Knitting tools from found objects

So I'm in the midst of my first two-stranded knitting project, a felted bag with a swell bit of colorwork. Being the gadget fan that I am, I was alarmed to discover that my local knitting shops don't seem to carry yarn guides, the little plastic gizmos that help keep the two color strands separated for those of us who are too new and clumsy to manage two yarns at once.

Impatience prompted me to devise my own yarn guide from household objects. Exhibit A - the play ring:



I was hoping that the impressive size of this ring would keep the two strands separated. It certainly does that, but the stretchy band is just sticky enough to catch the strand that runs behind the ring. Drat!Over lunch at work, I arranged with the ever-helpful Mary Carol of the Lamb Shoppe to order a yarn guide. It's on the way. Meanwhile, I wondered if I could improve on the original design. While glancing around my cubicle for parts, I set upon on a piece of plastic spiral binding. But how to attach it? Scratchy wool yarn? A quick rummage through the desk drawers unearthed an old name badge with elastic lanyard still attached. Yes!

Witness Exhibit B, the new and improved yarn guide:

It works so well that it may actually outperform the Clover model. I'll report back when the order arrives.