Oh, the Fly Stitch! It can be birds in the air, a long curly vine, a lovely leaf or a decorative fill stitch – and it’s easy! This stitch is a hand embroidery stitch some know as the Tied Stitch or Y Stitch. You can work it singularly, in rows or scattered as a filling. It is a useful and versatile stitch used for borders, filling, powdering and representing plant forms. When you combine the stitch with other stitches, like a French Knot, or add beads – you’ll find this is one of the most versatile hand embroidery stitches.
What is the fly stitch used for?
Use this stitch for surface stitching lines as the attached fly stitch, or fill design using the detached fly stitch that looks like a V. Stitch it in decorative stitching designs or as embellishments on clothing or accessories. Use this stitch as a stem stitch where the wings look like leaves and top with a detached lazy daisy stitch, as a flower! Or, top each of the wings with a French Knot as small flowers. Most of all, have fun stitching!
This stitch is also used quite a bit on crazy quilting projects, bring attention to seam lines on a garment, as well as use this stitch to depict branches and stems on an embroidery project or art quilt.
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Fly Stitch Embroidery Tutorial
The fly stitch is very versatile and can be used as a line stitch or detached as a "V-stitch".
Materials
- Fabric to embroider
- Embroidery thread or floss
Tools
- Embroidery needle appropriate for the thread or floss you are using
- Embroidery scissors
- Embroidery hoop, optional but recommended
Instructions
- To begin, hoop your fabric and thread your needle. I like to use a hoop, as it help keep your fabric taut, which results in more even stitching. It may be a little difficult when you begin, but once you start using a hoop, it's hard to embroider without one!
The fly stitch is worked top to bottom and left to right. You'll want to bring your needle up in the upper left hand corner of your stitching line (A), take it down at the upper right hand corner of your stitching line (B) and back up at the base of the first 'fly' (C). This is your first fly!
- We'll be making the attached fly stitch first. So now we need to make a 'leg' by placing the needle down at D. To make the second fly, bring the needle up at E.
- Now we'll do the second wing on the second fly stitch by taking your needle down at F and back up at D.
- Make the next leg by needle down at G, wing by bringing up at H and down at I.
- Continue with this same stitch repeat for the length of your stitch. You can vary the width of the 'wings' and 'legs', which changes the look of the stitch.
- And, another wing stitch.
- When you get to the end of your line, just take a small stitch over the loop to secure the final wing.
- Here is the final attached wing stitch!
- A detached wing stitch is very similar, but no legs and not attached. Start by bringing your needle up at A, down at B and looping around when you come up at C.
- Take a small stitch over the loop, like we did to finish off the attached fly stitch, and you are done!
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Below is a sampler that shows how this stitch can look with different threads and weights.
- Row 1: Pearl cotton size 12
- Row 2: Pearl cotton size 8
- Row 3: Pearl cotton size 5
- Row 4: Pearl cotton variegated size 3
- Row 5: Pearl cotton variegated size 8
- Row 6: 6 strand embroidery floss
Another small sampler that shows two ways to do this stitch – in a row and detached.
Check out all of the embroidery projects and inspiration on Create Whimsy!
