Is it normal to love to rub fabrics between my fingers?

I'm 29. As a child my Uncle Introduced me to a baby blanket in which I obsessed over the satin lining. It had to have been a childhood comfort because I at one point broke my collar bone and the only thing that would make me comfortable is if I had my satin between my fingers. The goal for me is to roll the crease between any two fingers. It doesn't matter which hand or if it’s combination of fingers and my face, leg ect. The direction of the fabric for me has to be smooth and slide with ease. Other's I've met need the rough cracking sound between the fine threads. As I grew up I later found I was one of a kind, and I didn't run into anyone like me until I was about 18 years old. Since then, I've only met two. So it makes sense to me that my natural instinct of something feeling out of place would soon follow. I tried quitting. I just couldn't. I had a childhood name for it, and later changed it to a more grown up Identification. I take it everywhere with me. To work, to drive, to shop, to sleep. It never leaves my side. I even go as far as cutting up a small pieces of fabric and stuffing them around the house, the car, the purse for those "discreet moments where sating rubbing is off limits" Having a Dinner with the company president would be a fine example. I do forget about it from time to time and leave it at home. I do go through slight withdrawals of not having it around. It's the same as feeling naked without your cell phone with you. The craving for it never subsides, however I can live without it or find my substitutes. My substitutes include polyesters, nylon, certain silks, ribbons, or even a plastic bag. I often think that if I ever was caught in a natural disaster, that I would have prepared myself for a keen eye in finding a natural way of satisfying my need to comfort myself. If the laws of life allow it, I'm sure I'll still be doing this till the day I die and will then be buried with a cloth between my fingers as a memorable jester to my family. What I have notice about my habit is that when in some cases it might stop me dead in my tracks, I still do not think of this as a gateway to any other substance or habit. As long as I am walking around the world with a conscious difference between want and need, I'm sure I won’t be jumping onto train tracks just to get my fix. All the while, I have this lifetime ailment and no one to talk to about it, people see me, and shrug it off. To be able to relate with someone with the same condition, now that’s and opportunity to diagnose; get some answers and resolutions as to WHY! Maybe come up with some professional name for it even. Who's with me?

As most of you I have done this since I was a baby and I'm now 41 and still do it daily! I just recently told someone (first person EVER) that I do this and she suggested I look online to see if it's common.
For me I only enjoy the feeling of nylon between my finger and thumb. No other fabric does it for me and not just any nylon it has to be a certain type. I've also noticed that (don't laugh) humidity plays a big part in how it feels and if I like it! The dryer the weather the better! Humid days and rainy days suck! Living in the desert helps this a lot. My dear friend recently bought a necklace that came in a small black nylon bag that when she showed me I immediately started to rub on the bag. She said casually, "you can have the bag if you want it" with a grin on her face. I haven't put it down since!

It started out as rubbing my finger along the edge of my sheets or pillow cases. I have been doing this my whole life. It did not become an issue for me until college. I began being embarrassed and started hiding it. As I rubbed the lace edge off of many sheets and pillowcases, I had to replace them often. If I traveled with the piece of rubbed-off lace I had to make extra sure I kept up with it. A few times I had to ask a hotel or friend's parents to mail the left-behind lace strand to me. Although I can sleep without it, it aids tremendously to falling asleep fast and to soothing me on stressful travels. My fingertips stay rather dry, likely from the friction. I have been diagnosed with mild, longterm depression and some OCD tendencies. I am currently on Lexapro, but the urge/need/desire to rub lace edges has not diminished. I recently convinced my father-in-law to "slip" me a new lace pillowcase- so I should be set for at least another year... I leave a piece behind somewhere. Yuck! It's gross! Germy, I am sure. Embarrassing, too! What do I tell my kids when they figure it out!?! I think I do some sort of tongue thrusting(/sucking) while I do this, too?.? Why is this so hard to research on line? I guess I was too embarrassed, or it just did not come up during previous therapy sessions?!

This is so crazy. I don't even know what made me look it up, but I can't believe there are so many satin rubbers out there!
Mine started much like everyone else, with the satin edged baby blanket. Throughout the years I would rub tags or other clothing, but never anything in particular. Then one day I discovered prize ribbons. The "crunchy" feel is perfect. I used to be able to get them at dollar stores, but they're hard to find now. So now I buy them in packs of 10 at Hobby Lobby. I have them everywhere. In my purse, car, etc. My husband thinks its kind of silly, and the sound used to bother him, but not anymore. I do it a lot while we're driving. It's funny when he finds one of my ribbons that I've dropped in the truck or if he finds them in the dryer, he'll just hand it to me and say "here, I believe this is yours" with a smile. A few others besides my husband know about my little habit. They don't seem to think anything of it, although I try not to rub too loud in social situations, haha

I love feeling fabrics as well! I like ribbons; winding them around my finger or just rubbing them with my thumb and forefinger, especially if they are cool or cold. I like very, very soft blankets as well. When I take care of kids, I will go through piles of blankets to make sure they get the softest ones...it's kind of silly, kids usually don't care but I can't stand thinking they're sleeping with a rough blankie!

Oh sweet jesus I'm not alone!!! I've been obsessed with rubbing fabric my whole life! PILLOWCASES are my first love, followed by sheets, hemlines, plastic bags, rubber gloves in fact any type of fabric that is folded or rubs well together. I thought I was a freak for so many years and the anxiety around WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! It's such a relief to see its A THING! It's clearly a comfort thing but I find myself doing it quite obsessively when I'm under stress, and I know people notice as I do it on my clothes (necklines, pockets, hems)...it feels like an OCD thing as it's hard to control sometimes. I've suffered with anxiety and depression most of my life so it must be related. Funnily enough - I'm now a fashion designer so get to touch fabric all the time! BLISS! I'd love to hear if anyone has any psychological info about this and how to wean myself off in times of hardship. I still feel embarrassed about it and not sure how to explain it to people :/

I have laughed so hard at all of these comments especially tnrbnr...... I was wondering if other people had this habit or whatever it is you call it. I've done this since I was a baby and I am now 32. My husband and kids just don't get it. I too am guilty of having several pieces laying around my house, heck Im so guilty I found a picture of me holding a piece in the hospital after I had my daughter. Sometimes at night my hand and piece of ribbon or whatever material I have are under the blankets and my cats try to attack me thinking I'm playing a game with them. My husband and 2 girls also steal my pieces from me from time to time but i out smart them with my secret stash. lol

Mmm, I like rubbing nice fabrics against my face.
Anyway, I'd say it's normal, noodles and all.

