A thimble is a cover that fits on the finger to shield it when pushing a needle during quilting or sewing. The word, derived from Middle English, literally means "thumb shield".

The thimble has a lengthy history. The oldest existing thimble is Italian, 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 other thimbles. Primitive thimbles of leather and bone almost certainly also existed because thimbles have been used by every known civilization. These thimbles didn't survive.

Through the years, thimbles have changed in a number of ways. Both the materials used and the means of production have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become principally decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Early thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and imperfect. 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 thin walled. These thimbles were usually made of metal and imported from Nuremberg, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, innovative methods of making thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were first made from sheet metal. These new thimbles also contained fancy motifs. The cap was separate and attached to the cylinder later. The new thimbles were taller and the top was flatter.

During the sixteenth and seventeenth century Holland became the new seat of thimble manufacturing. However, in the late seventeenth century, John Lofting moved thimble manufacturing to Islington, England where the brass-making industry was currently established. He began to produce thimbles in a scale unprecedented before. Later, he moved his factory to Great Marlow, and used water power to and doubled production.

By the early eighteenth century, he was producing about two million thimbles per year. But he too succumbed to change and thimble manufacturing moved to Birmingham, England by 1800. The makeup of brass also improved during this period. A new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing procedure called "deep drawing" � that used less metal. This brought down the cost.

We are all aware that sewing is the fundamental 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 for the most part decorative, collectors interest 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 memento thimbles to tourists.

Thimble collecting is an remarkably well-known hobby worldwide. A great number of thimbles are inexpensively priced and readily available. Men, women and children collect them. Some collectors are interested in the history of thimbles while others collect them for their decorative significance. 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 down-to-earth tools ever invented, born of necessity.

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