What Is A Thimble
A thimble is a cap that fits on the finger to guard it when pushing a needle during quilting or sewing. The word, derived from English, literally means "thumb shield".
The thimble has a an extended history. The oldest existing thimble is Roman, found in the destroyed city of Pompeii. It is made of bronze. Even so, the Etruscans, who came before the Romans, are known to have made bronze thimbles. Simple thimbles of leather and bone certainly also existed because thimbles have been used by every known culture. These thimbles didn't survive.
Through the years, thimbles have changed in a number of ways. Both the the means of production and the materials used have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become fundamentally decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Early thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and unfinished. It was difficult to push the thread through the material so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a "skep", was required to prevent injury.
By the fifteenth century, cloth became more finely woven and sewing became more refined. Thimbles became thinner. These thimbles were ordinarily made of copper alloy and imported from Nuremberg, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, creative methods of making thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were being made from sheet metal. These new thimbles also contained fancy motifs. The cap was separate and attached to the cylinder later. This new style of thimbles were taller and the top was flatter.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth century Holland became the new seat of thimble production. However, in the late seventeenth century, John Lofting moved thimble making to Islington, England where the brass-making industry was already established. He began to make thimbles in a scale unknown before. Later, he moved his factory to Great Marlow, and used water power to double production.
By the early eighteenth century, he was producing around 2 million thimbles per year. But he too succumbed to change and thimble making moved to Birmingham, England by 18 hundred. The fabrication of brass also improved during this period. A new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing process called "deep drawing" that used less metal. This brought down the cost.
We are all aware that sewing is the principal use of the thimble. But did you know that a ever so little larger thimble, usually two ounces, was used to measure spirits? And did you know that nineteenth century prostitutes used them to tap on their clients windows and Victorian schoolmistresses used them to knock recalcitrant students on the head?
Although they have become as a rule decorative, collectorsintrigue in modern thimbles has not decreased. Thimbles originally created in silver are being reproduced in pewter thanks to new processes, developed in the 1950s that allow more detailed design. New series of thimbles are being issued to commemorate everything from football teams to Disney characters. Every tourist destination offers keepsake thimbles to tourists.
Thimble collecting is an remarkably notable hobby worldwide. A great number of thimbles are wisely priced and readily for sale. Men, women and children collect them. Some collectors are interested in the history of thimbles while others collect them for their decorative importance. The lowly thimble has become a star. Some admire its humble origins and some its new found incarnations. It is still one of the most versatile and effective tools ever invented, born of necessity.
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