Stitch Your Dogby Make It Yours

Stitch guide · Texture and details

How to do a fly stitch

Fly stitch is a straight stitch pulled down into a V shape by a small anchoring stitch at the point. Make the anchoring stitch longer and the V becomes a Y. Use it for leaves, grass, feathery texture and little tufts. Rows of fly stitches stacked together make fern-like fills.

  • Level Easy

Use it in a pet portrait for…

  • Fluffy tufts on the chest or at the tips of the ears.
  • Grass under your dog's paws, or a leafy wreath around the hoop.
  • Feathery fur on a long-haired dog's tail or legs.

How to do it, step by step

Fly stitch: where the needle goesUp at 1, then down at 2, leaving a loop. Come up at 3, inside the loop, pull it into a V and anchor it at 4. On the right: a longer anchoring stitch makes a Y.1234

Up at 1, then down at 2, leaving a loop. Come up at 3, inside the loop, pull it into a V and anchor it at 4. On the right: a longer anchoring stitch makes a Y.

Odd numbers: come up from the back Even numbers: go down

  1. Come up at the top left of the V.
  2. Go down at the top right, level with where you came up. Don't pull it tight: leave a loop.
  3. Come up at the point of the V, halfway between the first two holes and below them, inside the loop.
  4. Pull gently until the loop closes into a V around the thread.
  5. Go down just below the point to make a small anchoring stitch. Make it longer if you want a Y.
  6. For a fern or a leaf, stack fly stitches one under another.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

A lopsided V.
Come up at the point exactly halfway between the two top holes.
The V pulls flat.
Ease off the tension before you anchor it.
The anchor pulls out.
Go down a little below the point, not in the same hole you came up through.

How many strands?

Two strands for most things, or one for delicate grass and fur tips.

Embroidery floss comes as six thin strands twisted together. Cut a length from your fingertips to your elbow, pull out the strands you need one at a time, and lay them back together (DMC’s guide to stranded floss).

Questions people ask

What's the difference between fly stitch and lazy daisy?

Fly stitch is an open V. A lazy daisy is a closed loop. Both are held down with one small stitch.

How do I turn a fly stitch into a Y?

Make the anchoring stitch longer. The longer it is, the longer the tail of the Y.

What is fly stitch used for?

Leaves, grass, borders, feathery texture and filling shapes with stacked rows of V's.

Sources: Royal School of Needlework Stitch Bank: Fly stitch