fingertip protectors for hand sewing

[Ragingstallion]

i have been browsing and searching for a topic but have not found one. so, for those of you who hand sew, what do you use to keep yourself from getting blistered up? I have been working on a hard project, and it really worked my fingertips, even with using pliers to pull the needle eye through the leather.

[JazzBass]

As a professional bass player, you would think that the callouses on my finger tips would prevent such discomfort. Nope- different areas of the fingers are used for sewing. 

I found two options -

1. Thin, soft leather gloves that fit tightly around the fingers. They also help when tensioning a stitch, preventing the thread from cutting into the sides of your fingers. That's the easy way.

2. After playing for over 40years, I found that the way to build the toughness of the skin, is to work until they are as sore as you can stand, BUT NOT to the point of blisters. Blisters will come to the surface as skin layers are shed, and peel away any callouses you've built. Accept that it will be ~2 weeks of discomfort until you build up the needed firmness in your fingers. Yes, it's the hard way, and rather uncomfortable, but if you do it all the time, it's worth the discomfort.

Take your pick...it depends on how often you are stitching. If you're not doing it several times per week, I'd go with gloves.

[Ragingstallion]

18 minutes ago, JazzBass said:

As a professional bass player, you would think that the callouses on my finger tips would prevent such discomfort. Nope- different areas of the fingers are used for sewing. 

I found two options -

1. Thin, soft leather gloves that fit tightly around the fingers. They also help when tensioning a stitch, preventing the thread from cutting into the sides of your fingers. That's the easy way.

2. After playing for over 40years, I found that the way to build the toughness of the skin, is to work until they are as sore as you can stand, BUT NOT to the point of blisters. Blisters will come to the surface as skin layers are shed, and peel away any callouses you've built. Accept that it will be ~2 weeks of discomfort until you build up the needed firmness in your fingers. Yes, it's the hard way, and rather uncomfortable, but if you do it all the time, it's worth the discomfort.

Take your pick...it depends on how often you are stitching. If you're not doing it several times per week, I'd go with gloves.

Thanks, I use to be a bass player myself. I remember one of my first gigs I was playing I played until my fingers were numb, and after we got done, I realized I was bleeding all over my bass. Drums are more my style anyways, so haven't played a bass in years, even though I love mine. but thanks for the response.

[billybopp]

I wrap some cloth athletic tape around my fingers at the "wear points".  It's cheap, protects my fingers and provides a little extra grip.

- Bill

[HeatherAthebyne]

I use office supply store rubber fingertip protectors. They get sweaty after a while but the improved grip is worth it. I have a pair of silicone index finger/thumb tips, too, but haven't had a chance to try them out much yet.

[battlemunky]

I'm pretty ok with my fingertips but the outboard joints of my pinkies get pretty sore so I made some sleeves out of some scrap. I've seen a guy on Youtube sewing with some leather fingertip protectors. I'll see if I can find it.

[battlemunky]

Annnnnd, I can't find it again. They were pretty cool looking. They were wet formed and had an outline of a nail on the tops. Can't find them to save my life now.

[Aven]

If I struggle getting a needle through something I'm sewing, I use smooth jaw jewelry pliers.  For my fingers, I sewed sleeves if you will out of some soft, thick leather.  I made them a bit tight to keep them on.  They work a treat and they don't interfere with dexterity.