the thimble

                                                  sit down, will you?
                                                allow me to tell you a story.

Growing up, in the southern state of Georgia, i was  naturally surrounded by sewers, knitters, crocheters, and quilters.
{Not to mention accordian players, arrowhead makers, and snuff spitters...but that's another story.}

Living in the country provided us with lots of 'natural' playtime. For example, my cousins , sister and i made many a mud pie under the oak tree. We played with baby chickens and made them diapers with kleenex tissues. {poor birds you say? they loved it}
We had a pet donkey which we rode and fed hay.
We had goats, ducks, a pet turtle, {which i still say my mother murdered with cold running water under the sink one morning} ..... you get the picture.
Lots to do out in the great big world.
But when it was raining and we all had to shuffle inside.....my ingenious grandmother
created a game which was called  
                                                  THE THIMBLE GAME.
Now there wasn't anything terrible hard or terribly interesting about this game.
But we loved it.
Grandchildren, great grandchildren, and now great great grandchildren all alike.
Basically the little thimble was placed somewhere in the room and from where you were sitting you had to look round till you found it. It might be on the organ. On the bookshelf. Coffeetable. Poppy's knee. You understand.

So growing up this little metal thingy called the thimble was given utmost respect.

Now i bring you up to present time, whenst i began sewing myself.
i have tried to use the thimble.
but it seems so awkward a thing.
i can't feel what i'm doing.
you know?

                  My newest inspiration is to get back into my primitive craft frame of mind.
                  I have wanted to make a traditional rag rug { or ten } for ages.
                  Having recently landed myself on a slew pine of bias tapes at a knee-slapping
                  thrifty price, i knew i was soon on a role with this project.

                  The traditional way, as a few crafting books say, to make a rag rug
                  is to braid three strands together, then roll them round flat and sew
                  together. Problem is...the sewing was tough.
                  An argument occured between me and this needle.
                 
                  Basically he said he was not going in.
              And i said oh yes you are buddy.
              The very next minute i was taken back to the very
              beginning of this post in a not-so-rainbowy-feeling-way.
              The needle eye has pierced right thru my index finger.
                                             OW.
               silly girl, grandma would say.
               why weren't you wearing a thimble?
              
        So i have heard of a 'leather thimble' and i think i might like one of those.
          as i could feel what i'm a doing. do you use a thimble? do you make rag rugs?
          perhaps i will crochet one instead i thought. what are you making now?
                                               is it painful?