Chenille stems and craft wire for bending and shaping

Chenille stems for animals, figures and flowers

Chenille stems, also called pipe cleaners or fuzzy sticks, consist of a flexible wire core with a fluffy fiber pile. You bend, wrap and twist them by hand, and they keep their shape. Because no tools are needed, they are widely used in daycare, school and craft groups.

When to use chenille stems and when craft wire

Chenille stems are soft and easy to grip and work well for animals, figures, flowers, finger rings and card embellishments where the fluffy surface should show. Thicker versions look fuller and are a bit sturdier; thinner ones can be shaped more finely. Longer pieces are enough for animal bodies or flower stems, and you use short leftovers for antennae, tails or small embellishments.

Use craft wire without pile as an armature for figures, for attaching decorative elements, for stringing beads or for wire figures. The two types of wire combine well, for example a wire armature that you wrap with chenille stems.

• Chenille stems in many colors and lengths
• Thin and thick versions
• Craft wire for armatures and attaching
• Seasonal decorations, cards and finger rings

Tip: Cut chenille stems with side cutters or old scissors, as the wire core quickly dulls good scissors. Bend the ends inward so no wire tips stick out.