It doesn’t matter if you are the creative type or not, sewing needs to be on your list of must-try hobbies. It is a great life skill that also offers numerous health benefits, such as helping you de-stress, improving hand-eye coordination, and so on. Moreover, you can sew almost anything by hand. No need for expensive machines and year-long lessons lugging the machine around. When it comes to tutorials or guides for sewing, most of them only address machine sewing. This is mainly due to the misconception that hand-sewn items are of a lower quality than those made using a sewing machine. That is not true. In fact, hand sewing has several distinct advantages. Here are some of them: Better coordination When you sew by hand, it requires you to use your fingers and your brain at the same time. With both of them working in coordination, it can prove to be vital for helping young children develop better motor skills and also for keeping the elderly mentally healthy for much longer. Better control A sewing machine has countless moving parts and sometimes even the simplest mistakes, such as forgetting to remove a pin from the fabric, can derail your project. Hand sewing, on the other hand, poses no such issue. You have better control over your work, without having to worry about changing settings or learning new attachments. Portable You can carry your hand sewing kit wherever you go. But you cannot say the same for your sewing machine, can you? Creative outlet Hand sewing is a fun hobby that does it all: flex your creativity and motivate you to step out of your comfort zone. For instance, you can turn even the simplest store-bought shirt into a stunning embroidered piece that reflects your unique style and personality. Green skill How many times have you thrown a clothing item away because buttons fell off or threads came loose? If you learn a few simple hand sewing techniques, you can easily repair your clothes and keep them in great condition, which will prevent you from buying more, thus reducing your carbon footprint. Basic Hand Sewing Techniques Every Beginner Should Know Hand sewing is an essential skill that every sewing enthusiast should learn and use. If you are a beginner, here are a few basic techniques to start out with: Basting stitch A basting stitch is often used to hold two pieces of fabric together, including when you don’t want them to move while using your sewing machine. It is an easy technique that can be created simply by weaving the needle in and out of the fabric to create a dashed line. Use a contrasting color of thread so that it is easier to remove the basting stitches after you complete the permanent stitches. Do not lock the stitch at the ends, simply leave a long tail. Running stitch The running stitch is similar to the basting stitch but it uses small stitches and is locked at the end. It is one of the easiest and most common stitches that can be done by hand as well as by machine. It is a great choice for quick stitches or when you have to work on narrow spaces that cannot be sewn on a machine. Back stitch The back stitch is characterized by tiny stitches that can create a strong seam. If you need to mend seams on heavy fabrics, this is a perfect choice. If you have taken up sewing projects, you would know that most of them require at least some amount of hand sewing. Buttons are often hand stitched and so are hems. Also, if you leave a small seam opening to turn an item right side out, you may need to close it with a hand stitch. This is why it is important that you have the proper hand sewing tools that can help you with your projects. Apart from the thread and needle, there are a few other things that can make hand sewing a lot easier and more convenient. A thimble is one of them. Although some might call it optional, a thimble is an excellent accessory that can come in handy when you work with heavier fabrics or when you need to push the needle through multiple layers of fabric. It protects your finger and also allows you better grip. The best thimbles for hand sewing are designed to be worn on your middle finger so when you push the needle through, it doesn’t hurt or prick your finger. At Thimbles For You, we offer an extensive collection of thimbles, in addition to other hand sewing and hand applique tools. Browse through our online store to discover chatelaines and accessories like: pin cushions, thread waxers, hand magnifiers, seam rippers, and my favorite: Scissor sheaths. Shop now.

