For all: The craft/sewing store stuff comes up from time to time. You
have to take a look at it. Sometimes the fly shop is the way to go. (there
are some good folks out there that care . . .and there are others) One of
the ROFF guys, Frank Reid, has a Mrs. involved in quilting and things. If
you have a significant other who likes that stuff, including just sewing up
stuff to fix things for the kids, accompany that significant other to a
sewing/quilting/yarn/craft place. You'll find some surprising fly tying
things . . .and you'll "maybe" be considered much more "sensitive" to the
interests of your significant other. (but then again . . . maybe not)

Yeh, its fun going to the fabric and crafts store. Things that I buy:

Organza - cut a narrow rectangle of this and tie it on as wings using a
figure 8 wrap. Tease out the weft of the fabric leaving the long
fibres. Instant spinner wings. Two dollars will get you enough for a
lifetime.
Fau suede: cut a small fish shape, tie it to a hook and it moves
wonderfully through the water.
Ottlite: If you don't have one for tying, get one. Sign up for the
mailing list at your local Joanns fabrics. They will occasionally send
out a 50% coupon.
Raffia: plastic raffia is called for as a shell back in many patterns.
They sell it as ribbon.
Batting: this is used to stuff quilts and pillows. You can get silk or
wool at some of the bigger shops. A little goes a long way to making
your own dubbing.
Yarns:
1) Eyelash - This is yarn with 1 to 1 1/2" strings coming off of it.
Thousands of colors, most are varigated. I see this as the next
revolution in spey flies. Simply wind on the hook and tie off. Many
have a sparkle material spun in.
2) Chennille - use this for many patterns including Frank's Fighting
Craw and bug bodies. $2.50 will get enough of one color for a couple of
thousand flies.
3) Wool - slubby (yarn that is not smooth) yarn can be wrapped around a
hook and tease out with velcro to produce legs or gills where needed.
Foam - 1/3 the cost of a fly tying store and 3 times the number of colors
Fingernails: glow in the dark plastic fingernails are cheap after
Halloween. They make a wonderful fly that you can find in your back
issues of Fly Tyer magazine.
Scissors: half the price of a fly store and you can find good ones that
will last for years.
Beading boxes: boxes to hold beads for bead work are awesome for storing
your hooks. The double seal type will hold a size 26 hook without
letting it jump to the size 24 bin next to it.
Pens: great pens to color your flies. I make white usuals and carry a
few pens with me when I go fishing. Check the hatch and mark up my flies.
Thread: silk thread and floss are much cheaper and the range of colors
is astounding.
Angelina fib available at some stores and online, this stuff puts the
sparkle in any dubbing. You can also mix it with other furs, iron it
between two pieces of brown paper bag, and it will make awesome wing and
carapace material.
By the way, when you buy fabrics. They will cut small pieces (1/8 or
1/16th of a yard) at most stores. So with something like the Fau suede
that is 40 bucks a yard, you buy 5 dollars worth with an 1/8 of a yard.
This is just a hint at some of the things you can find in there.
--
Frank Reid
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