Printable View
I just purchased a large assortment of feathers at Michaels Craft Store, peacock,pheasant etc. $5. a pack. All types of small beads 1000 in a pack for $2.99. I have been fishing off and on for years but just started to tie flys about 3 yrs.ago I like to visit the local fly store, but was just wondering if many others find Craft and fabric stores a good source of supplies, and do they consider it of good quality.
Thanks TonyC
TonyC You also can find foam in sheets for less than half the price as fly shops. In the sewing dept bead chain in black,white.gold pearl for eyes and mylar tubing . Aunt Lydia's sparkle yarn. Balsa wood for poppers. In Walmart shower shoes (flipflops) that are used for Dremal Bugs and that 99 cent small fly box in the pharmacy that cost $10 in a fly catalog. BILL
Tony;
Craft stores can be a treasure trove!! Check for beadchain for eyes, Boa yarn, yarns in general, paint pencils, etc.
Joke here is that I spend more time and money at the craft store looking for tying supplies than my wife does for her art and decorating stuff. Bead chain, yarns, foam, beads, feathers, storage containers, paints, and on and on. If you watch for quality materials, you can come up with some very reasonalble pricing.
CJ
Artists paint brushes make excellent microfibbett tails for dry flies (thats where John Betts got the idea and charges an arm and a leg for em)!
Beads
Foam sheets
Yarns
Chenille
Mylar tinsel (go to the dollar store for that one)
Pearlescent ribbons for bodies
Wires
etc etc etc
Yeah you know the Fish Hair that everyone uses for Saltwater, well the kids long colored wigs for Halloween great stuff, and they are 1.00 each for a wig with 24"hair and a crap load of it in all bright colors. Also the Tubing used for segments on smaller flies you can get that at sotores in the craft section its for tying PONY Beads for necklaces for kids, now they have the tubing kind instead of the flat lacing. Works great. Just wonder through your local craft store and you wont believe the possibilities. :D
I went to a craft store in the Dalles Or, asked the gal in store if they foam in sheets. She looked at me with a big smile and said, are you a fly fisherman? They may get smart and put up a differnt section for fly tyers only :lol:
:shock: Clyde!! NO, NO!! Never admit to it in a craft store!! They'll see they have a gold mine, and start charging more!!!
The ladies in the nail polish dept usually know a fly tyer when you ask where the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails polish is located--Clear red and black for fly heads. BILLQuote:
Originally Posted by clyde holmes
Need biot's check the stores after mardi gras. I bought a huge bag with different colors for $1.49. I think 3 in a fly shop cost about $3.00 or more. My daughter hates going shopping with me at Michaels because I buy all sorts of stuff. She walked away when i started looking at the extendors and wig pieces. LOL Color nail polish gets some strange looks at the check out counter. Especially when I go after work in uniform.
Jim
Thanks for the replys and info. The craft store is closer to home. While checking the beads I had more than one woman looking at me, and I could read their minds, so I tried to explain why I had feathers and beads in my hands. I told this to my wife and she had a good laugh, and said "you even get in trouble in a craft store". I posted a story under "Learning Experience" peacock feathers and related story" Thats what made me go to the craft store.
TonyC