Nick Williams 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Hey, I am curious how many of you guys some, or maybe the majority, of your supplies at Craft stores? And if you do, what do you buy there? I have been thinking about going in to look there instead of the sky-high prices of actual fly-tying material so I am wanting to know what you guys are actually getting there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packfancjh 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 The only craft store around me is a Michaels and they don't have much in stock that I could use for tying materials so I still use mostly online fly shops. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty fly 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 My wife and I go shoping at the craft store.I started looking around, there is stuff you can use.feathers,zap a gap,craft fur, foam,beading wire for articulated flies,ect. every time I go in there I find something that gets my creative juices flowing.It is worth a look. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surfbunker 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 My wife and I go shoping at the craft store.I started looking around, there is stuff you can use.feathers,zap a gap,craft fur, foam,beading wire for articulated flies,ect. every time I go in there I find something that gets my creative juices flowing.It is worth a look. Craft stores were( and still are--for some) the lifeblood of creative tiers, especially those who tie S/W flies. Before you could get fly foam in catalogs....it came from Craft stores....Estaz was a craft store item before it became a fly catalog staple. The original Merkins were( and still can be if you can find it) tied with Aunt Lydia's rug yarn. Flash material? Xmas tinsel in the beginning. A new craft store chain just came to my area (Hobby Lobby) and I checked it out monday...found GREAT full ostrich plumes, better than any i've ever gotten in catalogs for $1.00 a piece on clearance, great colors. F/W folks should give Craft store a shot....There is an elastic jewelry making "thread" for making bead bracelets....makes superb translucent nymph bodies! If you have one nearby, give it a looksy! Cheers, Sean Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreamcaster4639 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Hobby lobby and Jo anns have great cheap feathers in a variety of colors. Beads, wire, glue, scissors, rabbit hides just a few of the things I have gotten. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mybadhabit 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Joann's also has some really cool holographic thread and little storage boxes galore, it's like finding new toys with every visit!!! Blane Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted February 10, 2012 I've tried to get Michaels and Hobby Lobby to get Clear Cure Goo but no luck yet...I found the glass beads and use some, more for buggyness than for weight (put wire underbody anyway). My problem is the nearest fly stuff is hour&half away at Bass Pro...Later DL Before I found d-rib I was spliting the glitter strips used for kids bracelets or sumthin or another... Craft fur, cork for poppers, marabou... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jolly Red 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 HObby lobby sells what is the best hook box I ever used. It has about 16 compartments, each with an individual lid. Thelids for the ones you aren't useing are locked shut, so when I drop the box, I don't have to sort out 4 styes, with 4 sizes each. Each compartments easily holds 100 hooks. Fairly inexpensive, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toirtis 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 I regularly hit up craft stores....everything from Michaels and little independent craft shops to specialty bead shops...all sorts of materials from glass beads and yarns, to feathers and tinsels. Good places to find some tools, too...specialty scissors, magnifiers, lights, etc. Stores like Lee Valley have handy items, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick Williams 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Man, you guys are convincing! I am gonna have to get into my local one, which is Hobby Lobby, and take a look! Does anyone know if they carry markers that will work for coloring poppers, outside of sharpies of course. Just curious though, are the prices quite a bit cheaper, or are some things higher priced still? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packfancjh 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Sounds like I need some new craft stores around here. The one here is mostly flowers, scrapbooking and painting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kentuckytroutbum 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Man, you guys are convincing! I am gonna have to get into my local one, which is Hobby Lobby, and take a look! Does anyone know if they carry markers that will work for coloring poppers, outside of sharpies of course. Just curious though, are the prices quite a bit cheaper, or are some things higher priced still? I've found that the craft stores, such as Hobby Lobby & Michael's sell stuff at about 1/3 the cost of fly shops/on line catalogs. They have Prismacolor markers, paints, stretch cords, all kinds of stuff that is useful for tying. Also, JoAnn fabrics will have yarns that can be used, such as Antron, sparkle organza. Just look around and let it inspire your imagination. Also, go to beauty stores, and look at the wig hair. You can find it in different colors, and it makes for great streamers. I'm not denegrating fly shops, I spend a ton of money there anyway. And I realize that they have to make a profit to stay in business, but its interesting to compare pricing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JaxFlyTyer 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2012 Look at the foam sheets. $1.50 at my fly shop for two tiny (not even 3x5 pieces). At Michael's a 9x12 (or close) sized sheet is less than a buck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
notenuftoys 0 Report post Posted February 11, 2012 Man, you guys are convincing! I am gonna have to get into my local one, which is Hobby Lobby, and take a look! Does anyone know if they carry markers that will work for coloring poppers, outside of sharpies of course. Just curious though, are the prices quite a bit cheaper, or are some things higher priced still? Hobby Lobby is my closest store also, and I've learned to watch their sales. Mine has a good bead selection, and they are regularly half price for a tube. More beads than I need in 3 lifetimes for $1.49! I also buy storage containers and foam from there. They do have some different markers other than Sharpies, but I haven't looked close at the selection. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted February 11, 2012 also hobby shops carry balsa and basswood for poppers, embroidry yarns for weaving,craft fur, and a pleathera of options for thinking out of the box Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
