Thimbles

This weekend was the Massachusetts Quilt Shop Hop.  Seven shops participated; three in Berkshire County, one in Hampshire County and three in Hampden County.  Kathy and I visited all seven shops.  One day traveling in Berkshire County and one day traveling to the other four shops.  When you visited each shop, if you had a Shop Hop Passport, you received a gift bag.  

From one of my favorite shops I received the green thimble that you see.  I wasn't sure if it would be any fun to use as it is made out of silicone, I think.  I used it last night while piecing my garden quilt and I really do like it.  The finger that wears my thimble while sewing wears a size small and this fits nicely.  The end of the needle doesn't come through the thimble as I expected it to.  Getting this new thimble encouraged me to find my others.

These are the thimbles that I use the most.  Very easy to find as they are in my sewing kit by my chair.  The metal one on the left is my piecing, quilting thimble.  I have used it for years.  Being metal, even though it is a small, it will come off my finger at times but always easy to put back on.  The pink one I bought about two months ago.  It is a medium and at times a bit loose.  The peach one I bought on the shop hop.  It is a small and stays on my finger.  It and the green one are my two new favorite thimbles.

 

These are my old thimbles that I first used for quilting.  One was my Mom's and one is mine.  The black thimble I would wear on the finger under the quilt to protect it from the needle. 

 

Long ago, late 1970s, Mom and I went to the Elsa Williams School of Needlework.  These are all from that class.  We received the white plastic one with our project kit.  When we finished the classes we received the silver ones.  I guess I need to clean them up.  It has been a long time since I have used these.  They are more a medium size, great for my Mom.  The class was Black work, Count work and Stump work embroidery.

These are some of the oldest.  An inexpensive plastic one from my Mom, a ceramic one that I thought was pretty and is nice to use, another ceramic one from a trip to California.

The thimbles were easy to find as I put them all in the same spot when we redid the Mom Cave floor.  I just had to look for what I put them in as I still cannot remember where everything is, but, still clean and organized ;)