My story regards my great-grandmother’s souvenir thimbles. Born in 1924, she was a lifelong resident of Waconia, Minnesota who took sewing as a hobby from a young age. Throughout her lifelong travels and experiences, she collected ‘souvenir thimbles’ with various designs, like skylines from cities, and other important places. Thimbles, which are put around fingers when sewing, were not only a necessity for her hobby, but also a canvas to show her experiences and travels. She wasn’t the only one in her life who sewed, as her family and friends also enjoyed this hobby. These were passed from generation to generation, as she passed them to her daughter, or my grandmother, who passed them to me. These were passed down to me during the pandemic, and I quickly developed an interest for thimbles. I wanted to learn about their history, use, and significance to my family and our story. To me, thimbles embody two things that my family loves: hobbies and the arts. Although I don’t personally sew, I have many hobbies, and enjoy artistic endeavors. My family also embraces those things, as music and visual art are things we enjoy, and hobbies such as puzzling, recreational sports, and watching movies are other things we bond between. Ultimately, my great-grandmother’s souvenir thimbles embody my family’s spirit of togetherness, bondage, and love for each other.

– Theo J

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more