Fruit From My Hands

My hand quilting has been on a hiatus for a couple years while I have been doing the whole “get healthy, get active” thing.  When I returned to my project, I quickly found out there had been a change.  My favorite thimble no longer fit.  I had no idea a 45lb. weight-loss could affect the tips of my fingers.  So I frantically began searching for a new thimble.

REVIEW: The Clover Protect and Grip Thimble is an innovative thimble trying to satisfy two sides of the thimble-wearing community.  It features a dimpled and ridged metal tip attached to a flexible rubber body.  The flexible rubber body has an unusual scallop design that is “for air flow keeping your finger cooler”.  I picked up a hot pink one in a size medium from my local fabric shop.  My finger fit comfortably through the size guide that is provided on the packaging although I think perhaps I would find a size large more to my liking.  The thimble goes on easily, a problem I usually have with metal thimbles.  A round thimble does not fit on my oblong-shaped finger.  Once situated, the thimble was securely in place and I did not worry about it slipping off.  I tried a few stitches with it.  The metal tip seems to be off-balance and perhaps even too thick.  It was difficult to judge the tip of my finger with the added length of the metal tip. I generally push with the pad of my finger and that is not possible with this thimble.  The flexible rubber sides are too soft and will puncture so there is no pushing with anything except the very top of the tip.  I find this awkward considering I’m not quite sure where the tip of my finger is with the added length of the metal tip.  Instructions on the back of the package, in fine print, instruct users to remove the thimble by rolling the rubber sides up instead of pulling it off by the metal tip.  I imagine that it wouldn’t take many tuggings and the tip would come off the rubber body.  All in all, the Clover Protect and Grip Thimble is not a bad thimble but it will not work for me as a daily workhorse.  It would be an excellent choice for a beginner that needs to become accustomed to wearing a thimble but is not a good choice for experienced quilters that are accustomed to a metal thimble. I will probably keep it as a backup thimble to use on small projects.  It is not a bad value at $8.99, although I would like to try a larger one to see if the metal tip would be more balanced for me.

NOTE:  This is an unsolicited product review.  All opinions express are those of the authors.

I will revert back to a very old metal thimble that I have taken a hammer to until I can attend the American Quilter’s Society Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky at the end of April  and search for a better thimble.