Tool of the week: thimble

Invented hundreds of years ago, for a long time the thimble almost did not change. Our century with its latest technologies has been able to change and make this still important and necessary subject more convenient.

Photo: wikiHow. com
The device, protecting fingers from needle pricks during sewing, was used decades ago - this is confirmed by the findings of archaeologists around the world. In the usual form — a cap worn on a finger — thimbles began to be made, apparently, in China. First - from thick leather, then - from metal: bronze, copper, even silver and gold. Moreover, the most ancient Chinese and medieval European metal thimbles, by and large, almost did not differ from the devices universally used by seamstresses, for example, in the past, twentieth century. In fact, this is the same cap worn on the finger - however, before the craftsmen paid much more attention to decorating their products.

Photo: en.paperblog.com
Factory production of thimbles began in the 19th century. Around the same time, the division into thimbles “everyday” and “special” began. A thimble could be a valuable gift (for example, from the bridegroom to the bride) or a collectible, especially valuable pieces were made of expensive porcelain with painting, jewelry metals, decorated with precious stones, paintings and enamel.

Photo: theriaults.com
Similar "exclusive" thimbles, ancient and made today, are still priced now, but more often they are not used for their intended purpose, but are collected in collections or stored as objects of art. But modern industry follows the path of searching for the most ergonomic shape and the best materials: the thimble of the 21st century should be primarily convenient for sewing and durable.
Video: YouTube / Prym Consumer Europe (RUS)

Such, for example, is the modern thimble of the German company Prym. It is made of hard plastic, which provides needle stop, and the main soft part, comfortable to use.