Yep I can't fall asleep without doing it. Lol and I'm 20. Idc it's relaxing. Totally normal

this is just incredible!
I have been rubbing pillowcases between my fingers for 27years and sucking my tongue like a baby at the same time and the feeling is sooooooooo nice sometimes my eyes roll back or i fall asleep and if someOne's talking to me its hard for me to stop so i can reply

See for me it's scratchy things. Mainly this...*sigh* Telletubby foot that I have from when I was a kid. Like just a few months old. I have since separated the scratchy foot part from the whole big stuffed Telletubby, but I think it's only made my compulsion worse. Now it's more portable. My friends think it's "cute" but I'm 18 years old and I'm pushing my luck with the whole cute thing. I rub it between my fingers and on my lips. I also smell it. It's so weird, and I wish I didn't feel compelled to do this all the time.

Hi there.. I do this ALOT..... I don't just mean.. Once or twice a day for several hours I mean have mine with me 24/7 and like a smoker needs nicotine I have my own "breaks" I call mine my "tutchy" like cwtch the Welsh saying I've had just one tutchy over the past 29 years and despite my mothers best efforts to weane me off this habit I just couldn't live without it.. I still can't it's my only relaxation my meditation almost. I would literally become a nervous wreck without lying. It has gotten me through some of the worst times in my life and been there to share the love and happiness that's surrounded me throughout.. I also do the baby like tongue sucking and the two actions just go together perfectly. I guess I just never grew out of it as a baby. I still have my "original" it was a little Barbie doll dress that had satin trims but sadly two years ago it was that small it no longer had the same effect.. So I set out in finding a replacement and immediately remembered how I used to substitute my original on camping trips I would find comfort from a sleeping bag.! I've been tearing large strips off of the same sleeping bag for 2 years... It holds up perfectly. I have peices everywhere just incase. Delivered two baby's with it there by my side, cried into it throuout my struggle with depression.... The list is endless on the positives it's had in my life!! I don't know why I've become so dependent on this fabric for so long but all I know is that it's harmless... It doesn't hurt me or anyone around me.. Doesn't cost me anything and most of all this addiction to the cool soft fabric between my fingers doesn't progress it stays the same. Only one condition (it has to be cold, warm doesn't work) I'm content with it. As I've got older the less I care about what people think.. My children give it to me if I'm upset or stressed and it hasn't rubbed off on to them. I'm just different.... Unique. If you ask me I find it strange how people can even fall asleep without such a thing... Enjoy your little slice of comfort in this world and don't ever hide or feel embarrassed it is perfectly normalish

I can totally relate to all of the above. There doesn't appear to be a name, but there may be done answers her https://www.braindecoder.com/post/why-we-like-touching-soft-fluffy-things-1262780083
In the meantime - keep comfort in the fact that we are seldom alone in our "odd" habits!

wooow im definitely not the only one!!
Cannot believe i only google this now that I am
27yrs old!
Have done it my whole life,sometimes people look me weird like on the plane or when i put my hand in my bag to do touch it!!!
My fav Used to be a doll dress when i was little but know i just ask my mom if i can cut pieces of her fabric that she uses to make nice silky scarfs!!!
Its amazing to know other people like that too

I absolutely cannot believe that there are so many of us! My mother told me I wore off all the satin trim on all of my baby blankets. She called it "twitching". I have no memory of when I started to do it, it seems like it's always been there. I grew up with homemade satin pillowcases that I wore out as well and not the polyester-type satin, it was the acetate type that was thick and it's not too common anymore. It drove my sister nuts to hear it! (It still does!) It was a on again off again thing for years. I would even find some of the material in pockets worked well for "twitching" I tried to discipline myself against it and that never worked. I asked my sister-in-law about it (quite nervous by basically "coming out" to a social worker ) and she simply told me that if it doesn't hurt anyone and isn't illegal, then there's nothing wrong with it! That said, I still found it difficult to find just the right type of satin until I hit the mother lode a few years back! I came across yards and yards of it at a thrift store and bought it all. Needless to say, I have enough satin to "twitch" the rest of my life and cut 8-10 inch squares off as needed.....thank you!!

I do this too, only when i do it, i am usually sucking my thumb(I've done it since I was a child) and I rub the fabric between my thumb and my index, or middle finger on my left hand and my middle and ring finger on my right hand, so much so that the front of the top of my fingers have deep calluses on them, and though I am self conscious about them, I can't seem to break either habit.

I do the same thing. I was born with it actually. My mother used to tell me that when i was still in her stomach, i would rub her enbelical cord.she said it hurt like hell but She didnt know what i was doing until i was born. You see, when i was born, the doctor had a satin tie on and the only way to keep me from crying was to let me rub the satin between my fingers. Now I am 16 and to this day an i still rub satin between my fingers. Its the only was i can sleep, calm down, and/ or feel comfortable. What i do is have tiny pieces of satin and put it either in my jacket pocket or pants pocket. You see, for years i have thought i was weird. That there was something wrong with me. But now i realize, there isn't. I havent told anyone about my habit. Im afraid they will laugh at me or think i am very odd. But i realized, if they do, thwy really don't care for me because they would know i cant help it. I mean Ive tried to quit multiple of times but it hasn't done a thing. It just makes the withdrawal worse. And makes me not sleep.
So to answer your comment, no you are not weird or alone. Alot of us do it, we just gotta find them. I am glad you found some people like you :) please dont think it's jot jormal because its what made you who you are. Dont be ashamed of it. Embrace it c:

I recently came across a YouTube video by accident because the title said "Travel Agent Role Play ASMR", which interested me because I own a travel agency and always enjoy listening to sales skills being used in role play.

After watching the video, I quickly realized this wasn't a typical recorded sales call but something completely different. For 45 minutes, this guy was whispering to the camera very softly, making sounds with his keyboard, shuffling papers, writing with a pencil. I searched online for "AMSR" which is a tingling sensation some people get in the back of their neck and head triggered by soft whispering and soft noises.

Honestly, I thought it was funny, not that people got this sensation from something so random yet so common but just these videos with people making these videos was funny to me. So amusing, I showed my brother and after he had a good laugh, he said it was sort of similar to what I do with paper. He's the only person I've ever told about this thing I do.

I like rubbing the edges of specific types of paper against my face, my hands, between my fingers or against my skin. It has to be the shiny slick paper but can't be too thick or thin.

I also enjoy the slick feeling fabric found on the edges of certain kinds of blankets, tags and other things but my first choice is the paper. For example, Hammermill Color Laser Gloss 32lb is perfect. I don't buy the paper specifically because of this but coincidentally, it's what I prefer.

I've been wondering for years why I do this. It's hard to put into words why I do it. It's comforting, pleasurable sort of.

Cats will sometimes such or chew on carpet, rugs or clothes. I've been told it happens when they're taken away from their mothers too early as kittens. I wonder if there's any similarities? I was with my mom until I was 18 and wasn't premature though so I don't know...

Anyway, accidentally finding the video about ASMR and my brother's comment lead me to searching this "thing" and I'm glad so many others do it too...

