I recently learned the bi-colored thread technique and used it on this one. It is, as the name suggests, made from a single feather.
- Start thread at the middle of the hook.
- Tie in a tail from fibers of your chosen feather (more on this later).
- Wrap a thread body with the main color, forward and back to the hook bend. In this case, Im using white.
- Once back at the bend, make a 4" thread loop and tie it off. You now have the main thread and a loop on the rear if the hook.
- Run the main thread back to the front 1/3 point behind the eye.
- Next, grip the loop in your hackle pliers, pull it taut, and color the thread using a permanent marker. I used black to achieve a contrast against the white body.
- Hold the loop tight, like a two-strand thread and spiral wrap the blackened thread loop back to the front 1/3 point behind the eye, and tie it off. Trim the excess.
FEATHER: Body feather from a wood duck.
The tail came from fibers near the feathers' middle, and the thorax was dubbed from the marabou-like "fluff" near the feathers' base.
Finally, the hackle was tied by its tip and wound on behind the eye. I gave it a half hitch to secure it in place and cut off the excess.
Because I used white thread, I again colored the length of thread that will become the head. Just pull the bobbin back from the hackles' tie point, exposing 6" of working thread. Run the marking pen along this length a few times, to color it. Then wind on a small head.
End with a whip finish and make a shiny bead head with cement.
Another "One Fly" from the vise - one hook, one thread, one feather.
Yeah!