Have you used an emery board for this??
I am working on a quilt that has a lot of seams that I need to work under the needle, and I have always just used my small scissors point or the tip of my finger. Then, today, the light bulb went on, and I thought, "Why not use an emery board?" like what you use on fingernails to smooth them off, after trimming. So, off to the bathroom, get an emery board and try it. Wow, does that work nice. It helps grip the material, and no more worries about catching the tip of my finger under the needle. I have never caught the tip of my finger, but why tempt the fates? And if you happen to hit the emery board with the needle, no big damage done.
Just had to share my new thought. And a lot of you will think, I have been using one of them for years, what took her so long? LOL