30 years old, Mexican female here. I never knew anybody else that did this, and I'm happy it occurred to me to look in the Internet for more information about this. So far I haven't been lucky, it appears this has not yet been researched or studied, but it would be great to learn why some people needs to rub fabric with the fingers because is the best.

I usually do it just because the feeling is nice, and I tend to look for comfort in doing this when I'm feeling specially anxious and stressed. I don't carry a piece of fabric with me, but I think I'll start!

Since I was little I have always had a favorite sheet that satisfies my rubbing needs haha. And now I have a set of sheets for my bed that I like and one that I don't because is not ideal for rubbing, so I'm always looking forward for the day that I get to change the sheets! I also have a sweater with a little piece of fabric in the inside and when I'm out I can't help but look for the fabric and rub, rub, rub.

These are some of my experiences. I'm glad there are other people like me :)

Hi! Male from Norway here (just to make it international:D).

Really glad i finally searched for it today, i've long been wondering if this was normal or not.

I've been rubbing stuff between my fingers and toe's for as long as i can remember.. I think my trigger was a silk skirt my mother used to wear when i was younger, i loved the feling of it between all my fingers except thumb and index (she actually stopped wearing it so i could have it:D). I call it my OCD , tho its not at all:D. and i never bring anything with me, Which ofc leads to me using a T-shit sometimes. Between toes only when in bed, although i might use the edge of my socks if i ever take them on/off during the day.

I love cotton bed sheets. It's best if opening is at the side with a dubble edge

At friends place i use his curtains, they are rugged and I think made for this type of action, they are perfect they are like hempish hashtag material #### , almost see trough. I dont mind anyone seeing me doing this although i might not go into MDMA mode with strangers around ( if you have not done it on MDMA yet, I think you deserve to let yourself know how AMAZING it is).

You should try to use a curtain sometimes and try different phase and force , hand upwards and down atleast 20-30 inces atleast:D adjust to make it warm and cold, pick a curtain beside a door so you can make it really cold...

My friends are sometimes "jealous" of me, and always trying and asking how it feels, and for me its like beeing scratched on your back by some long and sharp nails in perfect phase and force ...thats why i will never stop it, becouse everyone i tell wish they had it:D

You said you can remember when you started but you didn't want to get into it. I have the same thing and I want to know what triggered it.

I prefer to rub on my pillow case. I been doin it since I was born with a blanket that had silk edges. My dad does it to but he uses silk. (I heard its genetically passed down) Silk is to slippery for me though. I suckle on my tounge as I'm rubbing Also. I can't stop. I do is so much it causes calluses on my fingers. It puts me in a daze and helps me fall asleep. I love the sound of it and the sight of my pillow case, which is shredded from rubbing on it so much. I'm addicted & I don't know why. It just feels so good. I recently found out it causes short term memory also. (Something to do with chemicals in the brain) But i don't care it's not like I'm ever going to stop. I tried it didn't work :) btw does any one suck on their tounge while doing it too?

I too am a silky/satin addict! Where have you people been all of my life?! Lol! I thought it was rare that I still do this. It has been a great comfort for as long as I can remember, to rub satin like fabrics between my fingers. I happen to have an old slip that I use and almost always need at night to sooth myself to sleep. I have previously had other blankets and pieces of satin, its actually not so much what it is but how it feels between my fingers. I even have a couple coats that have that satiny lining and find myself with my fingers rubbing the inside of the sleeve. I went through some pretty traumatic things during my childhood and am now a 34 y/o wife and mother. My question for you all is this, have any of you also had traumatic events in your childhood too? Just curious.

This is SO exciting for me! My whole life I felt I was the only one in the world who did this...For me it is the bottom of t shirts, fabric napkins, and towels. I currently have a blue hand towel that I love picking at. It doesn't run my life nor do I feel embarassed by it. Its kind of the running joke in my family (my dad has a similar texture thing). I sometimes do it so often that my hands will hurt and I have rubbed my fingers raw when I'm super stressed. The only way to describe it is like the good doctor said in an earlier post "creasing". Its very soothing for me. I never did drugs or drank so this is just my coping mechanisim. I am so glad to meet all of you!!!! :)

I have been doing this since I was a little kid.
it first strated (if you ask my mom, Ps tmi) with her nipple when i was a baby. As I got older it progressed to the corners pillow cases, the thicker spots on my jeans where they connect, strings hanging off of clothing, and most commonly the thick part of the sleeves of my sweater. I tried to stop once but it's too hard and I just keep doing it. I have worn out almost all of the sleeves on my sweaters and my one favorite pillow case. I always thought I was the only one to do this and I don't tell many people. I've actually learned to hide it pretty well in public by pulling my sleeves in and rubbing my fingers together over it, this is why I have trashed most of my sweaters because the sleeves wear out first.

I thought I was alone. I have done this habit since I was a kid. My favourite is the bottom of a denim pair of jeans (where the seam is stitched together). I could play with this all day rubbing the thick seam between my index finger and the knuckle of my thumb. I do the same with some pillow cases and shirt seams. WHAT IS THIS CALLED??????

I have rubbed my "softies" for as long as I can remember. It started when I was less than two years old. I would stay with my grandma while my mom was working. I was very close to my grandma. I remember one day laying on the couch my grandma covered me with a pink blanket with a silky edge. I couldn't fall asleep so she rubbed the edges between her fingers and said feel that. I have literally done it ever since. I have pieces of my softies everywhere. There is a only a certain kind I like. The silkier/smoother the better. I have panic I will not have enough to last me until I die, so I pick them up at estate sales and thrift stores. I pull all the softies off and cut them into small pieces. I have to take them with me often. Some days I feel the need to rub them more than others. I will wear a hoodie with a piece inside. I even took my softies along for the birth of my children. Lol. My family thinks its cute, my husband will check the corners on blankets at sales to see if it is "my kind" of softies. I have six children and one of my children has picked up my habit, not to the degree of mine. But I will see her on the couch rubbing a piece or sometimes or she will take mine from my hand. I think it's neat to see I'm not alone. I love my softies :)

HOLY CRAP.

I have always had this behaviour. I started out with a baby blanket with satin trim on it, and now I'm 45, and I have changed from fabrics, to running smooth string or wire between my fingers. At one point in my 20s, I was sure I was losing my mind because I had a special set of nail clippers that had a perfectly smooth side on it that I rubbed between my fingers, and I was NEVER without it, but I was embarrassed. Now, I have 'graduated' to worry beads. As long as they're the type of beads that have smooth string, I can carry them anywhere and I can feel that weird euphoric feeling of when the pressure is just right.
I am so happy to find this site - I had no idea I wasn't the only one..!!!!!!!!!!

