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The Thimble: From A To Z
A thimble is a cover that fits over the finger to shield it when pushing a needle during embroidering or sewing. The word, derived from English, literally means "thumb shield".
The thimble has a long history. The oldest existing thimble is Latin, found in the ruins of Pompeii. It is made of bronze. However, the Etruscans, who pre-date the Romans, are known to have made bronze thimbles. Simple thimbles of bone and leather almost certainly also existed because thimbles have been used by every known civilization. These thimbles did not survive.
Through the years, thimbles have evolved in a number of ways. Both the the means of production and the materials used have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become essentially decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Early thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and crude. It was difficult to push the thread through the fabric so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a "skep", was required to prevent injury.
By the fifteenth century, fabric became more finely woven and needlework became more refined. Thimbles became thinner. These thimbles were more often than not made of brass and imported from Nuremberg, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, original methods of producing thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were first made from sheet metal. The new thimbles also contained decorative 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 16th and 17th century Holland became the new seat of thimble manufacturing. However, in the late 17th century, John Lofting moved thimble manufacturing to Islington, England where the brass industry was already established. He began to make thimbles in a scale unheard of before. Later, he moved his factory to Great Marlow, and used water power to and doubled production.
By the early 18th century, he was producing about two million thimbles annually. But he too succumbed to progress and thimble making moved to Birmingham, England by 18 hundred. The fashioning of brass also improved during this period. A new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing method called "deep drawing" that used less metal. This lowered the cost.
We are all aware that sewing is the fundamental use of the thimble. But did you know that a slightly larger thimble, usually two ounces, was used to measure spirits? And did you know that 19th 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 waned. 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 memorial thimbles to tourists.
Thimble collecting is an extremely well-known hobby worldwide. Many thimbles are honestly 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 value. 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 sound tools ever invented, born of necessity.
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