Well, after yesterday’s post about Thimbles, it’s hard to follow up on anything that could generate as much input! I really, really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. If you haven’t read them yet, do take some time to – you’ll hear all about thimbles in the lives of needleworkers, why they’re liked, why they aren’t, substitutes for thimbles, special memories and stories of thimbles, and so forth! Fun stuff to read! Thank you!

One more little tool post for the week – back to the subject of scissors – and then I’ll leave off tools for a bit.

Maybe… I can’t believe it, but I did buy another little tool just yesterday, when I had to zip into the city after classes, and managed a quick stop at the LNS for some DMC.

Hm. Imagine: You’re walking down the street, collar up against the wind, darkness coming on, and you pause to ask passers-by: “Can you point me to the closest LNS? I need some DMC.” Methinks you’d be suspect to Shady Things.

Anyway – that new tool aside, here’s the thing: I love my good scissors. My absolute favorite scissors. They’re sharp, they’re thin-bladed, they’re reliable. They’re just great. But there’s another pair of scissors I wouldn’t be without, and after several months of using them, I consider them essential for my workbox.

Who woulda thunk it? I am using a thimble! I have never used a thimble for embroidery in my life – except once, in a trial-and-error-this-thing-is-ridiculous situation.

I’ve always found thimbles awkward and clunky when I’m trying to embroider. My grandmother used to use one, and I suppose that it’s just a matter of getting used to the things before they become second nature. But I’ve never gotten used to them, and I’ve never had much use for them, when I’m doing embroidery. (Hand-sewing is a different story, for a different day.)

Lately, while working with a tiny needle (it’s always the tiny needles that get you!), I developed what seemed to be a permanent hole in the side of my first finger where I habitually push on the eye of the needle as it enters the fabric. In the past, I’ve dealt with this little sink hole (which the needle invariably locates and enters without compunction!) with a dab of superglue. See, my Dad has always sworn by superglue for these types of things. Superglue, in my house, cures all kinds of skin cuts – from chapped and splitting winter skin to paper cuts… to needle holes. Think “Big Fat Greek Wedding” and Windex, only for us, it’s superglue. But it’s not the best thing to put on skin, and it takes forever for the skin to soften up after it’s been superglued.

When hand quilting, I’ve used leather thimbles and they work ok for me. And they aren’t that great when working with finer silk embroidery threads, as the threads tend to catch on them.