Fly Stitch

Fly Stitch

Hand embroidery stitches / Stitch Dictionary
Fly stitch sample 9

Fly stitch is a simple stitch that you can use for many things, such as in the sample above. In this piece of contemporary embroidery, I worked fly stitch in stranded cotton floss, perle #8 cotton, perle #12 cotton over layers of chiffon and net to produce a watery effect.

Fly stitch sample 2

This is a more traditional example of fly stitch. In the foliage of this floral motif, I stacked the stitches to create leaves. You start small and work to a larger fly stitch. In this sample, I used a dark green wool, one strand of light green cotton floss and a green metallic machine embroidery thread. I threaded a needle with all three threads and proceeded to work fly stitches close together in leaf-like shapes.

Fly stitch sample 4

Here, I used fly stitch to represent the leaves of a rose bud. I worked it in cotton perle #5, and the bud itself —which is made up of two bullion knots —is worked in a hand-dyed silk that is about the same thickness as cotton perle #8.

Fly stitch sample 5

On this sample, I have used the same technique to secure a strip of lace on a crazy quilt project. This time, however, I worked the bullion buds in wool, and the fly stitch is cotton perle #5.

Fly stitch sample

Not only can you use it in foliage and floral motifs, you can also repeat the stitch to create geometric patterns. This is fly stitch worked using wool and overlapping herringbone also worked in a wool thread.

Fly stitch sample6

This is a very versatile stitch. In this case, the ties of the fly stitch are not straight stitches, but detached chain stitches. Of course, this means it is no longer fly stitch, but a variation, though it is an attractive variation to explore and play with. In this sample, I used it to secure a braid to a piece of crazy quilting, and I worked itin hand-dyed rayon thread.

How to work Fly Stitch

Fly stitch step by step 1

Bring the thread up through the fabric at the top left of where you want to create the stitch. Hold the thread down with your left thumb and insert the needle to the right and level with where the thread emerged. Make a stitch on a downward angle so that the needle emerges between the two points as illustrated.

Fly stitch step by step 2

With the thread wrapped under the needle, pull it through the fabric. Secure the ‘V’ in position with a small vertical straight stitch.

Fly stitch sample 8

This is another contemporary interpretation of the stitch. On this sample, I used knitting yarn, novelty yarn (that’s the hairy stuff), stranded cotton floss, perle #5 cotton, and wool.

Fly stitch sample 7

Here, I used fly stitch for the stems of little floral elements on a patch in a crazy quilted block.

Fly stitch is also known as ‘Y’ stitch, and ‘open-loop’ stitch.

Have you seen my Stitchers Templates?

Templates

Create your own designs with Sharon’s easy-to-use stitchers templates. Combine shapes to create hundreds of patterns and designs to embroider. It is the ultimate mix-and-match fun for stitchers of all skill levels. I created them to be as versatile as possible. I include four multi-patterned templates in each set. You will find them easy to use, totally clear to help you position them on your work, and they are nice and compact to fit in your sewing box. Each set comes with an e-book filled with patterns and designs that you can create and use as a jumping-off spot for your own designs. They are available now in our shop here!

Happy stitching!

228 Comments

  30. I made a header for the sampler I decided to make this time – as I have lots of bits and pieces in folders for the previous TAST challenges, and then I enjoyed exploring Week 1 Fly Stitch using Perle 5 thread which I think has come up a bit chunky on the narrow sampler.
    The 2007 piece has been added too. Connie.
    January 6, 2012 | konnykards

    konnykards

  34. I had such fun with the fly stitch. I never imagined how versatile just one stitch could be! You can find my project here:
    http://stitchinfingers.ning.com/photo/tast-sample-of-fly-stitch?context=album&albumId=2105845%3AAlbum%3A375756

    It grew into something more complex than I had imagined and now I'm not sure how I will incorporate it into some kind of sampler or journal. Probably as a patch of some kind because I did not plan it out and ran into some problems with finishing the edges and such.

    TeriK

  37. Bonsoir à toutes et merci à Sharon d'avoir organisé ce challenge. Le jour je travaille alors je brode le soir. Voilà enfin mon TAST W1 terminé après 2 soirées de "travail". Vous pouvez y jeter un oeil ici : http://j-en-revais.blogspot.com/2012/01/tast-1.html

    Hi everybody and thanks a lot to Sharon who organized this challenge. Cause I'm working all day, I can stitch only on evening. It's why I needed 2 days to succeed this first part of the challenge. Here can you see it : http://j-en-revais.blogspot.com/2012/01/tast-1.html

    celle qui rêve

  39. I love fly stitch. I have re-visited a piece that I started in your Sumptuous Surfaces class a long time ago Sharon and added more to it. My real piece will be later as I have just been making some embellished backgrounds to use. Thanks for starting us off on an exciting 2012
    Maggi
    http://maggi21.wordpress.com

    Maggi

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