Ohh! I'm so glad I found this... This is like a support group...lol... My husband hates that I rub fabrics he thought I had some kind of disorder... But when I was a baby I had a baby blanket (aka "blankie")... I had that thing for ever.. My grandma kept fixing it for me cuz as it got old it tore alot... Than, when I was about 16 it ended up missing... I'm sure someone stole it and trashed it as a cruel joke... But I joined the army and my addiction came back stronger than ever..lol... I love...love...LOVE! The pt shorts.. It's like that wind breaker material... And when I do pt I have to try my hardest to refrain from exposing my addiction.. But my husband hates it especially when he'll where his pt shorts around the house... I gotta rub 'em I don't care if he's wearing them... so glad I'm not the only one

Ive been doing it since I was a baby as well and i'm 18 now. I love doing it (:

Let me help you all out and save yourself some trouble finding the right fabrics and textures. Fabric is often flimsy and can dampen your rubbing experience. PILLOWCASES are where it’s at. The “sharp” double thick edge of a pillowcase rubbed between your fingers is heavenly. I like the pillowcase because the fabric is thicker and sharper then regular fabric and adds to the intenseness. My favorite time of day is at night after I take a bath. I then grabbed my binky and sit on the couch watch TV and “binky”, I FEEL so relaxed and calm. It helps me fall asleep really fast and if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep I get my binky on and it’s usually works. We need a name for this madness.

P.S. "tnrbnr" You're hilarious!!! Laughed so hard I cried. Good times!

I also "suffer" from the same situation. I grew up with it, never known anything else. It is the only thing in my life I Have ever felt addicted to. Withdrawal pains and everything. I used to wonder why I felt different in the summer and so looked forward to the winters. I've come to find out, I always buy winter jackets with nice pockets and have more blankets with those nice edges. Like others, I felt kinda stupid in college needing my blanky and I tried to suppress the need. I can stop but it is usually very difficult for me and requires constant concentration. As I have grown, I decided since it isn't hurting anyone, why deprive myself. My girlfriend calls it "shooshing" and she catches me all the time. Kind of a playful thing between us. I have no idea why I am addicted and explaining it to anyone, I feel like a moron. However, it is what it is. As addictions go, I guess I am happy I have this one.

Anyone know if there is an official word for it?

p.s. doing it right now ;)

I've been doing this for nearly most of my life. I'll never stop, if I try I become a totally diffent person. I know this sounds a bit nuts but doesn't effect my life expect I must hid it around people. I worked out long time ago that only certain labels would work and have the right feel. No idea why i do it or when I started but I know that its just one the best things in life. watch a film have a little rub of the tig (which is what my parents called it when I was a kid). i am doing it right now aswell :-)

^ haha same here!! It's very relaxing :) looove it!

I love that feeling. Especially if its the scratchy type of fabric

Nope ur normal. I'm a fashion major and I love feeling fabrics. I also like to stretch fabric and rub it against my skin just so I know the actual feel of the fabric...

Ah, fabric. The flat stress ball. The original fidget spinner.

OMG! I call mine zizzer and I’ve been doing it since before I could walk (I’m 46). I even took it with me to the hospital to have my babies. It’s such a fabulous stress reliever. I cut small sections from it to have in my pockets and purse. I have had a couple favorite blankets in my life, but my current one is really torn to tatters (it’s 31 years old!) I know it’s going to need to be replaced, and I’m stressing out about it. If I feel the urge to zizzer and don’t have access to a piece I often find myself grinding my teeth. I have jokingly told my husband that I want to be buried with my zizzer.
I have no memory of trauma or a bad childhood, so I have no idea how I became obsessed.
Does anyone know where I can find a replacement for my much loved zizzer blanket? They just don’t make them like they used to, and I’m not even sure of the type of fabric content I’m looking for, I just know it when I feel it.

MY PEEPS!!!! My grandmother told me it started when I was a few months old, and first got control on my hands. I'm 62, and scratching (rubbing) the blanket as I type this. I will never stop.Don't overthink it. We found something in infancy that was self soothing, so we never stopped doing it. It's not hurting another living soul. Scratch, Twitch, Rub, and Enjoy!!!

oh my god, I CANNOT believe I found this page! I'm a 31/f and have been given grief over my "silk wilk" by my boyfriend, my family and my best friend forever. They all think me sleeping with my ragged piece of disintegrated robe from a thrift store is the weirdest thing! I have several pieces and I always bring one when I travel and have to sneak feels when I'm on an airplane. My favorite piece is about 6 ft long and I can loop it between my toes at night and rub it between my fingers at the same time. I love rolling the larger piece to form a sharp cone and trace my nose and lips. Like others, my baby blanket had the satin trim, and every blanket I had until college had it. I think I just realized I do the tongue sucking thing too!

This is life!! I constantly do this I love the noise it’s so comforting! I’ve been wanting to know if anyone else did it now I know 😬

Creating a new product called soothesquare or fiddlefabric. Sort of like the fidget cube. In testing now. Square will have four types of fabric corners like Jean pant leg seam, pillow corner etc. Anyone interested? Will save your pockets and pillow cases!

So awesome to know I'm not alone! I have always had this "tick" as far back as I can remember too. I started with the silky lining on my baby blanket, the garmets I would wear. It was so hard to explain and was mortifying when people would catch me doing it. I stopped for the majority of my teen years, but would catch myself rubbi2 the lining of jacket sleeves. Then 10 years ago I found small organza bags for jewlery and wedding rice. I think I have always made little balls of string to use in my rubbing fixation, but now I make a conscious effort of making a small knotted string to rub in my bags. I am constantly changing out bags when they stop feeling starched and the knotted string goes into the new bag. I carry the bag in my wallet phone case. I have to carry it with me everywhere. If I would misplace the bag or leave it on my desk it used to send me into a panic attack, but I found now that I can leave it (on accident, of course) and be okay. It doesn't seem to always be something I need like an obsession, it's more of a comfort for me.

I too am a pillowcase lover! When I was younger I'd suck my thumb and run the fabric through my fingers at the same time. But for me, I like it when it's all worn out and bobbly (like little balls appear on the worn fabric). I like the feel of this...even when my boyfriend has an over worn t shirt I love the feel of it. Most of my friends say it feels rough and scratchy but I don't know what it is I like so much! I'm 28 now and still suck my thumb whilst doing this...i cannot break the habit!

Yep...add me to the list. I am 52 yrs old and love the feel of silk or satin between my fingers. I have a nightgown that I have cut into pieces to have with me at all times. Even if my hands are too busy to "silk" I still need to know one is near. I sleep with one in my hand at night. Wondering if I will still have a thumb print in my old age? ;)

I feel weirder than anyone here. I pull sheets between my fingers, at the base. The sheets have to have a selvage edge and be cotton. I lace them around my fingers if they are soft and worn enough. It's heaven. I hate silk or other snaggy fabrics.

