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Reversed fly stitch icon
Reversed fly stitch

Reversed fly stitch main image

This stitch consists of two interlocking fly stitches: one is stitched as a V or Y and the second is rotated 180 degrees and stitched over the top.  This results in an intricate isolated stitch which can be used as an open filling or joined into lines.

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Looped Isolated Border Powdered filling Surface

Reversed fly stitch is generously sponsored by Wendy Sysouphat

Method

This example works the stitches in a row, but they can also be worked in a vertical line, or as isolated stitches.

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Reversed fly stitch method stage 1 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Bring your needle up at the left end of the bottom guide line and take it down a short distance to the right.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 2 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Leave a loop on the surface and bring up your needle inside it to form an upside down V shape.  Tighten the loop against your needle.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 3 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Take your needle down immediately outside of the V to anchor your stitch.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 4 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Bring your needle up on the top guide line, immediately above the start of your first stitch.  Take it down on the same guide line immediately above the end of your first stitch.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 5 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

Leave a loop on the surface and bring up your needle inside it to form a V shape.  Tighten the loop against your needle.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 6 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

Take your needle down immediately outside of the V to anchor your stitch.  This completes your first reversed fly stitch.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 7 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 7 photograph
7

Bring your needle up on the bottom guide line, slightly to the right of your previous stitch.

Reversed fly stitch method stage 8 illustration
Reversed fly stitch method stage 8 photograph
8

Repeat the steps above to form a row of stitches.

Reversed fly stitch

Structure of stitch

Looped Isolated

Common uses

Border Powdered filling

Embroidery Techniques

Surface

Related Stitches

Fly stitch

References

  • Mary Thomas, Jan Eaton, Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches (Revised Edition) (1989) , p.76
  • Sarah Whittle, The Needlecraft Stitch Directory (2012)