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

  6. Hi Sharon….a smidge late getting it posted, but I have loaded two pics of some fly stitch variations! They don't begin to compare to what others have done though! I'm going to have to really bring out the creative cells for this!! 🙂

    Leslie Ehrlich

  11. I've finally finished my week one work and posted it to my blog. When I signed up for TAST, I thought I'd be using my main blog, ArtiphyTheHeart. But as time went on, the more I thought about it, I decided that I would love to have a separate blog for embroidery and fiber arts, and ArtiPhybers was born. I just uploaded my first post to ArtiPhybers, and it's all about TAST week one. I'm sure that you have more than enough work just keeping up with us Sharon, so I won't ask you to change my TAST link from ArtiphyTheHeart to ArtiPhybers unless this is something you want to do and it won't cause trouble. Just to be sure everyone can find my TAST posts, I'll put a featured post at the top of ArtipyTheHeart, directing TAST participants to ArtiPhybers. Sorry if this causes confusion, but I felt so strongly that this new blog had to be born, and sometimes babies don't come on time.

    Here's a link to the static page of my first TAST post: http://artiphytheheart.typepad.com/artiphybers/2012/01/the-first-post.html

    Now I'm off to see what's been added since my last look at TAST blogs, and to stitch week 2.

    Barbara Hagerty

  17. I have added photos of Fly stitch to my page, and also on the Flicker site. It is so good to have this incentive to stitching and learning, and gaining inspiration from all the wonderful examples being worked.

    shirley bligh

  34. I have absolutely loved seeing everyone's work this week! There are some SERIOUSLY talented folks here and I keep marveling at the beauty one can make with needle and thread.

    I'm late getting this in, but here is the link to my fly stitch work this week:

    http://kidsbyhand.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/tast-week-1/

    My 8 yr old daughter won't let me photograph hers yet as she isn't finished, but hopefully I'll get hers posted soon too!

    Andi

    Andi

  38. H, Sharon!! Thanks a ton for TAST.. I regreted that i quit my job but u came as a blessings for my life as i always wanted to learn embroidery..I could never imagine , this stitch could be used so beautifully… wd love to try this as a beginner.

    coolcheeks

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