This is so me(ish). I have rubbed frabic between my fingers since I can remember . I like silk but I have to wet it a little if that even makes sense and turn demin over so I can rub it that way. As a child I used to annoy my mum because I would find myself constantly tugging at her clothes because I'd be running the material on her clothes through my fingers. I have also had the same pillow for about 17 years because it's soft and very squigy and for me to sleep I have to run it through my finger and the pillow case has to be soft silkyish. I'm 31 and my son has noticed. Oh yeah and I tongue thrust too while doing this. I have travelled many countries with my pathetic flimsy looking pillow and I refuse to let it go and yes it gets filthy at times but I can't let it go however much anyone laughs at me. My pillow is now so pathetic I can fold it would fit in my handbag. I'm still functional I'm a lawyer by day and I will never stop. I tried when I was younger but I gave up. There are times I feel stressed, I'll lay on my pillow thrusting my tongue and rubbing my pillow through my hands and it honestly feels like bliss. I rub fabric through my fingures when I'm sitting down at a conference secretly and it's usually those lovely white table cloths or cloth napkins that they have! I'm glad it's not just me.

I've never had a name for this impulse. The need to rub a fabric. A bunch of people claim silk is their preference here, and I started on silk. Some people relate this to childhood trauma involving their mothers, I can relate to this. When I was about two I had a Raggity Andy blanket. It had a smooth silk lining and I can almost remember how it felt and what it looked like. Sky blue... I liked to feel it and I found I could press the fabric together and slide my thumb and forefinger together to create a soothing feeling. My mother was a drug addict and my parents were getting divorced. Sleeping at night was easy with my Raggity Andy blanket. Cut to when I was in foster care and my foster dad sees me do it. His eyes twitch slightly and I can tell it bothers him. I don't make a sound when I do it but I don't hide it. He ends up telling me that it's a sign of a future pedophile. He tells me I should be ashamed. I don't let him see me do it after that. Cut to today and I'm watching Joe Rogans podcasts on youtube- I'm rubbing with both hands and my fingers are getting a little numb from the constant rubbing. I become curious again as to why I do it. The times I've google this habit before turned up no results. I get the bright idea to simplify my search terms to "rubbing fabric between fingers". This thread was like heaven. People focused on silk a bunch. Silk and tags are great but I make do with what I have on me. usually a cotton shirt and jean pants. The rubbing for me is to cause a little friction as in to rub the threads against its self to create the feeling almost like when one sips up a zipper. Thanks for putting my mind at ease and making a thread on this site. Thanks for this site in general. I'll be looking up my other weird habits on here too.

Omg! I have found my people! I have done this ever since i could remember, started with blanket trim. I used to rip it off the blanket, rubbing it all over my face even. I managed to quit for a year which was really hard but i was 19 and joining the military so i thought it was time. Once i was in the military i was issued an entire blanket made of the stuff and fell back into it. I bought my own blanket when i got out and use it to cut pices to take with me in my pocket. I got another blanket to sleep with as a gift from my husband. I freak out if i lose it and even become a little panicky until i get a new piece. I also suck on my bottom lip and of i can't because i'm in public i will fold my tongue back and suck on it. I love to do both at the same time. The blanket piece has to have a certain feel to it, almost a nylon feel, it also has to make a certain sound when i rub it. I am 26 now and see no end in sight.

So nice to see I'm not alone. I am now 36 and still rub my "silkie" . I have several and even keep one in my vehicle. I have done this for as long as I can remember and now my youngest child...my only son does the same thing except with his blankets. I'm often called a baby because I do so. Just nice to see others that do it as well. I also used to suck my thumb while rubbing it but gave up the thumb suckling but can't seem to kick the silkie habit. Guess I will have to buried with one!

I too love rubbing silk together between my thumb and fingers. Only silk though. I've been doing it since I was a baby and I'm 32 now. When I was little I had a bunny blanket with silk around the edges that I'd rub. Now I have a strip of silk fabric that I cut from a silk nightie i cut into a tank top. I sleep with it every night. My fiance calls it my sleepy time scarf lol. If we go on vacation it always comes with me. It really helps calm me down and relaxes me. I'm pretty confident I'll be doing this for the rest of my life and I'm totally fine with it!

Omg. I figured I was the only person out there that did this! My parents dubbed it twitching and wrinkling. My preferred fabric is cotton though silks and stains are cool once in awhile. But I have ruined more tees than I can remember due to my obsessive twitching. I find during times of high stress it gets worse. I also scratch my head (it's not so bad anymore) to the point that I create sites. My shrink didn't think anything of the twitching he just gave me deep breathing excersizes to do when I feel stressed yeah so doesn't work for me.

same thing is happening to me. now i roll everything, small pieces of paper, blanket, underwear sometimes I mean everything and some time i dont even notice I'm doing it

I love to rub my jacket lining i love the silky bomber jacks the most . i even rub my lip on it and i love it so much i would do it forever lol

Hi there! I cannot believe this, I do exactly the same thing. Have done so since I was a baby, I rub my fingers (can be any of them, particularly my thumb and another finger on any hand through satin). I am currently 20 years old and yeah, my blanky is only allowed when I'm going to sleep, as it distracts me too much! I find it difficult when I feel satin type material, as I find myself rubbing my fingers through it subconsciously. Something that I appear to be unique in, is that whilst I'm rubbing my fingers together, I mimic what a child does when they have a dummy/pacifier in their mouth, however I don't put anything in my mouth and I don't suck on anything, rather rub my tongue up against the top of my mouth in a sucking position/way (this could be linked to the fact that I was not given a dummy when I was a baby). Unfortunately I don't have any control of my mimicing, so I actually do it almost all the time when my mouth is shut, my family calls it my silky face (it's not ugly or anything and people who aren't aware of my habit don't even notice, as i suppose it's just a part of me and my facial expressions).

This is crazy! I can't believe I'm not alone. I've been doing this since I was a child, I'm 30 years old now. I have to rub pointy edges between my thumb and fingers. Pillowcases, sheets, etc. My favorite is napkins though. I always thought I was alone, glad to read about other ppls experience. I wish "Whatever This Is" had a name.

