Sewing by hand is an art that has grown to be loved by a significant number of people. Not only does the art remind you of the golden old days but is an invaluable skill that saves you time when it comes to repairing your torn clothing.
Additionally, hand sewing is an essential art that helps you transform your torn outfits into great clothes, especially when you do not have a sewing machine. However, just like any other art, sewing by hand comes with a risk aspect. PS learn about the Brother XM2701 here!
The leading risk in sewing by hand is getting pricked by the needle. However, this risk factor has been overcome with thimbles. The article will shed light on what thimbles are, their historical information, and their essential benefits.
What are Sewing Thimbles?
As the name suggests, the above tools offer unparalleled benefits to those sewing using hands. Thimbles are a ring or bell-shaped structures which are made of hard material for protecting your fingers from getting pricked during the process.
Most thimbles are designed with bones, leather, wood, or metals which have hollow pits on their surfaces to hold the needle in position. However, there are other special thimbles which are designed using precious stones to serve decorative and sentimental functions.
The Origin of the Thimble
Although the history of thimbles dates back to thousands of years, their designs have undergone significant historical and modern-day transformations. The oldest thimble to be retrieved was found in the ruins of Pompeii, an ancient Roman city.
The thimble was made of bronze, which was a valuable precious metal in the Roman Empire. As time progressed through history, the applications of thimbles evolved from being functional to being decorative/sentimental. The original thimble designs served the purpose, they were not as effective as the current ones, and sewer’s hands could often bleed after using them.
However, significant improvements happened to the original thimble design in the 15th century. During this time, thimbles were manufactured with lighter brass materials which produced more refined needlework. The brass was obtained from Nuremberg.
European’s Dominated the Thimble Industry
Further, instead of making them from hot metal molds, thimbles were designed from sheet metals which produced better results than their original counterparts. Holland dominated the thimble production industry during the 16th and 17th century.
During the late 17th century, John Lofting opened a thimble industry in Islington, England where thimbles were produced in massive quantities than any other place at the time. John Lofting’s thimble company did not lead for long, and its production depreciated by 1800, where thimble manufacturing was moved from Islington to Birmingham, England.
Around this time, thimbles were designed using precious metals such as silver. Currently, the production of thimbles is taking a downward curve as hand stitching is becoming less popular. However, the production is not expected to dwindle to the last thimble since more thimbles are being reproduced for special purposes such as the commemoration of football teams.
Also, most tourist centers have exceptional historic thimbles that appeal to visitors. Being designed out of necessity, thimbles have a long history of versatility and practicability that we cannot fail to appreciate.
The Purpose of Thimbles
You would never think that you would need to protect yourself when doing an activity such as sewing but you do. Thimbles acts as a protector for your fingers. It is very common to get your finger pricked by the sharp needles as you maneuver the thread through your fabric.
Thimbles are also designed with small holes on their outer surfaces to allow you to manipulate the needle with ease as you sew. If you do not use a thimble during sewing, you will risk injuring your fingers as you struggle to push the needle through the fabric.
The Benefits of Using Thimbles
1. They give you more control of your sewing exercise.
2. Thimble surfaces are perforated to prevent the needle from slipping as you push it through the fabric.
3. Since you can guide your needle more precisely with a thimble, the tool enhances your sewing speed.
4. With accurate sewing comes elegant and high-quality stitching results.
5. Working with a thimble enables you to involve more fingers in your stitching.
Final Thoughts
As has been seen above, it is essential to appreciate the pivotal roles that thimbles play in modern life. From bearing a sentimental value to protecting your fingers from needle injuries, the indispensable importance of needles cannot be overlooked.