Pearsall Silk Colours & Alternatives

[Donald Nicolson]

I have, recently noticed on various Bulletin Boards quite
a bit of confusion about the colours of Pearsall tying silk.
I then received a query from Mark Vendon about
the silk used on a fly called McCaskie's Green Cat.
It became obvious that there is confusion about the
colour Orange and its various Pearsall manifestations.
Most fly recipes refer to Orange and Hot Orange,
and/or the appropriate number. I decided to have a look
at various sources, i.e. look up some books.
The first was Veniards "Fly Dressing Materials" 1977.
His list was as follows -
1 White, 6a Light Orange, 10 Ash, 15 Maroon,
2 Straw, 6b Sherry Spinner, 11 Golden Olive, 16 Olive,
3 Primrose, 7 Blue, 11a Scarlet, 17 Brown,
4 Light Yellow, 8 Purple, 12 Cardinal, 18 Green,
5 Yellow, 9 Black, 13 Crimson, 19 Hot Orange,
6 Amber, 9a Grey, 14 Claret, 20 Light Olive.

I then looked at Edmonds & Lee, whose list was -
1,2,3,4,5,6,6a,6b,7,8,9,9a,10,11,11a,12,13,14,15,1 6,17,18.
No colour names but included a colour chart.

As can be seen from the above authors, #6a is always
refered to as Light Orange, also by Skues.
Many others just call it Orange.
Also some colours have not been available for many
years. I have found a new source of silks with a huge
range of shades in Seta Reale marketed in the U.K. by Coats.
Their colour charts and Pearsall can be found
on my front page at -
http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/

[Steve Jeffries]

Does anybody sell this material in the US? I haven't been able to find anything online.

Steve

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Steve,

Pearsall's is available from most large fly tying supply shops (Bear Lodge Anglers on the sponsors page) in a good range of colors. Some colors such as straw and ash are a bit rare.

The other silks Donald mentions, I haven't been able to find on this side of the pond. I have had a friend in the UK send me some samples of the Seta Reale and it's a very nice silk to tie with. A bit larger than the Pearsall's I'm used to, but still very nice.

REE

[Donald Nicolson]

I was recently told about YLI 100 silk, I have not used
it but it looks very promising. I think it a US product, there is
a manufacturers web-site. It gives colour charts with ref # only.
I found this supplier in the UK -
http://www.sewcreativequilts.co.uk/s...1-yli-silk-100

You'll note that they give the shades names.
I'm sure with a little searching on Yahoo or Google, it would
be possible to find a supplier in the US.

[wayneb]

Hi All;

I've been looking into YLI silk for that past few days, it's available on ebay about $5.00 per 200 meter spool versus $3.50 per 30 meter spool of Pearsalls. The Yli spools fit a standard bobbin whereas Pearsalls smaller spools require midge bobbins.

Check out these flies tied with YLI silk:

http://fiberglassflyrodders.yuku.com/topic/8186

Looks to be very similar to Pearsalls.

Wayneb

[lastchance]

The problem with colors would be solved if Pearsall would make a chart and number the spools. I don't know why they don't.

[Fly Goddess]

Hi All;

I've been looking into YLI silk for that past few days, it's available on ebay about $5.00 per 200 meter spool versus $3.50 per 30 meter spool of Pearsalls. The Yli spools fit a standard bobbin whereas Pearsalls smaller spools require midge bobbins.

Check out these flies tied with YLI silk:

http://fiberglassflyrodders.yuku.com/topic/8186

Looks to be very similar to Pearsalls.

Wayneb

First off, Thanks Wayne
And secondly YLI is made in Japan.
A good friend Greenwood ties the most beautiful Soft Hackles and he told me his secret is SILK.
That plus the old man is a rod builder and likes silk. We talked about how White silk disappears with no preserver added, so I started thinking this could be cool with different colored thread underneath. But the same effect can be done with flexi-floss, which there are some flies out there with that.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

FG,

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but those are a couple of mighty fine looking flies. Would really like to see them on FAOL, maybe as a FOTW, Huh, pretty please. Your idea of showing the fly dry and wet is a good one. Silk, waxed or unwaxed, looks different when wet and that needs to be planned for when using an underbody or colored hook.

REE

[Fly Goddess]

FG,

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but those are a couple of mighty fine looking flies. Would really like to see them on FAOL, maybe as a FOTW, Huh, pretty please. Your idea of showing the fly dry and wet is a good one. Silk, waxed or unwaxed, looks different when wet and that needs to be planned for when using an underbody or colored hook.

REE

Thank you so much Ree. I will do a tutorial and send it in. (I have been sending them to JC, do I still do that?)

[Ron Eagle Elk]

FG,

Yup, as far as I know, that's still the process.

By the way, I have a silver speckled hen CDL cape I will let go cheap. I just got it the other day, from Softhackler. Nice Whiting cape, not a feather mussed or missing. Couldn't wait to tie with it. Did I mention I have an English Springer Spaniel Puppy? Did I neglect to say that he now poops CDL feathers? Yup, my bad, I left the cape where he could reach if he stood on his back feet (tippy toes) and really stretched his neck to get to it. My pretty CDL neck is in very small pieces, but I may be able to salvage a part of it.

REE