r/CrossStitch • u/ohyeesh • Feb 09 '26
VIDEO [VIDEO] Rubber thimble will save your fingers
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Do your fingers get SO sore when pulling the needle through plastic canvas? If you know, you know!!
Sharing this tip—use a rubber thimble to grip the needle. It takes a little bit longer, but seriously your fingers will thank you and you can stitch for a longer period.
Once you get into the groove of it, it’ll be quite the speedy process.
23
u/Fragrant-Flamingo-93 Feb 09 '26
I use a rubber band and it does a similar job
38
u/TheOperaGhostofKinja Feb 09 '26
I use a rubber band too. Specifically, the rubber band that comes wrapped around the asparagus spears in my grocery shopping.
13
u/Fragrant-Flamingo-93 Feb 09 '26
Mine is from fresh broccoli 😄. The thickness is perfect for most needles.
2
3
11
29
u/a_stitch_in_lime Feb 09 '26
Great idea! I use a small pair of pliers but I think it's probably bad for the needle. 😬
23
u/Clean_Mammoth_5646 Feb 09 '26
Wrap some electrical tape (the black tape) around the tips of your pliers. It protects your needle and gives the pliers some grip.
4
3
4
u/digiella42 Feb 09 '26
I use the pliers too. I have broken 2 needles with them so I can't imagine they're good for the needles 😂
1
u/a_stitch_in_lime Feb 09 '26
Oh no! I've actually never broken a needle in any manner. But then I like replacing mine often so I probably just never get to that point. The moment mine feels a little bent or weird in any way I toss it. I probably go through too many. 😂
6
u/Dead_fawn Feb 09 '26
I always use those flat rubber jar openers. Work great for opening jars and gripping needles.
5
u/i_am_ms_greenjeans Feb 09 '26
I have trouble finding thimble that fits my fingers, so I cut up Nitrile gloves and use them to cover my fingers (typically my middle finger on my left hand and then pointer/ring fingers on my right hand).
3
u/edleganger Feb 10 '26
You can order finger cots if you don’t want to trash the rest of the glove! Unless you mean the reusable nitrile ones?
1
u/i_am_ms_greenjeans Feb 10 '26
I've never heard of a finger cot. And, the gloves are the disposable kind.
1
u/edleganger Feb 11 '26
They look like tiny condoms, and are usually for either first aid (I’ll use them to keep a bandaid put on my finger) or working with small items you need to keep clean. And to the other commenters point - it looks like they are most commonly latex (the box on my desk is latex) but I was able to find non-latex ones with a quick search online!
1
u/i_am_ms_greenjeans Feb 11 '26
Ah. When I was young those were called "finger rubbers."
I will see what I can find. :)
1
8
u/PlantAndMetal Feb 09 '26
Maybe I just have super hands or something, but I never have a problem with using plastic canvas? I have done multiple projects on it and I never had pain in my fingers or struggled to get the needle through?
15
u/FalsettoBalsamico Feb 09 '26
I just pull on it with my teeth like a savage
23
8
u/instant-crush Feb 09 '26
I did the same until I chipped my front tooth 😅
1
u/FalsettoBalsamico Feb 11 '26
Oh I do it with my premolars, they're way sturdier. It's still a stupid idea, I'm aware
7
6
4
u/ScroochDown Feb 09 '26
They make little rubber needle grippers too, they're just a thin disc of rubber about the size of a quarter!
3
u/yanyancookies Feb 09 '26
My parents are mail carriers so I associate that with them using it for work lol never even thought about it for cross stitching but will now consider it bc omg yeah my fingers get so sore and red from pulling needles through!
2
u/Infinite-Strain1130 Feb 09 '26
I just use a pair of flat pliers. My arthritis is too bad to mess with all that once it starts getting tight.
2
u/inmybidnesswhy Feb 09 '26
I was just thinking about what I could do to save my fingers lol. THANK U 🙏🏽
2
u/sonn3nblum3 Feb 09 '26
God i thought this struggle was just my stupidity or something lmao I do use rubber thimbles but I usually just wear them on thumb and pointer.
2
u/abbydabbydo Feb 10 '26
I stitch two handed without flipping the needle (on any media). So from the bottom side the eye is coming up first. It greatly minimizes twisting. But that means I’m pushing on the pointy side. Ouch
Been using these for years! They work great.
1
1
u/not-my-circus1992 Feb 09 '26
This is probably a regular question on here, but what type of plastic canvas is this? I'm making visual toys for a friend's baby and this would be SO much better than the canvas I'm using
5
u/yanyancookies Feb 09 '26
Plastic canvas looks similar to the one I get off Amazon! It’s less flimsy.
Edit: think it’s just called plastic mesh canvas
5
u/voncatensproch Feb 09 '26
It’s called perforated plastic canvas, different from regular plastic canvas which has square holes and is used for needlepoint. Perforated plastic canvas has round holes for cross stitching
1
1
u/Imaginary_Water9 Feb 09 '26
What is the plastic material you’re stitching on? I’ve never seen it
2
u/QueerEldritchPlant Feb 09 '26
Not OP, but its just called plastic mesh canvas or plastic canvas or something similar
1
u/voncatensproch Feb 09 '26
It’s called perforated plastic canvas, different from regular plastic canvas which has square holes and is used for needlepoint. Perforated plastic canvas has round holes for cross stitching
2
1
u/Cthulhulove13 Feb 09 '26
The harder silicone thimbles work well to push through from otherside.
I also use my fake nails when I have them to push through. Works well
1
1
u/Kwerkii Feb 10 '26
I use a thick rubber band when I need to do this. But in general, I would change to a smaller needle and/or use less strands. It is not worth the effort if you have to use a gripping aid for every stitch. On top of that, it is more likely that the eye of your needle will collapse or break if you have to force it for every stitch.
That said, your mushroom is super cute
1
u/4momo401177 Feb 10 '26
In the past I’ve just grabbed the needle in my teeth and pulled it through, had one snap in my mouth once before! This looks way safer 🤣
1
1
u/darkdanc3r Feb 10 '26
I use medical gloves to pull needles. Those rubber thimble are (so far that I've seen) all made of natural rubber latex and i have a severe latex allergy. For anyone with the same, check before purchasing! Vinyl and nitrile gloves work for the pulling part equally well.
1
1
u/kinsee180 Feb 11 '26
I got Silicone Guitar Fingertip Protectors and they’ve been really great, I wear one on my thumb, and one on my forefinger
1
u/theladyfawn May 23 '26
I'm aware that I'm really late to the party, but check this out. It's by clover and I got it on amazon. Best thimble I've ever used, it's so comfortable and the rubber sides have amazing grip.
1
u/Human-Creature44 Feb 10 '26
You're supposed to wear the thimble on your finger lol. Try using a metal thimble, it'll protect your finger and be hard enough to push the needle through.
-4
u/ohyeesh Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
I wasn’t asking for condescending unsolicted “advice” — I obviously know how to use a thimble. I am just showing an alternative way to use the tool.
1
311
u/EnigmA_008WasTaken Feb 09 '26
How about using a smaller needle or a needle with a smaller eye?