Yarn Guide/Guard for Sore Finger

[redrosesdz]

I picked up crocheting again after putting it away for quite a few years.  I've been going so crazy making things, because it is fun again, that my index finger has an indent and turned black & blue from the yarn rubbing over it. 

 

I tried putting a band-aid on my finger and it worked like a charm, except that I had to change band-aids a few times every day.  So, I went on the hunt for something that would protect my finger, let the yarn glide easily, and still keep tension on the yarn.  I found metal and plastic rings out there.  Ouch!  Some of them were for just the end of the finger, which doesn't help me.  I use the space between the first and second knuckle for yarn.  I read where someone crocheted a ring and guided the yarn through it.    I am working on a project with mini-granny squares (324 of them) in multiple colors and can't see myself guiding the yarn through a ring every 10 minutes or so.

 

I also found a "finger thimble" by Clover that is made out of leather and plastic.  So, I bought the set of 3 finger thimbles.  The thimble fit, but it is fat and the yarn slides right off.  I turned it around backwards and the yarn glided just fine, but still rubbed against my finger.  So, I made my own ring guard.  I made a ring with 9 fdc sts and glued the plastic piece from Clover's finger thimble on top.  It works like a dream!  My finger is nice and cozy, while the yarn glides over without slipping.  I can keep tension on the yarn and change yarn as easily as I could just using my finger. 

 

Here is a pic of the original Clover Finger Thimble and my new Ring Guard....

[Avon Lady]

What a clever idea!  You should patent that!

[kittyloverdeb]

Wow!  You must really wind your yarn tight around that finger to bruise it.  Ouch!

[redrosesdz]

Wow!  You must really wind your yarn tight around that finger to bruise it.  Ouch!

Since I joined this forum, I've learned that some people wind their yarn around their index finger.  I don't do that.  I hold it with the yarn just laying over my index finger and I control the tension by my pinkie and ring finger against my palm.  It's the way I learned a long, long time ago.  So, as the yarn glides over my index finger, it rubs right above the first knuckle.  It really bruised when I was using a yarn with metal in it.

 

I did try switching to wrapping the yarn around, but I didn't like it and kept forgetting to do it.