Step 8  To create the “feet” of the insect I use either the yellow “Japanese nymf legs” or a thicker bristle from a furniture brush. It has to be a bit thick so that you can flatten it out properly.   I cut of about an inch of the leg and flatten half of it.  Then I simply cut the flatten part in two  Step 9  Now simply insert it into to leg and either tie it in by tying a few laps with a really thin tying thread on the tube or just secure it with a drop of superglue or similar.   Step 10 Varnish the leg to create a good surface for your colouring. The markers won’t stick very well to the tube itself so with a layer of varnish you will do a much better job. This is a general tip for colouring. Always try to use as white materials and apply varnish before colouring, since different materials will hold the markers differently you could otherwise end up with colour from the same marker pen looking differently on different parts of the fly.   Step 11 and onwards Well, now it’s all about repeating all of the steps above to do the other legs. On the photo below I have done the shaping on all the legs and added the “feet” on the two back legs.  Last step Well, when all six legs are ready and the varnish has dried on it all there is left to do is to add colour to them.   The very last step! Finally place the fly in a nice environment and open a cold one and admire your work for a while!    So why don’t you go to your local hardware store and ask for some heat shrink tube? I think that you will be surprised to see what a good fly tying material it turns out to be! Finally here is another example of the legs, here it’s on a dragonfly nymph with ostrich herl tied in to create the hairy look of the insect.  Hatches Magazine Subscription Price: $6.95 for each issue The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st. Hatches Magazine Subscription Price: $6.95 for each issue The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.