to push with. Defeats the purpose!!!!!! I think I will try just wearing a thimble around until it becomes a part of me, as soon as I find one that fits!!!!!

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  23. Every time you have a thimble discussion I think of my grandmother Rosa who taught me hand sewing at a early age. When I fretted about using a thimble she just pursed her lips and said – suit yourself, you’ll change your mind soon enough – and so I did. After a few bloody fingers and stabbed cuticles I learned to use a thimble. Today I find it a comfortable and necessary tool every time I pickup a needle. I agree it’s a bit hard to learn to use one, but you’ll find thimbles are not just to protect your finger, you can use them to direct your needle into just the right spot before you make that final push with the needle. When someone tells me me they do not like to use a thimble I just say, – if you sew long enough you will learn to use one sooner or later -. I don’t think it much matters what kind of finger protection you like, it is more important to learn how to use it for the kind of work you are doing.

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  24. I agree with Paula and others that using a thimble just must become second nature with practice and use. I can’t even sew on a button without some kind of thimble. When I find a metal one that fits my small hand, I buy several so I’ll always have one on hand.

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  25. Brenda – I’ve tried vet wrap at home. Because I work with wildlife and occasionally have to do field rescue, I need the basic supplies on hand to stabilize fractures. The vet wrap as a thimble didn’t work for me. My quilting needle still went through and I’m not even talking about the pointy end.

    I can’t stand thimbles. I have a nice little collection of them, all different types but I can’t get used to having it on my finger. It feels like I’m missing a finger because I rely on feeling my needle as it goes through the layers of fabric. With a thimble the needle seems to wobble around. These stick on felt pads might work. Maybe I’ll buy some to add to my collection. 🙂

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  26. I can’t stitch without a thimble. I guess because I learned to sew by “helping” Mom & Grandma quilt. My all time favorite thimble is an antique silver one, beautifully pre-bent to finger-shape, and which fits my finger exactly. 😀 I use this one for all my embroidery and other hand work except quilting.

    My second favorite is this thimble: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018N2FT2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000YZ437C&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1BVXSDVDQ911Q1WBJS2W

    It comes in three sizes. It’s not big and clunky like a lot of leather thimbles are. It “hugs” my finger and stays on well. It has a tiny metal plate at the tip sandwiched between two layers of leather.

    I use different sizes on different fingers and am a happy camper. When hand quilting I put one on my middle finger for pushing and one on my thumb to grip the needle or to quilt backwards. A third goes on my left hand on the underneath side of the quilt. Works like a charm.

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  27. I too love the bubblegum analogy!!! I could never use a thimble, even when quilting until I found some rubber/latex thimbles at a quilt shop that I’ve learned to love. They come in different sizes and colors (and they have different decorations on them too)and Yes!!! one even fits my fat “man-hand-fingers” I keep several on hand, one with my quilting box, one with my regular sewing box and one in my embroidery box. Now I wouldn’t be without a thimble!!!

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  28. First and foremost I would like to thank-you for the beautiful church embroidery pattern book that you put out, it was the best workbook I have had and intend to do a lot with it. I am very pleased with the different looks and in particular the patterns that we would not have the ability to try oursevles if it were not for the kindness of people like you.

    If I were to rate it, would have to say must have and a lot of detail to the designs.

    As for thimbles, I, as well have trie the thimbles that are similar to the ones you have displayed in the editorial, but they were not hairy like that one and they did not stick well. I think they were referred to as under thimbles.

    My favourite thimble is one with a rim on the edge that does not allow the needle to slip off the edge. I have tried the leather needles and find them cumbersome but great for handquilting, there is also a small leather thimble called a dimple thimble with a small metal insert in the pad, it was easier to use.

    I cannot imagine how you felt when you saw the leather frays on your gorgeous silk

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  29. Never tried these pads, but I think they’d work for me. I’ve only been able to use those plastic thimbles with the front cut out, so there’s space for your finger nail. If my stitching becomes more regular rather than occasional, I’d like to invest in a Roxanne RX Thimble.

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  30. I have tried the plastic version of the thimble you reviewed. It is a clear plastic and after taking it off to use again it disapeared like a contact lense. I was in shock and afraid the dog may have gotten it that I never used them again. Will I? I like the old fashion metal thimble. I am hoping the one I did use made it’s way to the bottom of a shoe and is now outdoors.

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  31. Mary I laughed at your suming up of the fingerpads. Mainly because… yep been there.
    I don’t use a thimble, tried it but it was not for me. My middle finger thought it was dead. It is an instinctual thing. I think it is the awkwardness of a thimble. Fingers being a tactile function sends a message to the brain that the finger is out of order. So it just sits there and you get a big hole in the pointer finger. I used to have too many holes and a very sore finger. So for years I have used a band aid or elastoplast with a tiny bit of oven cured craft clay underneath. Works a treat. I use with it a white glasses cloth I found as that doesn’t stick to the work and no sticky from the bandaid or plaster leaves a mark.

    I do like the pads idea but not the shedding. Suede not the best or they roughened the leather too much. Getting them off, well try a bit of oil, lift an edge and drip a bit of oil and work from there. Or use an orange oil based label remover.

