There are many ways you can replace those fancy craft materials you get at the store and make your artwork more cost-friendly.
In this article, I will tell you about some of the best pipe cleaner replacements for crafts so you can keep crafting away even when you don’t have some to hand!
Pipe cleaners are brilliant stuff to make crafts from, but what if you do not have them to hand? Here’s what you can use instead.
What Can I Use Instead Of Pipe Cleaners For Crafts?
Pipe cleaners are available in all kinds of vibrant colors with arts and crafts in mind. However, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have access to these brilliantly bendy supplies.
For example, if you can’t get the material you require at your nearby stationery store and have no time to hand, for example, you can replace ice-cream sticks with twigs you find in your backyard – get resourceful!
Modern pipe cleaners are made from polyester and nylon, specifically designed for arts and crafts. Many kids call them “chenille stems” or “tinsel stems” – just so you know!
Here are a few easy substitutes you can bring in for pipe cleaners if you’re in a pinch.
Thin Rolled up Color Papers
You can count on rolling small pieces of colored vertical paper to replace pipe cleaners at short notice. You can use a tube to insert thin rolled paper to give it a grip and shape.
Simply add more paper, and join them with one another as you continue your piece. Simple!
Colorful Rope
You can get small, colorful ropes (or plain ones to color) and use them for pipe cleaner crafts. The fluffiness might be missing, but the ropes will give a different texture to your entire craft.
You can get small ropes of different colors, lengths, and sizes. Find some you or your kids like the look of, cut it, tie it and use it however you wish.
Some of the rope crafts that you can carry out as a replacement to pipe cleaners include:
- Braided dog leashes
- Rope pendant light
- Monkey Fist
- Candleholders
- Wall hangers
Wool String
Wool string is generally thicker than everyday thread, and is available in many different colors to help you replace pipe cleaners. You can bind woolen strings together to make them thicker, too – you decide!
Wool rolls are available in a veritable rainbow of colors, and they’re really cheap and easy to come across. They’ll replace pipe cleaners with very little effort.
Flexible Metal Wires with Colorful Threads
You can use flexible metal wires to curve and set into any shape – much like pipe cleaners! When you use it for craftwork, make sure you wrap it with threads to give it an appealing look.
You can swap out almost all pipe cleaner craft ideas by replacing them with metal wires, or even copper wire.
Add an extra visual effect to your crafts by wrapping the metal wires with colorful threads. If you’d like to keep the standard, metallic look, you can!
In fact, you can even make your own pipe cleaners (or close to it) if you have a lot of time and patience for wrapping your own wire with string:
Some of the crafts you can try with metal wires might include:
- Attractive earrings
- Dancing ladies
- Bicycle modeling
- Flowers
- Small décor houses
- Heart-shaped showpieces, etc.
Silicone Rope Molds
You’ll find silicone rope molds available online and offline that can be structured into the shape of flexible, solid ropes. They’re fantastic for swapping out pipe cleaners if you need to!
These molds don’t work perfectly with all pipe cleaner crafts, however, so be sure to use them in scenarios where you don’t necessarily need to rely on pipe cleaner flexibility.
Silicone ropes might restrict your flexibility, but some pipe cleaner crafts can still be carried out with ease. Your options may be limited, but your creativity isn’t!
Invest in some of these molds if you fancy trying something a little bit different on the crafty side of things. As with all crafts, trial and error is to be expected sometimes!
Quilling Paper
You can bring together a bundle of quilling papers to make them bulky and rigid for bending and crafting into desired shapes. They might not be solid and durable like pipe cleaners, but they are flexible and versatile for all kinds of crafty ideas.
You can get them in different shapes and sizes – as well as colors. Time to go shopping, then!
To Sum It Up
Pipe cleaners are some of the most sought-after items used in arts and crafts. They’re colorful, they’re flexible, they’re easy to use – and they’re only ever limited by the user’s imagination!
However, if you ever find yourself low on pipe cleaners and don’t have a way to stock up with more, try any of the above and see how you get on!
Originally posted 2021-12-21 08:45:03.