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The Thimble 101
A thimble is a cap that fits on the finger to protect it when pushing a needle during embroidering or sewing. The word, derived from English, literally means "thumb shield".
The thimble has a lengthy past. The oldest existing thimble is Italian, found in the city ruins of Pompeii. It is bronze. However, the Etruscans, who pre-date the Romans, are known to have made other thimbles. Simple thimbles of leather and bone most probably also existed because thimbles have been used by every known culture. These thimbles didn't survive the centuries.
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 principally decorative and collectible rather than merely practical. Ancient 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 cloth so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a "skep", was required to prevent injury.
By the 15th century, fabric became more finely woven and needlework became more refined. Thimbles became thin walled. These thimbles were ordinarily made of metal and imported from Germany, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, creative methods of manufacturing thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were 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 sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Holland became the new seat of thimble production. However, in the late seventeenth century, John Lofting moved thimble production to Islington, England where the brass industry was currently established. He began to make thimbles in a scale unprecedented before. Next, he moved his assembly plant to Great Marlow, and used water power to double production.
By the early eighteenth century, he was producing 2 million thimbles annually. But he too succumbed to progress and thimble manufacturing moved to Birmingham, England by 18 hundred. The makeup of brass also modernized 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 dropped the cost.
We are all aware that sewing is the primary 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 for the most part decorative, collectorsintrigue 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 elaborate design. New series of thimbles are being issued to commemorate everything from football teams to Disney characters. Every tourist destination offers keepsake thimbles to tourists.
Thimble collecting is an very popular 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 significance. The humble 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 effective tools ever invented, born of necessity.
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