Difficulty:
| This stitch is best for: Delicate designs
The Fly Stitch is a simple and versatile embroidery stitch that can be used for creating various decorative effects. It is particularly useful for creating leaf shapes, flowers, and other organic designs. The stitch can be used for both filling in spaces and outlining shapes. The resulting stitch resembles a V or Y shape, depending on the length of the securing stitch. The basic Fly Stitch can be modified into a variety of different stitches by varying the space between the stitches or the orientation of the “V” or “Y” shape.
How to do the Fly Stitch
- Start the stitch: Bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point of the stitch.
- Stitch forwards: Take the needle back down through the fabric one stitch length away from the starting point, about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) or less. Hold the thread with your non-dominant hand, making sure the thread is not pulled too tightly.
- Secure the stitch: Bring the needle up through the fabric, but this time, bring it up at the midway point below the previous two stitches, as if making a triangle with your points. Bring your needle down over the thread, making sure the thread on the fabric is caught by your securing stitch. You can vary the length of this securing stitch to create your “V” or “Y” shape. The longer the securing stitch, the longer the “tail” of the stitch.
- Repeat steps 2-3 to create additional Fly Stitches along your design.
- End the stitch: Bring the needle down through the fabric at the end of the last stitch and tie a knot on the backside of the fabric to secure the thread.
Tips
- Vary the length and spacing of the stitches to create different effects.
- Experiment with using different colors of embroidery floss to create interesting color combinations.
- The Fly Stitch can be used to create a variety of shapes, including leaves, flowers, and even small insects.
- The stitch works well when combined with other embroidery stitches to create complex designs.