I am a psychotherapist and I am a self identified "creaser". I recall being a little one and pulling my sheets between two fingers. I think I sucked one of the fingers, not sure. I gave up the creasing habit and picked it back up a year after I quit smoking at age 27. I usually just crease my sheets when I'm in bed and it really can annoy my husband. He especially hates it when I'm creasing the sheets between my fingers and touching his leg, but this is what I prefer. I sometimes get to creasing and have a hard time stopping. It is not causing any trouble in my life, my husband may be annoyed, but nothing beyond that. It doesn't keep me from getting things done and I'm not tortured by the need to crease. Hence, this is not a disorder. Sometimes my desire to crease is an annoyance to others or bothersome to me if I can't stop right away, but otherwise is no big deal. It's really cool to read others having a common issue.

http://www.livescience.com/8737-grown-ups-security-blankets.html see even noraml in adults!

i do this and its hard to stop,i rub silk on my lips,fingers ,i also suck on my tongue when i feel silky material...
lol

I'm 24 years old and I have been doing this same exact thing since I was a toddler. I have the whole blanket still but its all torn the shreds. I have some chunks that ripped off of it that I keep with me where ever I go. It's a satin material. I'm so happy I finally found people like me out there! It's one big support group because I thought I was going crazy. If it helps, my doctor said it could be related to my anxiety and depression problems, but she has never heard of anything like it before.

This has always been really embarrassing for me, and so I've never told my friends or my long term partner. It's really a secret thing that I do- which maybe I'm ashamed of? ... I like the lining of pillow cases, I rip like a 3 inch piece off and twist the piece to a point. I then stroke the insides of my fingers with this "bit" I also suck my tongue whilst doing this. I've done this all my life. It started when I was a baby an I had a blanket- I loved the lining. After I lost my blanket I had to think of other ways to feed my habit- pillow case threads have the desired effect. I guess it acts as a stress relief. I do wish there was a name for it though, and to understand the possible psychological reasons behind it. I guess it's normal- each to their own as they say!

this a little dated, but check it out http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/security-blankets

Wow....this was a BIG ordeal for me. I do not need to do this anymore and have not for several years, but it is something I have been thinking about a lot lately.....I had a blanket....when it was too difficult to get my (insert authority figure) to bring it with us, and I became too lazy/old to carry it, I started cutting sections off the silken edges off the blankets to carry with me/I had them placed where ever I went, like grandma's or the car. I called it "yoing-yoing." That is how it sounded, anyway.

I would basically suck my thumb and rub the silken edge on my face or just rub it between my fingers. I obsessed about the fabric until I was about 9 or 10. I think I stopped sucking my thumb around 12.

Well, to the point....I have had a revelation about this....I am a visual artist, in graduate school, and must make work about this concept. Thank you for being as curious as I am!!

Same here. I started with a big square piece of silk I dragged around with me. When I couldn't carry that around anymore, I took pieces of silk off the edges of blankets and kept them in my pocket where I would be able to rub them. I wind it between my foyers, press it under fingernails, sniff it so it pops against my nose. I like silk and satin and feeling either against my skin. I used to run my fingers through my wife's silk nightgowns, bury my hands in them. Tongue thrusting and sucking is always a past of it. I have been doing this all my life and I'm nearing 60. I shred the edges of silk linings in my suit coats. I love nightgowns as they cover a large area of me and I can run my fingers through and rub them for hours. (throwback to early childhood with the satin blanket.. I am not into cross dressing and am very much heterosexual, but I cannot leave this habit. My Dad died when I was very young and I told myself over and over as I held and rubbed my satin blanket that it would never leave me, I would always have silk. Never known anyone else who feels the same about silk.

I'm glad to find that others do this. Ive did it as long as i can remember. It probably started with a blanket i was given but i can't recall. My favorite thing to do is roll string or straw wrappers untill it turns into like a knot then roll that between my fingers. Epic. I dont only roll that but its my favorite so far. Sometimes ill go out of my way to roll something in my fingers haha. I dont know what the deal is. I just enjoy it and its soothing. Ps: pillow corners n open ends are awesome aswell.

Im 26 years old and my father told me I was doing this since the day I was born. The silk edge of my baby blanket is what started it. He said because of this I was a very calm baby and slept through the night rather early on lol. As I got older (toddler or so) I rummaged through my mothers drawers and found her faux silk slip for wearing under skirts. I wouldn't let her have it back. It became mine from then on. My mother passed away when I was four and I thought that the slip was a piece of her and couldn't live without it. My father tried hiding it from me once and I panicked until it was found. I wouldn't sleep. The feeling of rubbing it between my fingers was the most calming feeling ever. As I was going into high school I realized I was the only one and it became my deepest secret. Only my family and my best friend knew about it. My grandmother even asked "Are you going to take that to your honeymoon bed?" And I responded "Yes, because I won't marry a man who won't accept it." Lol. I cut it into little squares and packed them in purses, pockets and bags and just as it began to finally wither away I was starting to get worried. For my 17th birthday my sister surprised me with a slip that belonged to my other grandmother and it was bigger than the other. Now that that one has started to disintegrate she has shown me an entire full sized bed sheet made of it lol! But I'm not allowed to have it until this one is gone lol sisters for ya! But reading all of these comments from people who share this love of rubbing fabric is wonderful! We are all unique in some aspects but have people to relate to!

I love to rub anything that pills up and has little balls on it. When I was little I used to have what I called my crummy pillow....lol it was just the cotton from the inside of the pillow but it was all matted and pilled up and I had to have it to sleep. There was some time when I outgrew this phase and don't really remember doing it, however for quite a few years now I've been doing it again. I'm assuming something must have triggered me to do it again.... glad I'm not the only one just wish I knew if there was some meaning behind it

OMG! My entire life I thought I was alone lol. I love cotton. I LOVE cotton againt firm surfaces (rubbing my stomach/ or trusted person's stomach, or a pillowcase against a pillow). I also pull the cotton off of qtips and roll them around my fingers. Naturally, I try to be discreet with my habits, I'm 24. My boyfriend thinks I'm a nut when we're laying down, and he can here my fingernails rubbing and thumping the pillow.

I'm 32 and have been rubbing things between my fingers since I was a baby. I couldn't sleep without it but as I have gotten older it has gotten worse. Now days I use the opened end of an pillow case which I cut off and my husband puts a knot in it for me. God only knows how many I have worn out. Lol. People like to mess with me and hide it.I will stay up all night looking for it until I find it. It goes with me to work, in the car, anywhere I go it goes. I really think it has saved me from committing murder haha. Its a stress reliever I believe. I have noticed that if I'm upset I rub even more. I don't see y it wouldnt be a normal thing, heck it doesn't hurt anyone. Oh I call it my strap now days. It used to be a stuffed animal called poohy. I'm so glad to see so many others like me on here. Keep rubbing y'all.

I can't believe I am not alone!!! I also began with a silky quilted baby blanket. I am now 38 and for as long as I can remember,the determining factor for selecting a jacket or coat is the silky liner. Of course I always bought a size too big so I could easily and discreetly pull my hand up into the sleeve and rub between my thumb and forefinger until my hand began to spasm. A few years back I rediscovered the ecstasy (lol) of the sleeping bag. Now getting in the right position to fall asleep has become a strict routine that begins with pulling a nice sized fold of the silky stuff up in between my big toe and the one next to it, while being careful to leave enough slack to reach the hand that is tucked under my pillowcase. If I have to wear socks to bed I actually cut a hole in the sock on my right foot between the first two toes so I can still rub with them! Try explaining that to people who make fun!