    I really do like your news titbits, I look forward to reading them.
    Many thanks

    Martha May

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  32. No, vetrap won’t work. What you want, if you plan to use medical tape, is one called WETPRUF, in the 1 inch width. While it’s not totally needle resistant, you can still feel your needle through it and direct it appropriately…but if I used it for sewing leather? I’d sure do a layer of leather underneath to keep my finger safe.

    Another possibility is to use a thin leather thimble and stick one of the plastic thimble-it things to the INSIDE of the finger pad area. Protection, good looks, and should retain enough feeling to be useful.

    The whole ‘I’ve got something on my finger so I’m not using it at all’ thing is something we will all do until we are totally accustomed to the new feel. Dogs that go out of a clinic on three legs because there’s a bandage on the foot come back leaping and frisking and are surprised to find a bandage was there…so they go out on three legs AGAIN until they are used to THAT again! 🙂

    So…wear ’em, you guys…get used to ’em, and you’ll wind up using them more than you ever thought you might. 🙂

    Mary…what happens with the pads if you hit it with a fine Dremel sanding drum? If you rasp off the stuff that falls off, will it still work?

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  33. I use the same yellow thimble with a hole on top to accommodate my acrylic nails. I like it when I need it, but don’t always have to have it on to stitch. I really enjoy reading your reviews. Thanks. I’m sad I didn’t win the book–Oh well, maybe next time…………

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  34. I sympathise Mary, really I do. I didn’t think it funny at all that you had to go to all that trouble with the fine tweezers picking up the bits of shredded thimble stuff.

    My mother, the dressmaker, always uses a thimble and cannot have a needle in hand if she doesn’t have a thimble on her finger. I, on the other hand, feel very odd with a thimble and find myself doing some strange things so I don’t use one.

    Until recently, that is, when I found some of the sticky things (name forgotten, sorry) and found that I can tolerate them, just, and so I use them sometimes. They do not shred, and although they stick pretty well they don’t take off layers of skin either. I also sometimes use the finger gloves that you told us about a couple or so weeks ago. I think in your shoes I would get rid of those nasties, send them back to the manufacturers with an explanation, and then stick to the thimble you know and love, er like, already.

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  35. Hi Mary,

    I don’t care for thimbles for the most part. However, when I go on a lace making marathon or a stitch extravaganza, I inevitably poke back through my finger. For some applications, a regular thimble works very well. For others I use the same pads that you use. I tend to use the same spot to push, and don’t have thread working through the finger pad to pull the shed. I have seen a bit or two, but not often enough to worry about. Tweezers work wonders! Keep trying other things until they work the best for you.

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  36. Agree.

    I have used the stickies for knitting socks on extremely fine needles – US 0000s or smaller – which can bore a hole into my finger from repetitive contact with a sharp end. Shedding is not a problem there, and a regular thimble would interfere with knitting motion and grasp. But for stitching, no. For the same reasons you cite.

    The only time I use a thimble when stitching is if I’m hand-sewing leather or something else impossible to pierce. I rely too heavily on feel to encumber myself with a barrier.

    -k.

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  37. Thanks Irene! I wondered about the vet wrap. I figured you’d have to put that on pretty thick to help keep a needle out, but it sounded in the description…just like vet wrap.

    My mom has a callous on her pushing finger and she has learned over the years to simply allow the needle to “glide” over the finger she keeps underneath her work. She’s continually saying to me, as soon as you feel that needle, come back up on your quilt. I’m still learning. The only time she wears a thimble is when the fabric she has chosen to quilt turns out to be thicker than what she is accustomed to. Me? The only time I wore a thimble it was cheap metal and my needle went right through it. I bled like the dickens and my finger was sore for weeks.

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  38. To Onafixedincome: You are so right! The animals that left our clinic would limp around with those bandages on until their next visit when they would come in romping around like they had never been hurt. Then as soon as the bandage came off, limping around again. A foreign object on my finger feels just like a foreign object not meant to be on my finger. My grandmother also never used a thimble. So I grew up in a thimbleless environment. But faced with finger pricks and bleeding…I’m going to continue to try out thimbles until I find just the right one.

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  39. I use a soft leather thimble called the nimble thimble and I really like them. I have to rember to put it in a safe place when I take them off. They cost about $4.60 at Hobby Lobby. I found some at a flea market for a dollar a piece. They are my favorite in all the thimbles I have found because they form to my finger and they do prevent pokes.

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  40. Mary – Shredding? Really? Have used these thimble pads since I found them a couple of years ago and simply will not be without them! I do hand embroidery (not to the extent that YOU do!), mostly Redwork and simple outline embroidery and dearly love these things! I have never had them to “shred” like yours did – possibly they were ‘old’? Please give them another try. . . .I can not praise them enough!
    Thanks for all that you do –
    Barbara in TN

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  41. something occurred to me while reading comments – all the old thimbles I’ve seen with holes worn thru them are not round – they look as if they were smooshed to fit the stitchers finger. Maybe bending them to fit would help them feel less “alien”? Can the silicone or soft plastic ones be heated and then put on and let cool to shape?

