I’ve been doing a good bit of hand quilting lately. It’s perfect on those nights when all I have the energy to do is sit in front of the tv – I pop in a movie or watch something on the dvr. The hoop is right there, my tools are right there, the excuses not to quilt – well, they are not there. 
So, I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite tools for hand quilting. One is old and one is new.
The old favorite tool is my Roxanne thimble. It was a serious splurge when I bought it, but it’s been worth every penny. My new favorite tool was an impulse purchase last summer, one of those tools you aren’t sure exactly why you need it, you just know you do. It’s tweezers that works like scissors that I picked up (I think) at a gem show. I use them as a needle-puller so no more tendon twinges in my hand as I pull the needle through.
Roxanne thimble
Scissor Tweezers
Scissor Tweezers open
I bought a sterling silver thimble from Tom Edwards about 15 or 20 years ago, and it serves me well today. It is a bit like Roxanne’s but does not go completely around the finger, with a slot at the top side – over the nail – allowing for size adjustment for perfect fit. it also has more pits all the way round the sides. Makes it easier to quilt “in all directions”… Tom is a silversmith who sells his wares at various events, including some of the quilt shows, the name of his company is “Small Wonders”. I loved the Roxanne thimbles, but I have enlarged joints, and they just don’t fit properly.