Thimbles or Calluses? What to Use on Slow Stitching Sunday

Last week I had finished hand quilting the 9 patch part of a 9 Patch/Snowball Queen-sized quilt and was ready to start on the design in the snowballs.   But, since I still need practice on keeping stitches even and small I switched gears and started hand quilting in the ditch on another UFO - my Grandma's Sewing Room quilt. 

 I've found that I really like to use the plexiglass frame better than large wooden hoops I've tried in the past.

 I'm currently stitching in the ditch around the spools and jars with red Gutermann hand quilting thread. When I have finished that I will use DMC perle #8 red thread to stitch "thread" around and between spools. (At least that's what I have pictured in my mind is going to happen).  

It drives me nuts when I see a place where the points don't match evenly...but they are staying that way. I still need work keeping stitches even and small. Practice, practice, practice.

I'm still trying to get used to wearing a thimble so alternate between using a thimble and using a callus I've built up on my middle finger.  Reason for a thimble: it hurts when a needle pierces a callus but I don't feel a thing when I'm using a thimble. Reason for not wearing a thimble: it falls off, it's not comfortable, I don't use my fingers properly when stitching.   Again, practice, practice, practice! 

To see what other slow stitching is going on in blog land visit Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching linky party.   

Dandy Garden Finish!

 Once upon a time in 2010 I participated in a quilt block swap on Mailblocks Yahoo Group where we exchanged Dandy Quilt block made of 30s reproduction fabrics. I made a lot of blocks for myself as well as exchanged them and ended up with a Queen-sized quilt I still have on my bed.  I have loved that block ever since.

Now, I've made another Dandy quilt - I've called it Dandy Garden. It is not Queen-sized this time. It's a lap quilt that measures approx 60 x 72.   And, I hand-quilted the entire thing in perle #5.  (Just an FYI - perle 8 worked a lot better on my Chocolate Dresden quilt. #5 thread is a little too thick to pop knots easily.)

 I got a little wild with colors again. If you've read previous posts you know I tend to be a more docile person - not this wild.

 But, I've noticed I can't feel depressed or tired looking at colors like this.

 I'm practicing hand quilting on this one. I noticed my stitches are getting a little more consistent and evenly spaced. I use no tools for marking...just eyeball it.  I wanted to practice my hand quilting before I start on a queen-sized quilt using regular quilting needles and thread. (That may take me several years).

The border. 

The backing and binding. 

The different thimbles I tried out in the course of this hand quilting. I still think the callous on my finger works as the best "thimble" but I'm tried of the needles piercing my skin in that area even with the callous there.  It was hard for me to believe these are all thimbles.  I couldn't even figure out how to wear a couple of them.  The one I've grown accustomed to is the black one which I believe was called nimble finger. It's leather and has a cutout on top for your fingernail. I bought a medium and think I need a small. I have to bandaid it to my finger so it doesn't periodically fly off. 

So, do you wear a thimble when you do hand sewing? If so, which is your favorite?

I'm linking up to Sew Many Ways - Sew Darn Crafty Linky party. Visit and see what everyone else is up to this week.  And linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.   And linking up to Linky Party Tuesday at Freemotion by the River.