I once read somewhere that many things related to Japanese life and culture have an aesthetic component. I really believe in this too. It is important to remember and not just take the beauty around us for granted; particularly the things that nature itself provides us in our environment, to be found and admired.
Even for man-made things, it is almost a requirement that it be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. You can find the concept of aesthetics even in the simplest elements of everyday life; items as simple as a thimble.
A thimble, in Japanese is to call yubinuki. And, like most thimbles, it’s used to protect your fingers when sewing, whether it’s something as fine as silk or as thick as denim.
Although they serve the same protective purpose, in Japan, thimbles are used differently than common thimbles in the West. Rather than being worn on the fingertip, Japanese thimbles are simple rings worn on the middle finger, between the first and second knuckles.
You see, the way we sew in Japan is different from how we sew here in the West. We use a regular stitch. It is called a continuous stitch because the needle stays in the fabric until it reaches the end of the seam line. The needle is continuously pushed, using the thimble on your middle finger.
Guided into position with the fingers and fingertips, the needle is pushed through the layers with the yubinuki taking the “worst part” of the force. This helps prevent injuries and irritations to the hands and fingers that would be caused by the eye of the needle. Having the thimble to help push also provides additional force to move it; which is much easier than continually trying to grasp the tip of the needle to pull it out.
Although the main purpose of wearing a thimble is practical, it is also a fashion statement for those who love hand sewing. I always use a leather thimble, as Sashiko consists of simple stitches. These leather thimbles are stretchy and also come in different colors.
