Why does it burn so bad???
When my mother first taught me how to crochet it was with acrylic yarn. I was young at the time and didn't know anything about yarn types. I was learning a new skill and didn't think of it. After some years of not crocheting, I picked it back up as an adult. In doing so I realized that I didn't like the way that my fingers felt after crocheting for thirty minutes. I realized it got worse after an hour. But crocheting was so relaxing so I thought of ways to help mitigate the burn.
My mother told me to moisturize the areas that are irritated prior to crocheting. I would use raw shea butter on my fingers and sit down to crochet. Only problem with this is that I couldn't maintain my tension with such oily fingers. The friction from the acrylic yarn was causing bad irritation between my middle and index fingers. It was only many tension maintaining hand. When you crochet you cannot do a good job without maintaining your tension. I found myself no longer enjoying crocheting because the feeling was so undesirable. I would opt to make shorter projects like headbands and hats. I even started putting band-aids or tape around the parts of my fingers that are used to maintain tension. But this started to restrict motion lol. I couldn't win.
I had to branch out. I realized that there was more to life than just 100% acrylic yarn. But when you are on a budget this is sometimes the only option. Or so I thought. I was purchasing my yarns primarily from Wal-mart, Joann and Michael's. Although I knew that every ball or skein of yarn came with a label, I didn't know how to read it. I would just go to the store and pick up a ball of yarn because it was nice. I then would put it in the cart and pay for it. Reading your label is very important. If you do not know how to read the label then you should research it. I could also make a post about it. I had been purchasing 100% acrylic yarn which isn't bad. But acrylic yarn is made of synthetic fibers. It is made to mimic wool. I've read that it is mostly made of plastic and is not biodegradable. I am not here to turn you off from using it. Because it is a great option. I do not want to come off as a "yarn snob" just yet.
Instead of using 100% acrylic yarns I have found using an acrylic blend to work better for me. I have found that when it is blended with another type of fiber I do not experience the irritation. The only 100% acrylic yarn that doesn't hurt is Simply Soft by Caron. That is a true favorite of mine and I love it. I have used a yarn from Hobby Lobby that is acrylic and hemp.
I have become partial to merino wool, alpaca yarn, and acrylic blend yarn. I can only use 1 type of 100% acrylic. But I am wondering how you guys and gals deal with the acrylic burn. Or maybe you don't experience the burn. Let me know in the comments.
Danielle
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