Crocheting with a tennis ball???

[@ghostly6627]

I used that medical bandage wrap that sticks to itself, like the fabric they use after drawing blood. I used about half a roll of it to help my hooks fit my hand better. It helped me so much so I hope you see this comment

[@ayajade6683]

It's called sports tape or kinetic tape

[@13lilsykos]

Hmm... I may need to try this. I crochet and my hand aches afterwards. I'm so behind on my projects.

[@Hayley-Dreamsmasher-Smith]

@@13lilsykosFingerless compression gloves are the way to go. I get the copper fit ones. I have no pain after crocheting with hours when I wear them.

[@c.j.1865]

Coban!! As a healthcare worker, that's what I use too! Great since you can customize the size :)

[@katyishere]

@@13lilsykosmake sure to take a 10-15 minute break every hour to avoid injury, if it hurts take a break

[@hollyschmidt9316]

Yooooo. I’m so glad you tried this (and thank you to the person who suggested it) I have a long term nerve injury in my dominant hand and crocheted for a little bit before stopping bc it was too painful. I’m hopeful that maybe this will help

[@ms.pirate]

Once you're hand heals, you should get back into it! Its great physical therapy

[@thatfruitygowrl]

​@@ms.pirate they said it's long term?

[@srsaf_onyx]

hello fellow Holly! A Holly replying to a comment made by Holly on a video made by a Holly, crazy

[@B00GH0STIE]

@@thatfruitygowrl physical therapy can still help?? It’ll strengthen the muscle and get it used to working more than what it’s used to. It may not seem like a lot to other people, but when you’re the one who feels the pain slowly subside over time into something more tolerable then it’s the best thing ever. Even if it’s nerve damage, they still have to work and exercise the area for things to get better

[@thatfruitygowrl]

@@B00GH0STIE yes, i know, I've been in pt, but it won't fix long term nerve damage.
It may help a little but not enough to be worth it, it's also extremely expensive.

[@edenmartinez783]

Tattooers do this too! We bulk out our grips with paper towels and coflex bandages to make it fit out hands in a more relaxed position so we don’t develop carpal tunnel or fatigue our hands as quickly from repeated motions.

[@Dee912]

As someone who tattoos AND crochets, I’ve never thought to wrap my crochet hooks like I do the machine!! Gonna try that out today

[@Ava-cq1zi]

Carole tunnel😭😭😭

[@PupRiku]

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the stage, the legendary, the incomparable, Carole Tunnel

[@queenb1119]

Carole Tunnel is worse than Dennis Elbow! 🤣

[@madeniquevanwyk]

​@@queenb1119I'm losing my mind at this comment 😭😭😭😭😂😂😂😂😂i wish I could pin you 😂😂😂

[@fattygonzolas]

Artist advice: you do not need to finish a project. It is totally okay to put hours and hours into something just for it to go unfinished. Don't make something you aren't into just because you started it. Start something new that you are more interested in

[@oliviavanbrink]

This works until you only have a ton of unfinished projects like myself and rarely ever finish anything. Then there is a buildup of wasted materials that costed a lot of money and a lot of time spent on many things that never become anything. Your advice works if you have barely started a project, but once you are almost done you should press through to the end and if you don’t like it, sell it or give it away.

[@aretwothetoo7758]

Depends on the person. In my case, I lack discipline and so forcing myself to finish not only makes me feel accomplished but proves that I can follow through with a commitment

[@_RavishingRaven_]

​@@aretwothetoo7758same! And if I linger getting it done it will drive me crazy and I'll constantly feel like I'm supposed to be doing it. That's with anything, so the fact I lack discipline to get stuff done it's like a constant battle for me. 😅

[@Wangsabibop]

This also depends on the medium. This advice is easier for someone who works with fibers (crochet or knitting for example) as you can just undo the work and start again. Zero waste. Whereas for a painter who spent a lot of time and money you may want to finish

[@UnlockYourSoul]

​@@WangsabibopI was gonna say yarn costs but yeah....u could just unravel it 😅 I keep forgetting I can reclaim the raw materials of projects I don't like

[@seganaleqa]

Damn, I wish I knew about this trick back when my grandmother was of sane mind and body. She loved crocheting so much, and it was obvious it hurt her emotionally when she had to stop due to arthritis. This trick might have helped her. I hope it continues helping you, I can’t wait to see the temperature blanket completed. 😻

[@mehanimates5491]

It takes a little bit to adjust to using it, but the tennis ball grip is amazing! I don’t know how I crocheted without it

[@jelleykat]

How do you do it? Do you have to cut holes in the tennis ball first or can you just push it through?

