Hi everyone - was wondering if I could get some advice on where to find Chenille bumps so I can make conifers like Loren demonstrated on YouTube? I've tried craft stores but can't seem to find the larger bumps that Loren demonstrates anywhere online except for one Ebay seller that doesn't have a green color. Are there other materials or methods that people are using or some other supplier that I just haven't found?
Ya! I did a "search & find" on most of the Montreal area craft stores and they all had the crappy stuff, meaning the 15mm chenille bumps, which you want to stay away from, it is like cat air and it get into your nostrils and is a pain to separate (you can see on the left = crappy trees), the 25mm chenille is the good stuff (on the right), but are the ones that are a pain to find. I'm trying to do some trade at my daughter school with all the crappy ones I have, you see their school have the 25mm ones for their craft projects, and they have plenty of it. Or I will probably dress as a Ninja and invade her school during the night to steal all the Rubbermaid containers that have those great 25mm chenille bumps, muha ha ha. :bear-laugh: Hey! Welcome to trainboard by the way!
here's another view of a few tests I've made in the last few years And now I think that Loren can pickup this thread from here, he's the king of trees!!! I'm sure he will have plenty of saying. Ben
Some folks may cut the 15mm or 25mm bumps in half to make dimestore "trees". THey do take some work & trimming to get them to look better. A dip in some paint with some ground foam may help some. You may have too look in dollar stores & other places for a supply. The good news may be the Hobby Lobby, Michael's, BigLots, etc with their Christmas display. bumpy chenille is cheap, so a bag should make a bunch of trees.
Someone mention my name in passing? I heard the whine of chain saws and saw smoke on the horizon so thought I had better stop by and check to see if Smokey would approve. Ask and ye shall find......... Ok guys, here is the low down on Chenille. Listen up guys, I'm only going to say it once and then there is an open book quiz, so pay attention and no looking at the other fellow's notes. You can order 5" Chenille bumps by the 18 yard hank from: Bolek's Craft Supplys. 330 North Tuscarawas Ave. P. O. Box 465 Dover, OH 44622 Orders / Customer Service: 1-800-743-2723 1-330-364-8878 Hours: Monday-Friday between 9:00 AM & 5:00 PM Eastern time Saturday 9:00 AM & 3:00 PM Eastern time Their site is a little tricky to navigate so I've taken the guess work out of ordering for you... Here is what you want...... #DJ1407----------$9.20 Per Hank Ask for #060-Emerald. Here's the actual link that will show you the offerings. Chenille You do not need to get the green color because you are going to spray paint the entire finished tree armature once you have wound the Chenille in the wire. I spray paint mine either a flat brown or a flat gray. I have not yet found a suitable flat spray color that I am in love with, so you may want to hand paint the bottom of the trunks for the trees that will be in the forefront. Other than that, you don't have to worry about the trunks showing if you are planting thick forests. Bolek's is going to charge you $9.00 for S&H if your order is under $100.00 but the price is still right. As an example....from the 5" length bumps, I can make at least a dozen 4" high trees, so figuring aprox 7 bumps per yard, you could end up with about 85 trees minimum from one yard. Times 18 and you begin to need the forest service to manage your forest of over 1500 trees. Want to go smaller or thinner limbed? Now you can easily double the tree count for the same price. You'll end up spending more money on wire and paint and hair spray than the Chenille, but overall, it is cheap trees by anyone's thinking. There, all you need to know to grow your own. Just don't let me catch any of you guys trying to sneak a little pot garden amongst your trees.....ha hear ) BTW Ben, I like your display. Shows some good stuff Now get out there and grow those evergreens !!!
...and the last time I was in there they said they were not going to carry it any more. If someone wants to do some serious checking by phone as to what they have or MIGHT have, I'd be willing to take a drive and poke around their bins. The place is an OLD building with aisles very narrow with bins of "stuff" piled to the rafters. It is not the most electronic inventoried store I've been in - but it's fun to rummage, You do turn up some neat items. It's about 40 miles from me. ...don
Don, I'll call Monday morning and ask about Chenille. We may have to buy them out if they are going to discontinue carrying the stuff. I got my start on Ebay with a purchase of some good bumps, but I've not found that seller in several years. Maybe having to scramble.
Ben, Where did you find a Z-scale "Cars" car (I don't know the specific character's name)? Or... Did you make this yourself?
LOL, that's my daughter who put it there! It is a cell phone keychain my wife found at a dollar store. It only had flash Mcqueen. Ben
Ben, Tell your daughter, "Thank You!". I never thought to look at mobile phone straps. I know just the place to look. Alex Tokyo, Japan
Loren, does this look like what you're talking about? Thanks so much for the input! eBay Store – seasonal-decorator: Search results for.
Yes John, Exactly what you want. Stick with the 5", you get the longest strands of Chenille out of the 5" bumps. Best price I've seen. Go for it....I am ! Good job of finding the treasure.
if you are just going to cut the chenille fibers off the stem to use, why not just buy a square foot of fake fur? It's the same polyester fiber chemical composition, and you get a much higher fiber density for your buck.
When you cut the Chenille from the wire, you lose valuable length. I unwind the bumps so I have longer pieces to work with. I will admit I'd like to find another source of 'limb material'