(ie: Please come to a quilt show and try these thimbles on!?) There is no easy way to measure for a thimble. We can get close to figuring out the correct size, but the answer to the problem is TRY ON THE THIMBLE. In other YouTube Videos, I explain the ‘shape problem’. We all have different shapes for the length of our fingers: Square, Round and Oval. This shape is easier to work out in an open nail thimble, than a closed top thimble. Fingers can also be tapered from the knuckle to the end (Bicycle thimble), or blunt on the end (Planets thimble), or actually larger at the flesh pad at the end than the knuckle (Secret Butterfly thimble). Many thimbles are somewhere in the middle of these extremes. Most fingers will fit more than one of the styles. If you are trying to purchase a thimble online, there is also the ‘Where should I measure?’ question… I usually ask for a measurement at the base of your fingernail and a measurement at the largest part of the knuckle. One of the difficult parts of these measurements (even if you get the 1/10th of a centimeter measured perfectly) is that your finger and mine will not have the same distance between the 2 spots that are measured. This interval is difficult to measure and report because the nail side of your finger may not have the same interval as the back or the sides…? Another problem is the ‘Curvy or flat fingernail’ question. Why does this matter? Well, you can poke yourself in the space where your fingernail does not match your thimble ‘nail guard’. You can look at your thimble finger nail and assess whether your nail is fairly flat (Lily of the Valley Short thimble) or fairly curvy (Lily of the Valley tall thimble). The Thistles or Lily of the Valley with gem are both ergonomic thimbles… they have a nice curve toward the (curvy) nail, and enough space on the sides of the fingernail tip so that it will not pinch. Most of us have more than one nail shape on the same hand… My thimble finger is fairly flat, but my pinky finger is very curvy. And then there is the ‘bumpy knuckle’ issue. Many of us have a bump on the knuckle of the thimble finger. Some from penmanship or athletics… some from arthritis… some bumpy fingers even have ‘thimble bumps’. I have designed thimbles for this issue because most of us have some sort of bumpy something somewhere. The shorter thimbles (Robin Nest, Chicken, Lily of the Valley short, Butterfly short & Turtle) stop at about the base of the fingernail… depending upon your finger-to-knuckle interval. One last thing: Some of us have soft, squishy flesh on our fingertip, and some of us have firm, calloused flesh. This will affect the choices and the feel of the thimble on your finger. When I meet you at a show, I will look at your finger and make my assessment of which of these ‘finger traits’ is the most important and I will show you thimbles that should work with your finger. TRY ON THE THIMBLE is still the best way to determine the best thimble for you.

When you think of sewing tools, you consider functionality, comfort, fit, and style. But not many know that the humble thimble that makes stitching safer is a collectible. Even as there is little space for embellishments due to its diminutive size, this tool is a rarity. Antique silver thimbles for sale come with impeccable stories from history or one-of-a-kind designs. In recent times, makers of the board game Monopoly decided to discontinue its “thimble” playing piece. The reason was to make the game more relatable to younger groups, but now that thimble is a collectible. The Fascination Around Antique Thimbles For centuries, inventive thimble designers created stylish models despite the size restrictions. They also had colorful enamel patterns and expensive and semi-precious stones like polished agates. Thimbles were both hand-carved and machine-made. Materials used to make vintage thimbles were silver, bronze, gold, wood, bone, stone, porcelain, and pearl. When you buy new style thimbles online, you see plastic, rubber, metal, and leather varieties. Modern sewing tools are mostly made for practical purposes. But earlier, thimbles were also decorative pieces or doubled up as tiny perfume bottles. Tips for Antique Thimble Buyers Thimbles are tiny, portable, and thoughtful presents you can buy as souvenirs from places you visit or gift shops. Many places promise original and antique silver thimbles for sale, but when you purchase them, it will be hard to tell their value. Flea markets, auctions, and even garage sales have sewing boxes full of old thimbles. But when you shop there, the items may not have the sterling mark. It can get confusing because that is not the only thing that determines its worth. So, how to buy vintage thimbles? Visual Damages If plated or sterling silver thimbles have holes in them, avoid buying them. If they say repaired, double-check if the articles are extremely rare; otherwise, look elsewhere. Also, remember that repaired pieces usually sell for a lesser price than those in excellent condition. Age Although old, some plain unmarked thimbles are available for lower rates. Check the dimples to get an idea of when it was made. If it has irregular patterns, it may be hand-punched and made in the early 1800s or before. The later models have a regular pattern, are machine-made, and cost less. Store The store that has antique silver thimbles for sale also should be authentic. If you are buying online, check the credibility of the seller through a simple Google search. Read what other thimble collectors are saying. Look for complaints regarding shipping, customer service, etc., and find out if the website has repair services, too. Finally, when you buy new style thimbles online, consider taking a look at related accessories and other rare items. For instance, there are products like thimble holders or cages to safeguard your precious antiques. Silver thread bobbins, needle keepers, and vintage scissor sheaths make a grand addition to your sewing-based collection.