Published Jul 1. 2021 - 2 years ago

Terenzio Zandri style fly

Dear all: I have been captured and enchanted by the Ephemera Vulgata fly as tied by Terenzio Zandri (see https://www.moscofilia.com/ephemera-vulgata.html and https://youtu.be/R_p8tjC6N4s).

I have read and re-read the article and watched and re-watched the video (as per the links above), but keep falling short of understanding. I think I have the initial double loop, attaching the hackle, the wings and the thorax...however weaving the abdomen has become an insurmountable issue.

I can't seem to be able to figure how to weave the long antron fibers, nor the knots to hold them in place (are the knots over both lines over tension; over a single one, etc.?).

Anyone out there who has mastered this technique who is willing to share?

Martin Joergensen's picture

I can see why...

Noe,

I can see why you're confused. Zandri Terenzio's technique and tools are pretty exotic, but the result is quite amazing.

I watched the video too, and looked at the pictures in your link, and all I can see from this is that there are three "core threads" - two which form the base on which things are tied ("standing threads"), and one which is used to secure the various materials, and also brilliantly forms the segments in the abdomen of the fly.

Judging from the speed and the hand movements, it seems that the tier is using simple half hitches around a single or both of the standing threads depending on the step. This seems to be the case in all steps involving the third thread or the yarn for the abdomen, but it's hard to see on the fuzzy video.
In the images in the article showing the tying of the abdomen, you can see that the yarn is tied around one, then the other thread using half hitches and a weaving technique not unlike crocheting. After each two knots have been tied, the third thread is used to secure the segment with a couple of similar knots that will hide in the gap between the segments. In the video it seems that the third thread is dark, and this accents the light body yarn nicely to form a clear segmentation. The final wraps holding the tail are simple overhand wraps, finished with a whip finish, but done with a loop tool drawing the tag under the wraps.

It's a very fascinating technique, and one I will look into. Maybe it would be worth doing an article on it, and perhaps a clearer video. I'll see.

Martin

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