A new Thimble - woohoo

 Recently, while spending time in the hospital with my husband after back surgery, I lost one of my prized quilting tools - my silver thimble.  I had purchased it years ago from TJ Lane and just loved using it.  I was heartbroken when I lost it, which may sound silly to some, but those folks out there that have an absolute special tool know what I mean.  Many times in the hospital I had to help my husband turn over or just straighten up his bed, and I am sure it was one of the times I forgot to take it off and it got wrapped up in the bed linens and went out the door with the soiled linens.

That was several months ago, and was so exited when I found out that ThimbleForYou would have a booth at the Ashville, NC quilt show.  Jan Marie Larsen is great person and told me that TJ Lane had been her mentor.  She had a beautiful selection of thimbles to choose from, and I came home with this pretty thimble and acorn thimble holder. 

 

Before getting my new thimble, I had been using my Mother's thimble.  I remember seeing this on her finger many times as she did her quilting, applique and mending.  I was very surprised it fit me, as Momma was much shorter and smaller than me.  I have to wonder how she kept it on her finger as it fit me perfectly.  

I completed the applique on my GFG borders and took my quilt to Martee, a good friend with a long arm machine, to have it basted for hand quilting.  I took it to her on Thursday, with Hurricane Ian supposed to come through here on Friday.  Martee was so sweet and got it basted for me in one day, so I began quilting it on Thursday night, Sept 29 and continued on Friday, Sept 30.  I record the dates just so when people ask me, and they always do, how long it took to quilt I can at least count from when I started it.  I have kept a record once on a quilt - recording the time each time I quilted, but see no need to do that anymore.

This is one completed block. I am quilting the brown ring in a brown hand quilting thread.  The remainder of the block will be quilted in the color of the first ring, in this case blue.

Back side of the quilt - to show you the pattern I am using.  Quilting along the outer edge of each ring.

My hand quilting thread of choice is Coats & Clark or YLI 40wt hand quilting thread as they  both have a glaze on them that makes them glide through the fabric and batting.  Unfortunately, they do not have the variety of colors I need for this quilt, so I am using a 40wt Aurifil cotton thread that has a nice selection of beautiful colors.  I was able to select my colors at Serendipitous Quilt Shop and Lisa, my friend and shop owner, ordered the 40 wt that I needed. 
 

Fortunately I had C&C brown and blue that matched my quilt on hand so was able to start the quilting  now.   My father made this thread holder for me years ago, and I enjoy using it .  It is so special to have things to use that were my Momma's and things Daddy made for me. (that gold is more tan than shows in this picture.)