[@mehanimates5491]

@@jelleykat I don’t know about metal hooks, but for my plastic hooks (8-12 mm) they couldn’t poke through so I had to poke the holes with some scissors, I think metal hooks could probably poke through if pushed hard enough though

[@jelleykat]

@@mehanimates5491 thanks. I don't think I would have the strength, but good to know you just easily cut it.

[@LottieDude95]

My dog would definitely be stealing my crochet hook 😂

[@missionivy453]

Yeeeeaaaaa….. but we love them anyway!😊

[@meganjones4929]

wait that’s a really good point

[@Sunnyfrenchie789]

That would be so cute and funny😊❤❤

[@abiA5]

You need Sugru! It's a fast setting moldable putty that sets into a rubbery material. In the disabled community we use it to make things like custom grips! @Sugru

[@lise9874]

Try holding the hook like you would hold a pen. You’re holding it like you hold a knife rn and that puts extra strain on your muscles. Hold it the exact way you’d hold a pen. It’s so much more ergonomic, easier, and cleared me of all my issues with the same. It relaxes the muscles a lot more. I don’t know why this isn’t common knowledge but that’s how you’re supposed to hold a crochet hook fr.

[@staticsage8263]

Listen, I adore how much people love crocheting. Its a beautiful art form and probably gives you a lot more hand and arm strength but the idea of someone crocheting so passionately that they have a lasting injury from the sheer power of their crocheting ability paints this hilarious picture in my head of crocheting as an Olympic level sport and I love it.

[@artistic_tokito]

I think it might not hurt your hands or arms as much because when you hold your hand around the usual grippy peice on the crochet hook your arm and hand muscles grip tighter than they would when gripping the larger more round tennis ball, the roundness of the tennis ball helps too cause when you think about it, if you relax your hand your fingers curl slightly, and beleive it or not, depending on the size of your hand a tennis ball would fit perfectly in your relaxed hand so the only strain youd put on your muscles would be to grip the tennis ball.

[@kiraragner6049]

Yeah it’s cause it opens up your grip and has your hand in a more natural, less stressed position! It’s a great hack for people who crochet a lot

[@ladylioness06]

I used to buy metal hooks, and build up an ergonomic handle with polymer clay, the bake em. Custom fit every time!

[@Annie_Annie__]

This is what I do. The first one was ugly, lol, but I’ve gradually gotten better at making them ergonomic and fit for me as well as looking like something I _want_ to use.

[@lavenderoh]

I think Boye or Susan Bates has an ergonomic device which you can put hooks inside. It kinda looks like this tbh!

[@mayrenamoreno4914]

I use the Boyce ergonomic attachment, can't crochet without it.

[@ms.pirate]

You are doing well! This is great physical therapy to strengthen you're hand!!

[@spoopbase6317]

one way of crocheting which a lot of knitters turned crocheters do actually helps combat injuries like carpal tunnel. I use this bc I tried doing it "the proper way" and I couldn't. I'm right handed and hold my hook in my right hand with the hook part facing me, but I also hold my yarn in the same hand. I hold my piece in my left hand, HOWEVER, when I am wrapping yarn around my hook, I move the hook to my other hand for a second so I don't rotate my wrist

[@georginafg3626]

That’s amazing!! You must be so excited to get back to crocheting! ❤

[@laceyrodriguez7269]

I’ve totally gotta try this! I haven’t been crocheting because I have arthritis and it kills my hands. This sounds amazing! And so much less painful! Thank you for sharing! 💚

[@chloeme3589]

Those are the moments I love the internet for!

[@MikkiMagic]

I just used a yarn ball that fit comfortably in my hand

[@solveigyen117]

You can take the grips off those crochet hooks I have the same ones, it’s kind of difficult but it can be done 😊

[@YourBFAstro]

Spherical grips tend to cause less strain in your hand

[@tcpr724]

If tennis ball is too big you can try a smaller Styrofoam ball. I do this for kids with weak pencil grips and it seems to work well for them.

