craft supplies

[KOKOEK9 0]

Hi, I have read that some of you get supplies a craft stores.I am a beginner and don't know a good hackle from a bad so am Leary about buy not fly supplies. What do you buy at craft stores and other paces

[flytire 0]

beads

ribbons

foam sheets

acrylic paints

 

spray paint

 

model paint

paint brushes

glues of all kinds

tinsel

yarns

embroidery threads

plastic storage boxes

small zip lock bags

some feathers but not hackle (most is crap anyway)

balsa wood for making poppers

 

stretch magic

 

copper wire (some sizes too big for fly tying)

 

airbrushes

 

polyester sewing thread

 

needles for homemade bodkins

etc etc etc

[mridenour 0]

+1

[fshrmanms 0]

+2 and

envirotex lite pour on epoxy

popsicle sticks

little disposable shot glasses for mixing

tweezers

magnifying glass

"OTT LITE"

etc..

[phg 0]

One other thing, do NOT buy feathers from a craft store, at least not until you've done this a while, and have a better idea of what you are looking for. Most of the craft store feathers I have looked at are pure junk!

[panfish 12 0]

I saw some of this stuff at a local hobby lobby, it is quite similar to Waspi palmer chenille, and it comes in quite a few colors to.

 

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/night-fire-gilt-eyelash-yarn-753079/

[KOKOEK9 0]

Hi, thanks for the advice, I dis pick up some craft chenille at a rummage sale, it was larger and would be good for large size wooly bugger like flys

[flytire 0]

Craft store chenille to me just doesn't come in the sizes that are really suitable for fly tyers. Maybe I'm not shopping in the right craft store.

[GdubyaSmith 0]

I picked up a "Beading Wire Set"...12 small diameter rolls of Colored wire for $5 @ Wallyworld. Perfect Ribbing for Nymphs!!!

I also got 4 small bundles of Cross Stitch cord in 4 different colors for weaving dragonfly bodies @ 33cents each!

[Curtis Fry 0]

We did an article on this a few months back. Check it out: http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/03/craft-store-recon.html

[GdubyaSmith 0]

Great article...shared on my Facebook wall!!!

[Dcap240 0]

I just was in an A.C. Moore this afternoon. I got a brick of assorted foam sheets, 12 colors, 12 pack of copper wire(30 gauge which is pretty small) in 12 different colors. A threader for a sewing machine( long and small enough for a bobbin threader) 2 pack for 33cents clearance, gold and silver metallic thread( just like very fine tinsel, almost) and a pack of pheasant tails( 4 feathers) and a pack of 2 peacock feathers(full feathers eyes and herl, swords?) I just opened the feathers and they seem fine( don't seem old and brittle) but I could imagine that some of their feathers sit for a very long time. They had a bunch of other feathers and usable stuff as well. Ostrich plumes in black and white, bleached peacock, at least 10 colors of marabou and others. Cork perfect for poppers, yarns, floss( looked like you would have to pull it apart to use floss though, 3 strands twisted together), some wool stuff called roving that is just wool fluff that looks like it could be used for dubbing. Plastic boxes and containers perfect for storage( almost bought a sewing one for spools of thread, next time). I could go on, you get the idea. But as was said none of this stuff is made specifically for tying flies so you will definetly get better quality from a fly shop, but you will pay more. But a lot of it is more than usable. I would say that you want to stay away from their thread( for the most part, there are exceptions) and their scissors( bought a pair a couple months ago and they work but don't compare with even low level tying scissors) and beads ( may be usable on bigger larger eyed hooks) that are made for necklaces not to stay on a hook. There is a lot to be had at a good craft store though. I'm gunna shut up now.

[GdubyaSmith 0]

I picked up 2 Rabbit furs at Hobby Lobby, for $4.19 each, that are in the upper left of the picture below:

The "Bow-Wow Buck & Cluck" was made from Buck Tail(free from Taxidermist), Dog Hair(neighbors pets), and Black Craft Chicken Feathers(hobby lobby)

The Neighbors went away this past week and I watched their Dogs "Kobe" and "Juice"....they got brushed well while their owners were away

[utyer 0]

Gdubya,

 

Take some of that dubbing mix from Kobe and Juice, and tie up some flies. Then give them to your neighbors. I have found that many people are pleased by these "special" flies, and then collecting more fur is never a problem. If your neighbor fishes its even better.

 

Dcap,

 

That roving you found can indeed be made into great dubbing. It works well by itself, and can be mixed into various blends with furs (see above,) flash, or hair. Almost all yarn started life as roving, and by using a comb or wire brush can be turned back into roving. All kinds of yarn can be shredded that way, and made into dubbing. There are hundreds of different yarns in craft stores, and one skein will make a lifetime supply of dubbing.

 

I look for yarn that comes in multiple shades on the same skein. I find blended browns and tans, and olives in some very fine textured synthetic yarn which makes excellent fine "dry fly" dubbing. One source I browse often is Big Lots. They always have some odd lots of Gala (their brand) yarns. Recently found 2 skeins of a flashy yarn that looks a lot like polar chenille.

 

I haven't had to by dubbing in over 20 years. I have been blending my own for even longer. I have my own blender (garage sale,) and coffee mill (dulled the blades,) and for small batches an old plastic mayo jar. All will work.

 

Another foam item, these make good popper bodies. A drink cozy will make a nice soft popper body, and there are many colors. I find them at Dollar Tree.

 

Party stores may have vinyl inflatable items that will make a good substitute for Edgebrite.

[KOKOEK9 0]

About the dog fur, how do you clean it of the dog natural oils and fleas