Adjustable Brass Thimbles, Vintage Needle Case & 12 Self-Threading Needles

Most thimbles are sold in one size and hope for the best. That is why so many end up unused in the bottom of a sewing box — too loose to stay on, too tight to wear for an hour, or impossible if you have anything more than very short nails.

These two are different in the way that matters: the band is open-sided and overlaps, so it flexes to your finger instead of asking your finger to match it. You get two of them, a small and a medium, so between the pair and the adjustment there is almost certainly one that fits. And because the side is open, your fingernail simply comes out through the gap — long nails, gel, acrylics, none of it gets in the way.

The top is a solid brass dome covered in fine dimples, so it still does the real work: the needle catches instead of skidding, and you can push through a quilt sandwich or heavy cotton without your fingertip paying for it.

Choose what you need

Three ways to buy, so you are not paying for a piece you already own:

• Two adjustable thimbles — one small, one medium.
• Needle case with 12 self-threading needles — the engraved bronze tube and a full set of needles.
• Complete set — both thimbles, the needle case and the 12 needles together.

The adjustable thimbles

Brass, with a closed dimpled dome and an open, overlapping band below it. Lay one on your fingertip and the band closes round it; the overlap lets it give a little as your fingers swell over a long session.

• Medium: 2.5 cm (0.98 in) tall, 1.7 cm (0.67 in) across.
• Small: 2.3 cm (0.91 in) tall, 1.5 cm (0.59 in) across.
• Each is stamped with its size on the band.

Which one to start with: measure the width of your finger knuckle. Around 1.3–1.5 cm suits the small; around 1.5–1.8 cm suits the medium. Since both come in the set you can simply try each, and keep the spare for the other hand or for a heavier project.

The self-threading needles

Twelve needles with a gold-toned top and a slot cut into the eye. You lay the thread across the top and pull down — it snaps into the eye without you having to aim for the hole. If threading a needle has started to be the annoying part of sewing, this is the fix.

• 4 needles at 36 mm
• 4 needles at 38 mm
• 4 needles at 42 mm
• All 0.76 mm in diameter.

Three lengths covers most hand work — the shorter ones for fine stitching and quilting, the longer ones for basting and gathering.

The needle case

An engraved metal tube in an antique bronze finish, with a cap that pulls off. The needles sit inside, held together and pointing the same way, instead of migrating loose through a project bag.

• 8.5 cm (3.35 in) long, 1.5 cm (0.59 in) wide.
• 7.5 cm (2.95 in) inner depth — deep enough for the 42 mm needles with room to spare, so it will take longer needles than the ones supplied.
• Antique bronze finish, engraved along its full length.
• Small enough to live in a project pouch or a pocket.

How this compares

Against a single fixed-size thimble. Fixed thimbles are excellent when you find one that fits, and frustrating until then. Two sizes plus an adjustable band is a much better bet when you are buying without trying it on first — which is the whole problem with buying a thimble online.

Against a closed-top thimble. A closed thimble protects the whole fingertip and is the traditional choice for quilting. If your nails are short, that is a perfectly good option. If they are not, an open-sided one is the version you will actually wear, because there is somewhere for the nail to go.

Against a fabric needle book. Needle books are lovely and hold more. A metal tube protects the points better, will not let a needle work through the cover, and takes up less room in a bag.

Against a decorative sewing set. A lot of vintage-style sewing sets are bought as ornaments — flimsy needles, thimbles in one nominal size, a case that does not shut properly. Every piece here is specified: the thimbles are measured and stamped, the needles are counted and their lengths given, and the case dimensions are stated so you know what it holds.

Materials and care

The thimbles are brass. The needle case is metal with an antique bronze finish. The needles are steel with gold-toned tops.

Keep everything dry, especially the needles — put them back in the case rather than leaving them in a pincushion for months. Wipe the brass and the case with a soft dry cloth. Avoid metal polish on the case: the antique finish sits in the engraving and polishing will strip it out.

Questions we get asked

Will a thimble work if I have long nails?
Yes — that is exactly what an open-sided thimble is for. The band wraps the pad of your finger and the top sits over the tip, while the open side leaves your nail somewhere to go. Natural, gel or acrylic, it makes no difference.

How do self-threading needles work?
There is a small slot cut into the top of the eye. You hold the thread taut across the top of the needle and pull down, and it slides through the slot and seats in the eye. No aiming at a hole, and it works just as well in poor light or without reading glasses.

How do I know which thimble size to use?
Measure the width of your finger knuckle: roughly 1.3–1.5 cm suits the small, 1.5–1.8 cm the medium. Both sizes are in the set, and each is stamped with its letter, so you can try one and then the other rather than guessing at checkout.

What size needles are included?
Four each at 36 mm, 38 mm and 42 mm, all 0.76 mm thick — twelve in total. The case has 7.5 cm of inner depth, so it also takes longer needles if you want to store your own alongside them.

Can I buy just the thimbles or just the case?
Yes. The three options above are exactly that — the pair of thimbles on their own, the case with its needles on its own, or all of it together.

Is the case a good size for a project bag?
Yes — it is 8.5 cm long and 1.5 cm across, about the size of a fat pen, and the cap holds the needles in while it moves around.

It is a small, well-specified set of the three things hand sewing actually needs: something to protect your finger, something to sew with, and somewhere to keep it.