Yarns

The most commonly used yarns from craft/sewing stores are chenilles and rug yarns. Chenilles are for bodies in flies such as woolly worms and woolly buggers. Rug yarns are used to tie such saltwater patterns as merkins and Kwan flies. The rug yarn can be bought either by the skein (lifetime supply) or in mall packets meant for use in latch-hook rugs. There are also different thicknesses of chenille available. The smaller chenille will not be as round as that bought from a fly shop, but it will get the job done. They don't have the color you want? You can color white chenille with a permanent marker to get that color (just wait for the ink to dry a bit before tying it in).

There are also specialty yarns which can be used for tying such as eyelash yarns (having relatively long fibers coming off the main string), boa yarn (a continuous fringe) and the newest, disco yarn, a long eyelash type yarn with some of the fibers coming off the main string having flash (see picture above for these specialty yarns). You'll have to use your imagination when deciding how to use these yarns (but some eyelash yarn minnow patterns have been developed, as well as a boa yarn leech and a disco yarn leech).

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