there is a difference in flies, the ones you fish with and the one you tye to impress your friend that tying is an art form in it self. I tye many free style and classic Atlantic patterns to give to good friends. I also tye fishing flies which I am quite free with, I find the discipline in tying Atlantic make me better tyer in the over all since. Most of the material I use can and do use for fishing fly's, check out the article for tying Atlantic here by Ronn Lucas, you don't need the fancy stuff to tye a nice Atlantic
Ghost
your only limitation is your imagination.