Embroidery thread for woven bodies
I have used embroidery thread for weaving fly bodies for years. People have been using it for woven flies for as long as I can remember. When I weave with it, I pull strands out depending on how big a body I want, and use different materials for different looks. For instance when I want a bright look I might use a polyester (flourescent effects). Usually I use one piece of polyester and one piece of cotton which is dull to make a nice fly body for bluegill flies. For trout, I tend to make both strands cotton. If I want a bulky body (like in the Clay's Hopper)with a little shine to it I use rayon. Rayon is kind of slippery so you need to cinch up the knots pretty well. I have tried the metallic braid for flash, but IMHO the finished product doesn't look very good.
If you are interested in some woven flies, I wrote an article a few years back. Most of my patterns have morphed a bit since I wrote it, but it's still close to what I am doing now.You can find it at http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/ww...20Bluegill.htm . Check out the "jar of flies" area for instructions.