Mary , Have you heard of The Aunt Becky?? I saw it on a quilt show and I ordered one
Its a medal thing you put on you finger under the quilt as your working on it and it protec the finger and aids in making stitches
I have not used it yet but looks like it will work greatbetty

Mary. I saw the Aunt Becky on this quitl show .
It does not play every day ,just check often
worth watching

Here is a link that might be useful: quily show

Mary , I found this on another thread and wanted to share . Its about Aunt Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: other thread

Has anybody actually used this "Aunt Becky" thingie?

Here it is on the Connecting Threads website.href>

Here it is on Shar Jorgensen's site.href> -- And more info.href>

I use a couple of layers of white adhesive tape - the kind you buy in the metal roll at the drug store. I just cut off two squares of the tape, stick one on my finger, then stick the second square on top of the first. Saves my finger from pricking and lets me feel the needle - plus, it's cheap and very sticky, doesn't come off while you are working.
Teresa

ok, maybe I am wierd. I just get used to it. After a while you will build a callous on your finger and it won't hurt at all. It also depends on the needle and how sharp they are at the point. I have used some good needles that are sharp going through fabric, but not so sharp that they really hurt the finger.

As to when to change needles I don't have that problem. I am so hard on needles that I break or bend them before I would normally need a new one.

Lynette

Great idea, Teresa! That would allow the feel of the needle touching the fingertip, without the abrasion on the skin. I'm gonna try that as soon as I can run out and get myself some of that tape.

Hey, I just found this "paddle" thimble.href> Has anyone tried this?

Lynette's not wierd. I don't use anything underneath either, but I don't quilt till it hurts, and if it hurts, I'm doing something wrong. IMHO, if its difficult or painful, it's time to change something! Also, quilting on the bias is so much easier than on straight of grain.
I can tell when a needle gets dull because it seems to pop as it enters the fabric, or worn because it won't pull through easily.
BlueBars

You gradually build up a sort of hard place on your under finger, after pricking it a kazillion times...however when it's been a while since I've quilted, and my fingertip has 'softened up', I put a little drop of super glue on my finger, just where it 'feels' the needle as it comes through the quilt. I think it really works. Sometimes I do it even after I've been quilting a while....just to give it a 'break'! For me, for many reasons, super glue is a gift from God....I use it for a ton of things itt's NOT intended for!
I just posted this today, on another thread (don't remember which), but I change needles frequently....and, that a woman on Simply quilts said she changed every 8 hours! I imagine that's more frequently that I change, but sharp needles DO make a difference. I put my discarded needles in a special package, and go back and use them on other projects that don't require that extra sharpness.

Lynette, if you're weird, you have company...ME!!!!!! The callous builds up quickly and there isn't any more pain, BUT if you don't quilt every day, you might invest in a small can of Bag Balm (designed by VT farmers for use on cow's udders and it's MAH velous) to rub on your fingers when you're done quilting for the day. It "heals" the sore fingers overnight! REALLY!

I tend to use needles way too long... then when they finally break (or the machine starts to "clunk") I'm amazed at how easily the needle goes through the layers for handquilting or even on the machine. But do I ever learn...NOT! :-))))))

Hi, Maryliz.

I have used both the paddle and Aunt Becky.

The paddle will not protect your underfinger. It is another type of tool that is meant to protect your "pushing finger" on top, like a thimble. I bought it before I ever tried hand quilting and I love it at certain times.

I tend to try all types of thimbles, trying to find the perfect one, and have decided I like several different ones. I have decided that if I change thimble styles periodically, I may protect my hand and wrist, reducing the risk of injury from the repetitive nature of this activity.

As far as Aunt Becky's, it is the best solution I have found for the underneath fingers. Because it is thin, you know exactly when the needle touches it. It is wide enough to protect you and open so you don't sweat too much.

Good luck on your search. If you're like me you'll end up with a box full of thimbles to pick and choose from, based on your mood and the particular quilt you're working on.

Needles..I load 10 needles with thread..use the 10 then re thread them again and again. When I'm done with the quilt I throw them away.
Super glue..It was originally invented for closing surgical incisions!! Won't hurt your skin. When I had my heart surgery they used that to close my chest and the incisions on my legs. Cool stuff!
Bon
:)

I'm a spoon quilter. I use a spoon, thumb in the bowl part, in my underhand, the needle entering the fabric hits the back of the spoon and the spoon pushes the needle back up thru the fabric. This dulls the needle, so I change needles. It also kicks the bejeebies out of the spoon, so I file down the spoon from time to time, too.

Marti in Mexico

I must be developing calluses on the tips of the fingers on my underneath hand, or else I am pricking my fingertips less. But I feel I need to use a nail file to scrub off all the tiny pieces of skin that stick out and get dry and latch on to everything fuzzy. I have not been able to get to the drugstore to get some of that white tape. We have lots of tape in our medicine cabinet, just not that kind.

I think I know what ya mean, empress, about the different thimbles, different tools at different times. I notice that I use my fingers differently when I change equipment. And using the same muscles in different ways means that you are less likely to develop a strain from repeating the same motion over and over.

So all of a sudden I realize that I don't want one perfect solution. I want to be able to quilt comfortably and satisfactorily no matter what I use or don't use.

Thanks for all the input. And keep it coming, if you have any other ideas. I and others on this forum will benefit from your experience. Now, to go see if I can find Marti's post about the spoon she uses....

Marti's thread on spoon quilting is gone! I even tried the Google cache. I wish we could archive the really informative threads. But I did find this reference to spoon quilting.href> -- Here's a special chrome plated spoon, meant to last longer, because it can't be scratched.href> But if I can get a handful of spoons for practically nothing at the local Re-use Center, why pay more?