[@babygurl74]

This is brilliant. I haven't been able to crochet in a year due to similar injury. I'll have to tey this out

[@p0ison_0ak33]

If my handles don't have the ergonomic grip I will usually use the really thick rubber bands, wrap a few really tight on top of each other, and then wrap the rubber bands tight with Teflon tape, hence making myself a DIY ergonomic handle. My husband will joke around and call it my prison shank 😂 but it works

[@throughcolouredglasses9300]

I'm sorry but your husband is hilarious xD totally stealing that

[@shannonbrown8588]

Oh my gosh fresh tennis balls smell so good to me and remind me of my childhood. I could literally smell the can opening in this video

[@punkyfeathers1639]

THANK YOU!!!! I’m an older subscriber at 50 and haven’t crocheted in years because of carpal tunnel but I really want to make a blanket for my living room.

[@ConservativeShark]

Ngl holding balls is the way to go

[@aHamBroth]

They also make foam tubes you can cut to size to make chunky handles not just for crochet hooks, but for pens and other utensils. They are mostly used for people with arthritis or issues with gripping, but are very handy for making more ergonomic grips

[@alisontheanimal4009]

I use a sponge grip, rather than a tennis ball. There a little smaller but same principle.

[@dianes5762]

You could get one thats slightly smaller from a pet store, for small dogs obviously. Wait until you see how that feels. 💖💞💞

[@LilyEaton.-.]

im a gamer, one time i lost my gaming mouse so i found my backup mouse, but its shorter and less curved than the gaming mouse, but i thought nothing of it, i ised it for an hour or two when all of a sudden there was this MASSIVE pain in my hand that wouldn't seem to go away- (but of course, i kept gaming) it was only until after i found my expensive gaming mouse that i realized you NEED curvature for your hands, kroche-ing or gaming lol! Hope the tennis ball works out for you!! once i changed my mouse the pain went away!

[@AllTheButtons87]

I might have to actually do this! Crochet gets so hard on my hands

[@charliesapphire5449]

you can pull the crochet grip off anyway, usually it’s a silicone sleeve

[@signheart7520]

Gald that worked for you, looks awkward but more comfortable . I take sculpty clay and bake new handles over the aluminum hooks. I customize them to fit my hand and grip.

[@aleashahall1748]

Also, if the regular tennis ball feels too big, you could probably go to a pet store and get a tiny ball that's made for tiny dogs. But I don't know if it would still work as well though

[@jonathansfavorites]

You must take breaks while crocheting. For every hour of crocheting, you need to take a 15 - to 20-minute break. And you must stretch. Repetitive motion injuries are no joke.

[@purpleheart3000]

I don't use my wrist too much while I crochet. I turn and move the hook more with my fingers. I bet this would be good for people with wrist problems!

[@beep453]

I’m able to start crocheting after 5 months with an injury from cohering this week (yay 🎉), and I plan to try the tennis ball. I hope you get better soon and that the tennis ball works well for you

[@The666VampireGirl]

ooh i might suggest this to my mother, she saw me crocheting and she wanted to give it a try again after years of not doing anything but since her wrists are pretty bad, it hurts her to crochet. maybe holding onto something like a tennisball would help her

[@theboyinpj2286]

you can also use a makeup sponge, you can choose the size you like ^^

[@JoTheAnomaly]

I saw this months ago and finally broke down and tried it once my hands were aching so bad that I couldn’t work for more than a few minutes because of the pain.
I can now crochet as much as I want because the tennis ball is so effective in reducing the pressure I put on my thumbs. Thanks for posting this, you’ve helped me significantly (even though I was stubborn at first).

[@MiahbelleAj]

I shared this to my grandma bc she has arthritis and she crochets and her hand hurts sometimes and she doesn’t use grippys

[@resurrectionsunday4164]

I’m so glad you have found a comfortable way to crochet. Just be careful not to over do it ❤

[@wickedbasket8858]

Practice relaxing your hands more. Some stitches require high tension and there's nothing you can do about it but for most projects you can do relaxed stitch. All of my hooks aside from the plastic ones have the divot where the name and the size is I hold that as loosly as possible with my thumb and pointer. I used to have the problem with sore hands until I loosened my grip on the hook. If you feel your hand getting tired take a break and try again.

