So having eschewed teddy fur I am obliged to make my brush bristle idea work.
The problem with brush bristles is that once cut they are not at all cooperative. So I had to find a way of confining them while they were cut and glued.
To begin you need four craft lollipop sticks (6″ long), four drawing clamps and a wagon load of brush bristles.
Spread your cut bristles as evenly as you can manage along a lollipop stick like so:
Now clamp the bristles between two lollipop sticks like so:
Do it to both sides like so. It is useful at this point to just check the bristles are evenly distributed along the stick.
Draw a bead of PVA glue along the centre of the exposed bristles. Put enough on so it will soak all the way through. You may need to use a spare stick to spread the glue around a bit. You want to end up with a glued band about 6-8mm wide.
Leave it to dry for a couple of hours. The PVA must have hardened completely.
Then take a sharp pair of heavy duty scissors (bristles are quite tough) and cut down the centre of glue line.
Release the clamps and lollipop sticks and you should end up with two row of thatch like so:
These can then be cut to length and applied to a hut roof in layers producing a much more natural rough rush thatch.
So, one hut done, six more buildings to go.
Daishō - Skirmish Wargaming in Mystical Japan 
Brilliant. Looks really good! What did you use for the brush? Doesn’t look like a paint brush – looks more like a whisk brush or similar.
Kevin, I bought a cheap floor brush, the one with natural bristles, from a pound shop (USA – Dollar Store). These bristles can also be used for producing clumps of reed, tall grass etc.
Thanks. I’ll have to keep an eye out for something similar, here in the “Colonies!” 😉 (ie: Canada)
That is a brilliant idea! I may need to try that on 15mm buildings!