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  42. Like you Mary, I found the suede shredded into my fine stitching. To protect my poor finger I found the Bohin “finger cots for quilting” (pack of 2)…there is also a Japanese brand with packs of 3. They come in different sizes and as they are rubber/silicone? they fit comfortably around the finger (there’s even a tear away open section to accommodate elegant nails if you have them!)and offer a fairly high level of protection for the all important “stitching” finger.

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  43. I hate thimbles and simply can’t get used to them, despite my best efforts. I have tried these pads and discovered that my needle would un-erringly find my finger anywhere BUT on the pad and, because I had been lulled into a false sense of security, embed itself to the bone. Same thing happens with every thimble I try because I immediately use one of my other fingers and guess where the needle ends up?

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  44. I’ve used thimble pads for YEARS and YEARS! i like them very much! That being said, i haven’t used them around silks or gold threads but i have had no problem with them while using DMC or Kreiniks. They do stick very well and can be used several times. the most important thing with thimble pads is that you need to find your spot….when i stitch i tend to use the side of my middle finger by the nail so it took some trial and error to find the right spot to protect. i place the pad right up under the edge of my finger nail. i find them reliable and pretty much unobtrusive once i became accustomed to them. they are not as hard or bulky as a metal thimble and their small size is a plus as i have very small fingers….a size small thimble is too big and it is very difficult to find an extra small that will stay on. I did recently find a small leather thimble called the Nimble thimble. it’s very soft very thin leather with a bit of metal inside the tip and a hole for your finger nail to go through that i sometimes use but even then i have to pad my finger by placing fabric band-aid fabric to keep it on my finger.

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  45. Mary and listers/// Oh my goodness my dears…this topic has caused a sore spot … :-)pun

    But I have to admit it is avery vexing thing, not to mention painful to have a hole and I mean a hole in one’s finger.

    I reckon suggestions are great but at the end of the day, it will come down to what works for you. Try them all there must be one out there.

    Amongst my sewing nicksnacks is a small pair of pliers. I glued a thin bit of kid leather onto the serrated tip and I use that if the needle won’t go through some of the thicknesses. This is a hole saver.

    I won’t wear a thimble again as one of the ladies said she started young, so did I and I used every other finger but the one with the thimble on it.

    The thimble finger as far as my senses were concerned was dead. It sat above my hand like a praying mantis waiting to pounce on its prey.

    My bandaid and clay spot will do me fine on my sewing finger it is not intrusive and is very effective.

    Cheers to you all and Mary I love getting the news.

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  46. There is another kind of stick-on thimble, Mary, that does not shed. They are called “Poke-A-Dots Sticky Thimbles. The pad is made of semi-hard plastic of some kind. I came across them on http://www.pieceocake.com/, a company devoted to applique. They highly recommended them (they test all the products they sell). They’re kind of pricey, but last such a long time, they are well worth the price. I know they can be found elsewhere and I have no connection to either the product or the site I bought them from…just a satisfied customer.Here is the link to the product http://jillilystudio.com/pages/poke-a-dots.html. I’d be curious to know what you think of them if you try them out.
    Best regards and thanks for your wonderful website…

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  47. Mary: When using the Polka Dots thimble pads, you might want to stick the dot a few times on a wood surface, peel off, and repeat to get some of the sticky stuff off. I like the dots, but they are waaaaay too sticky and leave an unpleasant residue on the pad of your finger.

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  48. Hi Mary, you should try the beautiful thimbles from Sajou, I lost mine and got onto the website quick as a wink and ordered a new one. they are so beautiful.

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  49. Hi Mary, I am new to your website so have just read this article from last year. I use bandaids, masking tape, sports tape and a silicone thimble which I find uncomfortable and impossible to use a . I will definitely source these thimble pads and give them a go so thanks for the advice..

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  50. I cannot do hand sewing without these wonderful thimble pads. I most certainly cannot use a conventional thimble and find these invaluable I patchwork and sew hexagons so I find these thimbles just the greatest asset I have in my sewing box and try to convert any one who will listen to use this wonderful tool.

    Shedding is not a problem for me as I am sewing fabric and not embroidery. I cannot say how wonderful and useful they are to me enough.

    I have tried the others but prefer the suede ones and am happy to say I adhere them to whatever is handy especially my pin box ready to reuse.

    Yvonne

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  51. I use them all the time and never have a problem. They stick well, and when I take them off I fell naked. Eventually the sticky wears off and you have to use another one. I like them, and promote them to everyone that doesn’t like a thimble.

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  52. They shed on you, really? Your review was great although I’ve been using them for years when quilting and I have never had one shed. I adore these little leather circles!

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  53. I actually want to use a thimble… I try to use a thimble… I find them sweaty and annoying and if I put it on my middle finger, I find myself pushing the needle with my ring finger… So I switch to the ring finger and push with my middle!

    I remember my Grandma always used a thimble, which she made seem so easy and natural!

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  54. I use the thimblepads all the time. I have never had one that sheds. I do a lot of hand embroidery and wool appliqué. I have a hard time locating them to purchase.

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