Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

I have been working a lot of stitches. When I am busy with cross stitching I manage to poke my finger in the same spot until the fingerprint ridge cracks. This time I noticed my finger was headed for trouble so I went to buy a thimble. I also found a needle puller when I was browsing.

The needle puller on my right thumb hasn't been a problem and I forgot about it almost immediately. I have had more difficulty using the thimble. My brain understands the plan by my left hand is redirecting the needle to my unprotected ring finger while my middleman wears the thimble.

Are thimbles tools you should learn to use as a child? Has anyone retrained their hands to use thimbles as an adult? I know there is a great variety of thimbles available. Maybe I didn't find the right one for me? Do some folks use thimbles on multiple fingers? It is possible I use my ring finger occasionally and I hadn't thought about it until now? My ring finger has never cracked from use so I didn't think to protect that finger.

I welcome tips and tricks to help my hands work many stitches each day. If I should post this on an existing thread please direct me there.

Thank you!

Must admit I don't use a thimble for cross stitch.
When pushing a needle through a hole, I grip the sides of the needle between thumb and forefinger and push it through that way, then on the other side of the fabric I keep my hands away until there is enough of the needle to grip on either side and pull. The net effect is I wear the plating away in the middle of the needle and never make a hole in myself.

It is possible I learnt this way because I could never find a thimble big enough to wear. I'm a bloke with BIG hands and fingers (middle finger is 22mm across), and the biggest thimble I could find was agonizingly small to wear on my middle finger for more than a minute or two. The biggest thimble I could find fitted my little finger snugly, but there is no power to push through in the little finger. I have actually since made my own bronze thimble from 'precious metal clay', but only use it for traditional sharp needle sewing, not cross stitch.

It may be worth trying this method, as a thimble does reduce sensitivity too. If it's very tight, possibly consider using a smaller needle. I use a #26 which works quite well on 28ct evenweave using 2 over 1 tent stitch.

Regards,

Richard.

I have never been able to use thimbles comfortably and generally don't need them, but occasionally have found that my middle or ring finger gets sore, especially if I am doing more "pushing" than "pulling" the needle through the fabric. I think I must have learned about Thimble-It on the forum and I think it is a great tool. I probably use it more as a quick band-aid if I prick my finger (which of course is a very rare occurrence ). Very comfortable to use. I'll forget it is on my finger. I find that they do stick on my finger like the picture shown, unlike one of the feedback comments which was negative. Perhaps it depends on the size of your finger. There are a number of different thimbles available so it might make sense to search "thimbles" on your favorite supplier's website to see if any of them are worth trying. Sore fingers shouldn't be a side effect of energetic stitching!

Carole

I've tried using thimbles before and sometimes I can use them but other times they just seem to cumbersome. Now I have a different method to protect my fingers, I buy medical tape and when my fingers start feeling sore I cover them with the tape. It's thiner and I can easily cover several fingers right where I need them. I haven't had the skin crack from stitching but I find after a few days of stitching with tape on my fingers that my fingers feel much better.

I have never used a thimble myself. I use the method that Richard described with good results. Best of luck!

I've never had to use a thimble with cross stitch. There have been occasions when needlepointing that my finger became sore and I used one. Since my fingernails were long at the time, I used the open ended type of thimble. Regular thimbles just fall off my fingers.

I do collect pretty "touristy" thimbles, though.

I don't use a thimble. I use the method Richard described to grasp and push/pull on the needle's shaft. I never push on the end of the needle with my finger. I also use a #28 needle (unless I need a larger needle for specialty threads) and I park so I never have to use force to get the needle through the fabric. Using waste and away knots, I rarely have to push the needle under existing stitches and those times that I do, I use the underside of a fingernail at the tip my finger, not the fingertip. I guess the way that I stitch, I never have to push the needle that hard.

I began hand sewing as a child but never used a thimble until I started hand quilting, about 15 years ago. I only use one for cross stitching now and then. I also use one for surface embroidery. A good fit is a must, but it was tough for me to get used to.

I was taught to use a thimble when my Grandmother taught me to embroider and I still use one for that or for hand quilting. when cross stitching I do as so many others have said and grip the sides of the needle as I go up and down.

I am trying to pay more attention to how I am holding the needle and push it through the canvas.

Medical tape for hot spots is a great idea.

Occasionally, my middle finger gets really sore from pushing the needle, so I use something similar to the Thimble-It described unthread. Actually, what I use is really too thick and not flexible enough to be comfortable, which is why ?I only use it when my finger tip hurts too much to bear it any longer. I might have to buy that product instead, since it looks more comfortable!

I did a search for the 'Thimble-it' pads that Carole described.
I found them on Amazon UK but the seller didn't send to France. So I looked on Amazon France. They were available ......

Cost in the UK £4.62
Cost in France €21.46 equivalent of £19.60

That's just Not affordable!!! In fact it's totally

Wendy, I am pretty sure I have some extra Thimble-its. I'd be glad to send you a sheet and if you like it, send you a pack. A pack costs $4.79 at 123Stitch which as of right now equals €4.22 (took a while but I figured out how to get the € sign). Send me your address in a pm and I will send you a sheet.

Carole

Aww thanks Carole,


I'll do a bit more research and if I don't find them I'll p/m you.
I'd certainly like to try them. I do get cracked fingers in the winter. At this time of year it's OK.