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Chenille Stems - Sizes, Styles, and Project Ideas
Chenille stems, also known as pipe cleaners or tinsel stems, are chenille-covered wires that are used to make a variety of crafts. "Craft" pipe cleaners are usually made with polyester or nylon pile. A pipe cleaner is made of two lengths of wire twisted together trapping short lengths of fiber (pile) between them. Chenille yarn is made the same way, which is why craft pipe cleaners are also called chenille stems. They can be embellished and bent and twisted into shapes to make posable figures, holiday decorations, and many other crafts.
Chenille Stem Styles and Colors
Chenille stems are usually in bulk packages of 10 to 250 and are 12 inches long. The standard diameter is 6 mm but this varies with other shapes of stems
- Standard 6 mm chenille stems sold in packs of individual colors, multi-color, neon, glitter (tinsel), striped, holiday-themed (Halloween and Christmas)
- Candy cane twist – 8mm
- Wider - 9 mm chenille stems
- Bump chenille stems vary from narrow to 15 mm at their widest
Popular Chenille Stem Brands
Craft ideas for Chenille Stems
- Flower stems
- Animals
- Bracelets
- Name boards for kids' rooms (letters)
- Ornaments
- Poseable figures
- Embellishments on scrapbook pages
Projects Using Chenille Stems
Chenille Stem Flowers In A Pot
Vintage Valentine Animal Garland
Check out the Think Crafts blog, to see more projects that use chenille stems!