[@CaliButler]

The squishy ball feels good to 😊

[@emilyroseveasna9056]

I would never be able to crochet in front of my dog again 😅

[@kyruui1429]

Oh my gosh, I thought you were going to use the tennis ball floof 🧌

[@alyssamramirez827]

off topic..but i know i’m not the only one who smelled those tennis balls once she popped it open 😭😭😭

[@acronomjames8700]

I'm gonna have to try that to because I need to finish my cardigan.

[@Notoudinot]

*cries in tennis player*

[@kacywatson6314]

That actually makes sense, because remember our hands are evolved to hold rocks round things, not very thin cylinders like twigs

[@innaishere1518]

WALMART TAKE MY MONEY IM GOING TO BUY A TENNIS BALL

[@KatieFrog217]

Oh my double jointed hands could never 😂

[@ChaosRaych]

OMG this is amazing! My great-grandmother would've loved a hack like this. She taught me how to crochet when I was little, but I've long forgotten. She used to quit & make dolls & stuffed animals too. I should get back into it. Could be fun & it would be a great way to remember her

[@anamariagil2898]

What you SHOULD use are the Amazon Basics makeup sponges that are pink & look like the top of a soft serve ice cream cone. They’re less awkward and softer to set up/use. 😊

[@nicolemarlin6900]

I tried looking for amazon basics makeup sponges but nothing looked like ice cream. Do you have a specific name?

[@courtneycamera1]

I wish I could try this, but my dog would just watch me crochet and be drooling at the sight of a tennis ball, which she would eventually get because nothing stands between her and a ball. Lol😂😂

[@LuvvFluerr]

Looks weird and fun! Hope your hand gets better ❤❤

[@candacel3305]

Just invest in a Furls Odyssey. I know they're expensive, but they are definitely worth it. They do take a bit of getting used to. They have a satisfaction guaranteed policy, so if you don't like them, you can get your money back. They glide through yarn like butter. I don't use any other brand unless I'm using tiny steel hooks for thread because they don't make those.

[@tiffanypainter5107]

I so badly wanna learn how to crochet! Would looove to make blankets, etc!

[@59spooky70]

Honestly I’m left handed and accidentally learned to crochet right handed so if I ever have that problem I’ll just learn left hanfed

[@carboncopy411]

Im glad im not the only one who calls them hooks with the grippies

[@kimmygt5938]

The exact shape I'm supposed to avoid... because I've had tennis and golfers elbow.

[@caarline654]

For me, the hand that's not holding the needle starts hurting. Is there anything for that?

[@mistyniko3021]

I can kinda get the reasoning behind it. Your hand won't be tightened down or as tense so you'll strain less muscles. Only downside I could really see is if you have pretty small hands and struggle to hold it properly.

[@TwinkleTwink69]

Please be careful when doing this! Tennis balls can seriously hurt you when you pop them open like that!

[@deannacauley166]

I Diamond painting and the little utensils they use to put the diamonds on or very thin so I took foam rollers from the hardware store and inserted those pins inside the foam rollers which make it a lot easier to grip you do not have to hold them like a pen

[@Sina8282]

I have the same injury as you. I still crochet here and there when it's not that bad. And I also was making a temperature blanket that I wasn't able to finish

[@Dekubud]

Now I have tennis balls on my shopping list lol

[@zixeiyun786]

This is the first time I am seeing this. So thank you for letting me know this was an option.

[@meejjj.]

I feel like we, as artists who work with needles, just need to take after tattoo artists and bulk up our needles to have more comfortable grip on it

[@TheRealNearon]

you make this look so easy

[@funwithme676]

I love the little makeup / skincare headband lol

[@samim6809]

The ball looks a little big. Try getting one from a pet store for small dogs if that one is too big for your hand. Hope you feel better soon.

[@mirimiriela480]

I added a thick ergonomic handle to my crochet hook and it helps so much, but I'm still getting pain in my other hand from how I grip my work. 🤦 would love ideas for this if anybody has any!

[@animewolf16]

I used to have this problem as well. Any way that you can loosen your grip may help. I noticed for myself that I was holding my work too tight with my off hand and would be pulling my stitches too tight as well. Once I became more aware of it, I would do little check ins and consciously relax my grip. Working at a table or resting your arms in your lap may also help support your work and take some pressure off of your hands. Hope this helps!

