My Thimble Collection
Posted on March 17, 2023 by prairiemoonquilts in Inspiration, Studio NewsI’m not much of a decorator — my sister got all of that gene in our family. So while I love looking at stuff other people have done, I never seem to do much of it myself.
My youngest daughter travels a lot, and she buys me a souvenir thimble everywhere she goes. I also have a few that I’ve collected myself over the years — ones that belonged to my grandmother or that came in vintage sewing boxes I picked up various places. They were all stuffed in a bag for lack of anywhere nice and safe to display them.
Years ago, when my family went to a tractor show together, as we often used to do, one of the vendors had a printer’s tray for sale, and I mentioned how I’d love to have one of those because it would be perfect to display my thimble collection in; my cousin, Deno, heard me say it and bought the tray for me as a birthday present.
I brought it home and it has been shuffled around my studio ever since, but never hung on the wall as I intended it to be. I could never talk myself into getting it done! In my mind, I thought it was going to be a huge time-consuming project that I did not have time for.
During all my recent organizing, tho, I decided I was tired of moving it around because it’s always in my way, and tripping over it in whatever location I decided to move it to in any given week, so I knew it needed to get done. In order for me to not think that it was too big a project, I had to break it way down for myself. One step at a time . . .
It needed to be cleaned up, so I did that first. Then it sat for another couple weeks.
I knew I wanted to line the holes with pretty scrapbooking paper, so I went through my stash of papers and picked out the ones I wanted to use. Those laid on my cutting table for a couple weeks.
Then I had to locate my jar of Yes! Paste — it’s special glue that keeps the paper from wrinkling when you glue it down. Found it! In the mess on my mailing counter. Also found a brush to use to apply it. Whew! Getting closer.
Then I cut all the pieces of paper to size, and cut a few extras so I’d have some options when arranging them.
Finally, working on one-third of the box at a time, I glued all the papers in place. And guess what? It didn’t take me nearly as long as my brain had me imagining it would!
I gave it time for the glue to dry, then I affixed my hanger thingies to the back side, and got out my hammer and some nails, and finally got it hung on the wall!
I fetched my bag of thimbles, got them all unpackaged and unwrapped and arranged in the little cubbies, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!
I’ve got plenty of room for the collection to grow, and some larger holes that I can fill with some bigger things.
I’ll have to add to it as I find things I’d like to put in it. For now, I just love looking at it, and I’m so glad I finally got it finished!
Do you procrastinate on things like that? I don’t know why I do, when I could have already been enjoying this for years instead of shuffling the parts and pieces around my studio. But now I know I need to figure out the next Procrastination Project and get to work on it — it probably won’t take me as long as my imagination says it will!
Love the thimble project! Great way to display your treasures!
Just realized I haven’t sent in my block total for February! It was 24. I’m working on a triangle quilt for youngest granddaughter and it has 984 of the little buggers … 41 per row. So I’m counting each row as 4 blocks. Did six rows in February so that’s 24 blocks. How does that sound?
Thanks for keeping us on track!
Beautiful collection! I collected silver spoons from all over the world. Friends who travelled could always pick up a spoon or two. As I got older my collecting changed, now I collect fabric and quilt patterns that I hope to make one day.
I have two of those vintage printer drawers filled with my thimble collection as well. I love your idea of putting the scrapbook paper in them. I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing your idea. Your collection looks great!
Love it! Enjoy!
love your collection. not sure what happened to some of mine! Here somewhere!
I love it!! The papers were a great idea. Hugs,
That’s beautiful! What fun collection and great way to display!
I laughed at your post because you described me so well😂. I finally hung some pictures that I had taken down 4-5 years ago when I repainted….and the other house fixing projects, well don’t get started thinking about that! It is amazing how our mind can make a little thing into a big project. Off to paint the bathroom…one more step in getting that project finished.
Looks beautiful so glad you’ve got it hung up to enjoy rather than in a corner😀
That is so beautiful. Love the delicate romantic looking paper you chose to use.
Thanks so much for sharing your thimble collection with us. I am so enjoying admiring those lovely thimbles. Your background papers are perfect for displaying the thimbles. I like the fact that you have room for more thimbles. You have turned that printer’s tray into a beautiful display case. Congratulations on a job well done.
I love it! I have a few of those projects procrastination projects around my house too.
Love your project & colors of paper you chose.
Must be a Callao DNA thing. I’m
Guilty too. Worse the older I get.
Thanks for showing us. I think
You’re better than give yourself credit for. ❤️
What a great idea, I collect patches, since being married, not so many in the beginning. Originally thought for my jean jacket, which I grew out of…then I thought a tote bag, too many for a bag. So, they are all in a box somewhere, that I still add too. Had it been thimbles, I would most definitely be copying this idea! Well done!!
Love your collection. My MIL had a collection of thimbles but someone got them when she passed away. Sadly don’t know where they ended up.
It’s so great! The wallpaper behind the thimbles makes it extra special. I’ve never seen it done that way. Congrats on getting g one of THOSE projects done!
you did a lot more work on yours than I did on mine! I cleaned mine up minimally and just put thread and thimbles in it and hung it up! I do have a shadow box I bought for my first grand champion ribbon at the fair and I still havent done that. I have everything in a bag but never got it put together.
It’s a treasure now Shelly! Nice work.
That is just so darn cute! Glad you will be enjoying your collection now.
Great display! My procrastination project is to make a quilt of some kind with all kinds of buttons that I have collected on it!
Looks wonderful. When we traveled we used to buy both refrigerator magnets and Christmas tree ornaments.
My husband procrastinates but I tend to do whatever just to get it done and out of the way. It so surprising how different people look at the same thing and react so differently.
Have a wonderful day.
Absolutely love this, Shelly!!!!
Shelly it’s lovely! Well done.