I do this I cant stop i do it while i'm out have hand in pockets while walking, i like rub on my lips face, fiddle with a few diff ones then change over i just cant no do it i get stain on my fingers lol n tendons. They have be right texture I get anxiety and helps and helps me get to sleep, any fellow label rubbers wanna chat lol check my profile or add me on bbm 7c8d6f18 only my mum n bro knows i do this hehas similar thing he like to roll blue tack lol between fingers.

Oh. My. Gosh. I had no idea other people did this! I do it with certain fabrics as well. Not as with silk but with "crisper" fabrics-- there are some fabrics I actually intensely dislike (like gauzy curtains--feeling that kind of material against my skin actually wigs me out a little)-- I don't know if that is related or not, but I have always done this with pillowcases. Actually, I had this pillow when I was young that I used to do it with on the corners. My parents ended up calling it my "tickle pillow" -- it ended up pretty much deteriorating haha. I found a blanket later that was the exact same kind of material and I haven't been able to part with it since, and I'm 23 now. I also used to suck my thumb while doing this, but I've long since stopped doing that. (Though, to be honest, it was a very hard habit to break, and the only reason I think I ended up stopping is because I had to start wearing a mouthguard to sleep since I grind my teeth at night). I believe this must just be one of the body's natural ways of relieving extra stress or energy, because the blanket is really soothing to me. Sometimes I grab it to "tickle" my fingers while I read a book or watch a movie. I have sometimes taken it on vacation, but it's kind of embarrassing, so I think I'll probably try to stop doing that... it *is* quite a lot harder to sleep without it though. Guess you just have to find people who are comfortable enough with you to accept your quirks.

It is normal and actually a stress relief mechanism for many of us. I grew up with the pillowcase scenario and especially like the case to be colder and to be a heavy thread count for softness. Be careful trying to break this behavior, as I found out the hard way it should not be done without a replacement stress relief to go to. In college I tried to break the habit, as I felt the need to rub fabric when I studied hard. In the end I nearly had to undergo surgery on my jaw. Luckily I spoke up and asked a doctor about what was happening and told her about the pillowcase rubbing. She immediately told me it was a stress relief mechanism and that by not having something else to deal with the stress, I was clenching my jaw at night and that was how my body decided to deal with the stress. She said to go back to doing it and within two weeks, no jaw aches. It is no different from nervous ticks, such as tapping your foot, twirling a pencil, or kneading a stress ball. Difference is the instrument that we chose to relieve that stress with. I am 40 and dealing with a lot of stress at work. I have not rubbed a pillowcase for years and have started again as I have developed inflammation within the fat cells of my legs, called Erythema Nodosum (red bumps), which can result in other immune problems and vascular issues. It is all tied into stress and how my body does not deal well with it. Since I have started rubbing a pillowcase again I have not had an outbreak and the last out break started subsiding immediately without having to go on medication. Something to think about for the doctors out there!

As far as I can remember I've been rubbing things on my hand started with this ugly crown blanket with a silky trim. Now it's a purple pillow case I had for 20 or so years its still in great shap to rub if I don't have this I use napkins from fast food places. I also will tear up a house looking for this pillow case My grand mother use to get mad at me tell me that its not normal and I'm retarted for doing it but now I do it out in the open. And I'm glad I'm not the only one

I've had silk edged blankets since I was a baby. But I didn't get in the habbit of rubbing them between my fingers until my Grandma died around when I was 4-5. I was very close to her.

I had a specific blanket with animals A-Z printed on it which was edged in silk that my Grandma had made for me. When she passed away that blanket was the only way I could feel close to her. It reminded me of her. And it even smelled like her house. And that's when I started rubbing it between my fingers.

As I got older I kept doing it even though that blanket had to be retired later around age 12 or so, it was falling apart. By then the blanket wasn't for remembering my Grandma, I was over that. However I still wanted to rub that silk between my fingers so I had my Mom make me another one. Then it became a fad. I would get new ones for Christmas every year, and of different prints, softness, etc etc. This wen't on till I was well over 20, still living at home while going to college.

However, when I moved out and got busy I stopped keeping the actual blankets around and I found myself constantly urging for that silky feeling to keep my fingers busy. So now I just go to the fabric store and buy a whole role of the two sided folded silk and I cut off a 5 foot piece and just rub the silk between my fingers without the blanket. Eventually I will rub the silk completely apart, all the fibers come undone and get deposited here and there. It's amusing when I vacuum and see balls of silk fuzz in the container.

I keep a piece of silk in my pocket almost all the time. For me it's just relaxing. It's like I have restless finger syndrome or something.

I'm a computer programmer, so it acts a stress reliever/finger exerciser routine imo.

However, to this day, when I have silk between my fingers, I remember my Grandma and events from when I was 4. So in a way, physcologically it keeps me connected to my past and inner child. That's something I don't want to ever forget. So maybe the way it feels between my fingers and the emotional state it puts me in is why it's so addicating.

It's my fall back for everything.

I'm also a smoker, however I do not drink and have never picked up any drug habbits. For me, the silk is all I need to get over any problem, I don't need to drink or do drugs, it is my drug.

I've got the same problem. It started when I was little with a baby blanket. I'm now 29 and at night I use the bed sheet an run it between my toes back and fourth to the point where my boyfriend gets mad cause I'm yanking the sheets off him lol. Sometimes I rub in between my toes so raw that I get in the shower and the water sting in between them. The part that is getting out of control is my thumbs. I rub any crisp fabric I can find (sheets, jeans, my lab coat) and constantly rub around my cuticles, under my nails, and my thumbs.. Thumbs are becoming super calloused :( I wear fake nails and get embarrassed when people
Ask to see them. I feel them looking at my fat thumbs. If I rub them any longer the wrinkles on my thumbs will be gone... Anyways. Glad I'm
Not alone..

