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Comment by Orville Roach on April 10, 2013 at 4:04pm

That took me a minute. It's been a long time since I posted the video but now I remember the dialog going on in the quilting room. Think about it. I'm the only guy with a room full of ladies.

Comment by carla j walton on April 10, 2013 at 3:12pm

THAT'S WONDERFUL ORVILLE. LOVED IT. ALSO THANK YOUR WIFE FOR THE SWEET POTATO RECIPE:) LOL

Comment by Linda in TX on April 10, 2013 at 2:33pm

Thanks, Orville.  I think you've given me a clue about what I might be doing wrong.  When I get home from church, I'll check it out.  I've just finished the first of 12 blocks in my quilt.  Stitch size is all over the place (as well as crooked lines <G>).  I've been wondering about how it's going to look, if I start out so erratic, then by the time I finish, I'm getting 14 spi. <LOL> (A girl can dream, can't she?)  Actually, my left "feel"-finger is so raw, I keep it plastered with teflon fingernail polish. <G>  Thanks, again, for the tips.

Wed. I guess this never posted. <sigh>

Comment by Linda in TX on April 7, 2013 at 9:12am

Thanks, Orville.  I think you've given me a clue about what I might be doing wrong.  When I get home from church, I'll check it out.  I've just finished the first of 12 blocks in my quilt.  Stitch size is all over the place (as well as crooked lines <G>).  I've been wondering about how it's going to look, if I start out so erratic, then by the time I finish, I'm getting 14 spi. <LOL> (A girl can dream, can't she?)  Actually, my left "feel"-finger is so raw, I keep it plastered with teflon fingernail polish. <G>  Thanks, again, for the tips.

Comment by Orville Roach on April 7, 2013 at 5:24am

Linda. I think you have to develop your own technique. My left hand feels the needle come through, gages how far through, then pushes up behind it as the thimble above the quilt rocks the needle and pushes it. My left hand is pushing up the fabric and needle so the needle comes out on top close to where it went in. It is easier with quality fabric, and with the quilt not too taut, but taut enough to keep the layers all smooth. Once I visited an Amish quilt shop and watched the ladies quilt. That helped. Big thing for me is to not be in a hurry to get finished. Good listening books help me to just quilt and not try to get the job done quickly.

Comment by Linda in TX on April 6, 2013 at 11:08pm

Orville, Riana suggested I check out your video.  I'm new here, and every little bit helps. <G>  I wish I could see what you are doing with your "off-hand" but I'm going to try to see if I can duplicate the top hand.  I can't seem to get things coordinated right, for some reason.  I got one of those leather "coin" thimbles, soaked it in alcohol & water then put it on to stretch to fit my thumb.  I have a fitted Roxanne thimble for my sewing finger.  I cut my jar openers LONG ago, for needle pullers. <G>  They work GREAT!  Thanks for posting the video.  I will watch it often, til I get the hang of it, probably.

Comment by Riana Noyes on August 19, 2012 at 9:38am

The reason I use one on thumb too is that I also quilt away from myself with thumb. Once a needle slipped and came painfully under nail. (Why we need tetanus shots).Now I just start first st. before slipping on the silicon thimble.I need a new metal one for my middle rt. hand, and all the ones I've tried are way too small.I guess I'll make do 'til I can get to bigger city. What "make" do you get at Bella's?

Comment by Orville Roach on August 18, 2012 at 10:19am

Riana, I don't think my thimble is all that large. I'd have to look to see the size but I buy them at Bella Quilts, my favorite local store. I only use a thimble on my right hand, middle finger. I keep my right hand index finger nail and thumb nail long to quilt with. I push the needle away from me with my thumb and toward me with my thimble. I cut up bottle openers to make needle grabbers. I get the bottle openers free at the fair each year. :)

Comment by Riana Noyes on August 15, 2012 at 10:23am

Orville,my fingers are short & wide. Where do you find a "man's sized" thimble? Your technique similar to mine , except I also slip a silicon thimble on thumb sometimes, but I can't seem to find metal ones that really fit well. My oldest (30 yr. ) has just "poked through".The silicone ones stretch, but don't offer the protection. Aren't those little needle grabbers a great idea? I couldn't believe I'd waited so long to use the pkg. I'd had in a drawer for yrs.LOL.