Let me see if I can clarify things. First, I do not form the brush on
the fly. The brush is formed off the fly-separate from it, by making
a loop as Leisenring did when tying his wets and flymphs. Here is the
explanation of the method exactly as it was written in Leisenring's
book on tying wet flies.

" Take a piece of fly tying silk nine or 10 inches long, of the
desired color which you wish to show up in the body undercolor,and wax
it well (note this is pine resin based wax not the wax that comes in
the plastic tubes available today) Lay it lengthwise on your left leg
right in the middle on top, from your kneecap back, as in the
photograph (note from the knee towards your body) Now we have our
silk lying in a straight line and our dubbing spread out properly to
make a neat, tapered body. Now place the thumb of you left hand on the
bare silk about one inch from the end nearest your hip. Place the
second finger of your left hand on the bare silk beyond the dubbing
toward the knee.
With the thumb and first finger of your right hand grasp the silk
hanging over the knee; bring the silk up and pass it or pull it under
the second finger of your left hand, being careful not to release the
pressure off the silk being held down by thumb and finger of left hand.
Keep the thread and dubbing straight and tight.
Now that you have your silk pulled under the second finger, place
the first finger of your left hand on top of both threads and within
one-half inch of the dubbing. You know have the thumb, first finger and
second finger of your left hand on the silk. Remove the second finger,
keeping a good pressure on the ends of the thread beneath the dubbing
with your first finger and thumb.
Holding the end of the loose thread between the thumb and
forefinger of your right hand, bring this thread down directly on top
of the bottom thread so that the dubbing is between these two well
waxed threads. Before touching it to the dubbing, however, stretch it
tight and make sure the top thread is absolutely in line with the
bottom thread.
Now use the second finger of your right hand to press down the top
thread against the dubbing directly in front of your left thumb. Hold it
there, remove the left thumb, slide the finger (note: the second finger
of your right hand) toward the two loose ends of silk and replace your
left thumb.
At this point remove your right hand from the scene of operations and
observe the two silk threads with your dubbing between them, the first
finger of your left hand holding the threads down at the end nearest
your knee and your left thumb pressing down just behind the dubbing.
Take the doubled end of silk at your knee between the thumb and
first finger of your right hand and pull at it in order to get the loop
out straight. Let it go and lay flat down on your leg. Then take your
thumb (note: left hand thumb) and put it on top of the doubled silk at
right angles to it. Press down lightly and starting with the ball of
your thumb, pull your thumb across the silk, thus rolling the silk that
is under it. Give it two or three such rolls. holding it down each time,
until it is twisted tight.
After you give it the last roll, catch it up and give it another
roll or twist between the thumb and forefinger stretch it towards the
knee and lift the left fore finger straight up off the silk, keeping
the thumb down tightly on the opposite end. As you lift the left fore
finger the silk and dubbing will twist into a rope, so to speak.
Being careful to keep the thread twisted and taut, catch up the
threads under your left thumb and twist them in the opposite direction.
"

If you follow these directions, laying the hare's ear dubbing with
guard hairs across the thread, you will get a very buggy looking
result. The shorter and finer the hair, the less buggy it will look.
Also the result is very strong and durable. Leisenring made up the
bodies ahead of time, storing them on cards that had slits cut into
them opposite each other on either side. He stretched his "brushes"
across the card, catching the ends in the slits to keep them taut. As
needed, the brushes can be removed from the card and tied to the hook
for wrapping.

hope this helps,
Mark


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