[@LawnOrnament]

I get pain in the finger i use to hold tension in the yarn🤦🏼‍♀️i want to try one of those lil tension rings to see if i like it or if it helps

[@MidniteSpectre]

I have been looking around for hooks that had thick fat handles... and found none. Definitely going to try this.

[@oliviacooley1195]

Its bc it keeps your hand more open and relaxed. Less tension means less cramping but the ball holds the needle tight enough that you can still manipulate it to do the stitches.

[@aaronmonroy]

why did i think that somehow she was going to break it down and crochet with the tennis ball as if it were yarn

[@chloes7497]

My mom did something similar to this after she had a brain tumor removed she needed something more comfortable to hold , it’s been so many years I can’t remember what she used it might have been a tennis ball

[@Anna_Evan]

As a tennis player. You not smelling the can hurt me almost as much as you stabbing the ball

[@marionmorgan5972]

When my grandma had a stroke. They took a skinny ace bandage and wrapped it around a pencil (just like you would do to your arm). So she could write. I think I would try this. That way, you could get it as thick as is comfortable for you.

[@DakotaPawz_]

The metal grippy ones you can take the grip off and it has just a normal no grippe hook under it!
It may be hard to take off but it does come off.

[@violetscreaming]

This is more for people who just can’t grip a regular straight hook. If you can use your ergonomic hook without problems adding a ball will just add problems😊

[@princessskittles933]

I'm gonna have to try that, I hate the hand cramps I get

[@pryscillamello5845]

wow i love it! i have carpal tunnel that acts up every once in awhile definitely gonna try it

[@mlee9163]

Artists do the same thing but with medical tape :) The sacrifices we make for art

[@Jokerlove14]

This is blowing my mind.

[@arianarose2633]

YOU CAN ALSO CROCHET A BALL THE SIZE OF YOUR PALM AND STICK A HOOK THROUGH THE CENTER IT WILL IT FORM TO YOUR PALM

[@dontbeabeachmyrtle3871]

My whole life ive been an artist . I loved working in any medium. It just made me so happy to be creative. Unfortunately, i developed carpal tunnel after painting a house and every time i try to do anything artistic....im in pain for weeks. Its been years . I think im going to try bulking up some of my tools and give it a shot

[@krystalreverb]

My grandma was taught how to crochet by her blind Polish auntie. She passed the skill down to my cousin Alyssa, who makes incredible crochet things. I can do exactly one stitch, and it’s a stitch I made up myself because I couldn’t force my hands to do a real stitch. Technically it works, but it’s not a stitch grandma or Alyssa have ever seen before. It is the only stitch I know how to do, and I can make exactly one type of item and it is scarves. I can make a scarf, I can’t really make anything else.

[@aprilneal2484]

Such a good hack but I wouldn't be able to do too much crocheting with my dog trying to take the hook/ball 😂

[@Lunaraecrochet]

Oh my good ness girl!!!! I have chronic pain so although I generally really dislike unsolicited advice, I am going to give it!!
1. Trigger points. “The trigger point therapy workbook.” Is my Bible. It basically gives you magic buttons on your body to alleviate the over used muscles!!
2. Establish a better mind muscle connection (Pilates for hands.) for example, hold your hand out and look at it, tell your wrist to bend forward, but you have to focus on just your wrist moving it, go slow and feel it. I also do this with my fingers (entire body for the health stuff.) so spread fingers, tell your pinky to move up and down ect.
It WILL work! If I take too long of a crochet break I have to redo it, and if I feel tense I do it, but once I did that from my pain I don’t have to focus too much on it and it’s usually just my brain that gets tired from crochet now!

[@dianneepps2268]

Try a couple of those egg shape makeup sponges.

[@MimiUsagichan]

you could just put the hook thru a ball of yarn too

[@jaia846]

As a tennis player… I wanted to smell the can when she first opened it 😂😂😂

[@thaliawhisperwind4013]

I tried it about a week ago and I love it!

[@TinasArtPage]

Yeah I would rather just make my own custom formed hook handles with clay and low and slow baking them for 2 hours 😆

[@BJKage]

Thanks for the tip, I have RA and crocheting really hurts.

[@cacatare]

Yk what i just realised that i learned to croshe like the old times for nothing but boredom

[@crazybulldogspiperpennyshe1523]

My mother loves the square needles.