Wow. I thought I was alone. Since I was a toddler, I have "rolled fuzzies". I would pick at the fabric of my baby blankets and drop the fuzzies on the floor. My family thought that was so funny. I have a real need to pull strands from blankets (cotton/nylon) and roll the strings between my fingers. I am now 51 yrs. old and still do it much to the chagrin of my family. It is very comforting and I feel compelled to do this nearly all the time, especially when feeling stressed or depressed. I have gone months without doing it, but return to it without skipping a beat. I have felt weird and embarrassed about doing it. My sister, husband, and children have teased me at times. I have an overeating disorder as well. I believe it is all a form of OCD. That's alright by me. Glad to have found others like me.
And yes, I have a fuzzy in my pocket right now ;)

Similar story to the rest- when I was a baby, I had a pillow with frilly edges I'd run between my thumb/index & middle finger as I sucked my thumb. When I got older (kindergarten), my mom convinced me to give it up, along with my thumb-sucking. The pillow is long gone, but for whatever reason, I never quite lost the habit of feeling certain fabrics, running them back-and-forth between my fingers.
Now, the only fabric I'll do it on is windbreakers/similar materials. I'll make a pointed crease in the fabric with my finger and press the point down with my index/middle finger, make another, over and over again. Heck, I'm doing it as I write.
If I'm not wearing that material, I won't even think to do it, but if I'm wearing a rain jacket or windbreaker, I just can't help myself!

I think its polyester ...not sure. silk drives me nuts because i don't like the scratchy feeling. my baby blanket edges are slowly ripping. :(

I rub my baby blanket between my fingers. But i also LOVE rubbing it against my lips or holding it inbetween my lips. (no slobber..gross) I am 23 and feel like i shouldn't be doing this. my husband HATES my blanket but tolerates it even when i bring it into bed... i snuggle with him with it behind me or under my pillow. I don't bring it with me anywhere because i had my other blanket stolen from a friends car 2 days before christmas. So i have a fear of losing it.i freak when i can't find it. ugh i feel retarded for posting this but..well.. no one else knows except for my close family and my husband...

holy hell im so happy i found this. ive done it since i was young and nothing can stop it. ive never met anyone in person who does this as well but i sure hope i do because this shit is crazy. oh and i rubbed out the corner on my baby blanket with the silk trim around it.

I am so glad I found this!! I've researched this before and couldn't come up with anything.
My addiction is polyester. I had a flower girl dress made for me when I was 9 for my aunt's wedding and it was made from pink polyester. I had scraps leftover from the making of the dress that I would carry around everywhere and rub between my fingers all day. I also loved rubbing the tags that come on stuffed animals. The tags would end up all curled up from the constant rubbing. I've also rubbed ribbons and those prize ribbons someone else mentioned. But my absolute favorite is polyester camisoles worn under business style jackets. I buy them and cut them into two large pieces. I like to have lots of room to rub. The smaller pieces get worn out too quickly.
I keep one under my pillow and one in my car. I did bring a small scrap of it with me when I went to bootcamp. I just couldn't imagine two months without it.
I don't need it with me all the time though. I mainly enjoy rubbing it when I'm driving long distances, watching movies, or lounging around the house. It doesn't prevent me from getting anything done and I've never considered it a bad thing. I've always wondered if there is some psychological explanation behind it though. I don't think it is a problem though. It's relaxing and calming. Just a habit that brings peace.
I read from above posters that they have names for theirs. I do as well. I call it my swooshy. I've only ever told two people in my life about my love of polyester. Neither thought much of it and didn't make a big deal out of it, but I still like to keep it private. I'm glad to have people to share this with though :)

Wow I'm not alone in the world! Lol I too love to rub certain fabrics. I have a favorite pillow case that I have pretty much destroyed...or to look at it another way, I have "rubbed to just the way I want it to be" :) my husband was baffled about me and pillowcases but after almost 8 years together he just calls me Linus and laughs it off. I'm glad there are others like me out there. Now if only we can find a medical term for it or just do like the other poster said up above, and just name our little disorder :)

Woah, to see all of you on here with the same "disorder" (which I can't even be sure I'd call it one since its pretty great) is awesome! I've always called this habit "slicking". My favorite sensation is a sharp swishy feeling I get from nylon or a spandexy swimwear fabric. I can make the sound/sensation out of pretty much any fabric but those give me the most comfort. I too had a baby blanket with a silk ribbon trim that I rubbed like it was nobodies business. I never wore it down to the point of no return but I did not progress this habit and notice it much until 6 years ago. I'm 22 now and I HAVE to have one of those microbead pillows that flop around in my bed as I do it most before bed. During the day if my hands aren't busy I just use my shirt or even twirl my hair because I love the soft feeling of it. If I'm in a room sitting by sheer curtain I even find myself going to town on those. My ideal sound/sensation can get obnoxiously annoying and my boyfriend is always snapping at me about it but we still laugh about it also. He thinks its a nervous thing but its just always been a comforting action and I even do it without noticing sometimes. I have only met one other person in real life who enjoyed doing this also who would rub holes in his shirts. I think I'll always call it "slicking" until there's a much cooler technical term for it.
Either way, we are all super normal and people who don't "slick" really are missing out! Haha

As a child I had a baby blanket that I called my WaWa. WaWa had a silky fabric trim that I'd fold in half to create a stiff blade-like edge that I'd slip under my thumbnails. I enjoy the feeling of the fabric between my nails and the soft flesh beneath. Around the time that I became a big boy (about 5) my mother took the WaWa away and put it in her hope chest next to the remains of my brother's baby blanket named Mingy. I say remains because Mingy was reduced to nothing more than the rectangular silky edge of a baby blanket. I'm not sure what my brother's deal was or how Mingy ended up that way, but he never talked about it and clearly I have my own issues.

My urge to what I call "binky" laid dormant for many years until I joined the Army when I was 18 and soon discovered the Army poncho liner also known as a woobie. "Some military personnel refer to the poncho liner as a "woobie" showing the same attachment an infant has for its blanket." (Poncho Liner, Wikipedia). This thing is a camouflaged rectangular blanket that affixes to a wet weather poncho and it is one of the best military inventions ever. It's lightweight, easy to pack, warm and is an absolute lifesaver in the field. Did I mention it has a silky edge? 7 years in the Army and many more out, I find myself on the couch with my wife and dog covered by the warmth of my poncho liner as I run its silky edge under my thumbnails.

For me it must be a wool blanket----no matter the season! Also wear wool coats so I can "rub" on the go. I have 5 sisters and 4 brothers and they all know my jackets by the lapels! At night I rub my toes on the wool folds. I even travel with a strip of wool for hotel stays! Cannot sleep otherwise! I am 60! My 27 ear old daughter rubs satin (like on a baby blanket) and another daughter rubs her ear lobe! Never noticed anything with other 2 children.
For me, it is relaxing, comforting and puts me in a zone. If there are times when no wool is available, I will mimic the movement by rocking my foot back and forth!
I guess it is a harmless addiction but my question is "WHY"?

;-)

Totally normal. I used to have a red blanket with silk lining and I rubbed the silk bit between my fingers so much that it wore out and had to be thrown away.

I did it as a kid, too!

Rubbing fabric between my fingers is something I clearly remember doing as a kid. I know exactly what you mean about labels and satin fabrics; I was fascinated by the feel and the subtle rustling sound this produced. I grew out of this habit, though, and it never progressed to anyting else. So I don't know if this helps.