Dark Star tutorial (step by step)

The Dark Star Dun
Materials
Hook- Daiichi 1180 or 1110 #12-20
Thread- Tan 8/0
Wings- Black hen hackle tips
Tail- Sandy dun hackle fibers
Abdomen- Stripped peacock quill
Rib- Small Opal tinsel
Thorax- Dyed black peacock hurl
Hackle- Sandy dun.

Start the thread and wrap half way down the shank.

Then wrap the thread half way back up. This will give your wing placement.

Select 2 hen neck hackle tips, pair them up and line up the tips. Measure your wings to be the same length as the hook shank.

Pinch and loop the wings to the top of the shank. Take a couple additional turns to secure, wrapping back touching turns as you secure. Then snip the waste.

Wrap back over the butts touching turns to just before the barb.  Dont worry about standing the wings up yet. They will just get in the way.

Take 6-8 hackle fibers and tie them in for the tail. Take one turn on and one under then one to secure.

Tie in a stripped quill by the skin on the butt end with one turn.

Tie in the small opal tinsel, and advance the thread to about a hook eyes back from the wings.

Wrap the quill forward touching turns.

Now rib the body with the opal tinsel,  3-4 turns is enough. Blurry??? yeah sorry about that.  Now before you stand your wings, put a light coat of varnish/head cement on the body. Be sure to get a bit on the under side of the hook bend to anchor the varnish. This helps make it much more durable.

Now stand the wings up by pulling them up with your finger and thumb and putting wraps right in front of the wing base.

Select a hackle and tie the butt end in in-between the wings. This help keep them split.

Tie in a dyed black peacock hurl by the tip and bring the thread in front of the wings.

Wrap the peacock hurl forward, touching turns and just take one turn in front of the wing.

Now wrap the hackle, take two full turns behind the wing and 1-1 1/2 in front of the wing. 

Whip Finish and your head and the Dark Star is complete.   For flatter water cut a V into the bottom of the hackle.