Monday Goals

Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday, time for weekly goals.  

  1. Finish block #2 for Beyond the Cherry Tree quilt (BTCH)
  2. Work on red/white swap blocks.  
  3. Work on a UFO
  4. Two blocks from the Vol. 2 Quiltmaker 100 blocks
  5. Five more "Two Lips" blocks
  6. Prep background for block #3 BTCH

There are a lot of goals there.  I know I won't get them all done.  But I have a variety to chose from!

Since I've been doing the *A* thing, I use my thimble a lot.  I lose it a lot too!  I have a variety of thimbles, always thinking a new style might be more comfortable.


The green thimble is soft plastic.  But it's rounded on the end and I push my needle with a thimble, the needle slides off this one.  The brown leather one is better, it has a ridge around the end with a flat metal piece, but the leather stretches and it will fall off.  Middle leather one is good if I am hand quilting and goes on my left hand.  I'd hoped the purple plastic one with metal end would be the best.  Fits good, but the plastic drags on the fabric when you sew.  I use the plain metal one the most.  Do you use a thimble?  Do you have a different style you like?  I need one that fits tighter and doesn't fall off easily.  I don't have long fingernails, so haven't tried the open type thimble.  The sticky dots aren't for me, my hands are frequently wet while using a thimble.  


And hand needles!  I am hard on needles.  I bend them A LOT.  I think John James makes a quilting needle that has a large gold eye, I will have to try them in a heavier weight.  Anyone like another brand??





7 comments:

QuiltinLibraryLady said...

My plain metal thimble is the same as your plain metal thimble and I like it just fine so haven't tried any others since I got it. The ones I had before had belonged to my mother & grandmother & when the needle pushed through & into your finger it's high time to get a new one. since I rarely hand sew anything anymore this one will probably last me the rest of my life. For the same reason, I can't offer any advice on needles.

Julianne said...

I do not use a thimble, I have tired them and hate them all. LOL I have used the little leather dots and they work OK for me but. My favorite is the thumb off a man's leather work glove. I have one that is really thick probably two layers and has a double felled seam I think? Any way that is my favorite thimble. Fits on my thumb or finger. Honestly I seldom do hand work any more but I keep that leather glove thumb just in case.

Katie Z. said...

I use a metal thimble. I had a favorite one that I inherited from my grandma, but I wore holes in the side of it!

I am hard on quilting needles too - I bend them all the time!

Tamera said...

I'm not much help...I haven't done a lot of hand work.

It's on my list of things to try.

Henrietta said...

Quarter inch fingernails and thimbles do not work well together. I have a sewing machine, I don't need to do hand work any more than I need to beat the laundry on a flat stone in the river.

MightyMom said...

I H.A.T.E. THIMBLES!

nuff said.


on the needle

for "A" I actually prefer a needle made for "A" which is long and flexible and thin. It springs back when bent therefore lasts longer and is easier to get smaller stitches through the layers. I bought a ton of them years ago and have no idea what brand or size they are, but ask your QS for "A" needles and pick the most springy ones.

Stephanie D said...

I like my metal thimble with the indentation and ridge on the top so that it keeps the needle from slipping, and I also have a gray plastic or rubber one that is slanted that I use a lot. I've never tried one of those open-tipped ones, since I can't keep a decent fingernail and am afraid I'd ram the end of the needle under my nail. Ouch!