The fly stitch is a basic embroidery stitch that, when worked horizontally along a line, creates a scalloped line of stitches. You can also work the fly stitch vertically, and you can even work it as an isolated stitch, to use as leaves, foliage, scattered filling, and so forth. So it’s a versatile stitch, and an easy one!
In the photo above, the fly stitch is worked in bright blue (stranded embroidery floss), and the two rows of fly stitch are arranged so that they mirror each other. You can see that this can create the foundation for a nice border or for a seam treatment in crazy quilting. You can further embellish the line with French knots or daisy stitches, or other combinations of stitches.
You can also play around with the way you mirror the lines of fly stitch, by mirroring at the anchor stitches, or by alternating the mirroring from line to line, to create a diamond filling pattern.
So there’s lots you can do with the fly stitch – it’s worth learning!
Here’s the video:
If you’d like to practice more hand embroidery stitches, feel free to visit my collection of embroidery how-to videos here on Needle ‘n Thread!
I just want to say thank you for doing this page with the stitch videos….My aunt showed me a few stitches to get me started a few months ago. and you guessed it…I forgot just how she did them. So I was looking for information on stitches and indeed looked at several, but when I arrived here the search was over.I will buy any material I need right here also. You have wonderful talent obviously…especially if you want to teach. once again thank you for this more than wonderful idea.
Your instructional videos are “the best”. Whenever I’m not sure of a stitch, I go to your website and it’s right there. Thank you so much for making this available to all of us just getting started in the great world of hand embroidery.
Cass