Easy extended nymph bodies

[Scarface Z 0]

I've been playing around with making bodies this way for a while, and I think I've got it looking pretty good.

 

 

I made the body using the most basic crochet stitch: the chain stitch. A nymph body only takes a couple of stitches and is super easy. I used two strands of alpaca lace held together (brown and reddish-brown) on a size 14 fly hook using a size B crochet hook. I put a bit of glue on the tail-end and attached the butt-end by simply lashing it to the hook. However, one can also thread the body onto the hook before tying (this works better for larger sizes).

 

I like this method because the body has a slight flattened shape, and it's less dense than furled bodies. Also, there's no need to worry about attaching a tail, as the end of the yarn can be unraveled and trimmed into a very serviceable tail. The body also has a natural tendency to curl, which I think looks more natural. And perhaps the best part, because the body is secure once you make it (it can't unravel or come apart) you don't have to be at your vise to make these. As long as you've got material and a hook, you can crank these out wherever you are: in a car, at the mall, or during TV/movies, etc.

 

Cons: Depending on the crocheter, the body may tend to curve slightly left or right. Also, anything smaller than a size 16 may be more trouble than it's worth.

[lykos33 0]

Nice job...How about a vid of the crochet process?!?

[Scarface Z 0]

Nice job...How about a vid of the crochet process?!?

Thanks! Never made a video though, so I'll link to a youtube crochet tutorial for now, and see if I can get photos to work for me in the light of day.

 

How to crochet a chain

 

The only thing they don't show in this video is how to fasten off, but it's easy. Cut the yarn, and pull it all the way through the last loop, and it's done (shown in last step of the link from the first post). As long as you secure it with glue, you can add extra tailing material in this step by pulling it through with the yarn, I'll post a photo of this in the morning.

[flytire 0]

take a length of yarn, twist it until it folds back on itself an tie in this piece of furled yarn.

 

much easier than crocheting unless you you know how to crochet and even cheaper unless you already have crochet tools

[Scarface Z 0]

take a length of yarn, twist it until it folds back on itself an tie in this piece of furled yarn.

 

much easier than crocheting unless you you know how to crochet and even cheaper unless you already have crochet tools

Yeah you can furl, but I think this looks better, it's still dead easy, crochet hooks cost at most $1.50 at full price, and some already have them for knotting legs or weaving bodies. Also, it's a pain adding tails to furled bodies, but this is easy.

 

 

I've uploaded a sample pattern with instructions: Crochet Damsel Nymph

 

 

And here's something else you can do with the technique:

[damselfly 0]

looks pretty cool! have you tried it with anything other than alpaca ???

[Stippled Popper 0]

Neat! As young kids, my brother and I made strings for our homemade bows and arrows using this crochet stitch.

 

As with the weaves used to tie other flies, for uniform results it is important to maintain the same tension when

making each knot.

[deeky 0]

Another approach to the same end - tie a slip knot in the end of your body material so that the running end of the material pulls the loop tight. Loop the running end up through the loop of the slip knot and use it to pull the loop of the slip knot tight. Repeat the looping until you have the body length you want.

 

The is also called the Daisy Chain. It is the same method that climbers, Boy Scouts and other used to store ropes. I've also seen contractors do the same with their extension cords.

 

Deeky

[Scarface Z 0]

looks pretty cool! have you tried it with anything other than alpaca ???

Of course! For the white fly shown above I actually used a bamboo fiber yarn and a size H crochet hook. The tail and collar is arctic fox.

 

The is also called the Daisy Chain. It is the same method that climbers, Boy Scouts and other used to store ropes.

Cool! I'll have to try that sometime, too.

 

As with the weaves used to tie other flies, for uniform results it is important to maintain the same tension when

making each knot.

Agreed, that's what I've read about this stitch too. Also, natural fibers can be straightened out with a short soak and drying in proper shape (through just fishing it usually works).

[FlyFishFlo 0]

Looks nice!

I might be using that technique to tie up some worm imitations.

Most of my nymphs are size 14 and smaller so it's not really an option there for me.

 

Regards,

Flo