Outline stitches · Beginner
Whipped back stitch
Whipped back stitch is a row of back stitch with a second thread wrapped around it. The wrapping thread slides under each stitch without going through the fabric, and turns the flat, jointed line into a smooth, raised cord.
How to work it
Work a row of back stitch
Stitch the whole line in back stitch first. Make the stitches equal and not too small, so a needle can slide under each one.
Bring up a second thread at the start
Thread a blunt needle with the whipping thread. Bring it up at A, in the hole at the start of the row. Whipping is shown here worked from right to left.
Slide the needle under the first stitch
Pass the needle under the first back stitch from the top side of the line to the bottom. Go between the stitch and the fabric. Do not pick up any fabric.
Whip the next stitch the same way
Pull the thread through until it wraps snugly around the stitch. Then slide the needle under the next stitch, from top to bottom again.
Wrap every stitch, then go down
Whip each stitch in turn, always in the same direction. After the last one, take the needle down at B, in the hole at the end of the row, and fasten off.
At a glance
- Also called
- whipped backstitch
- Used for
- smooth outlines; small lettering; stems and leaf veins; two-color lines; borders
- Thread
- Any weight works for both threads. One strand of floss for the back stitch and one for the whipping makes a very delicate line for small lettering. Pearl cotton makes a heavier line.
- Needle
- An embroidery (crewel) needle for the back stitch. A blunt tapestry needle for the whipping thread.
Tips
- Use a tapestry needle for the whipping thread. Its blunt tip slides under the stitches without splitting them or catching the fabric.
- If you do not have a tapestry needle, pass your embroidery needle under the stitches eye first.
- Always go under the stitches from the same side, and keep working in the same direction along the line. Changing either one changes the look of the line.
- Use the same color for a solid, rope-like line. Use a second color for a two-color line.
When it goes wrong
- The needle catches the fabric or splits a back stitch
- Switch to a blunt tapestry needle, or lead with the eye of the needle. Slightly longer back stitches also leave more room.
- The twist changes direction partway along
- One wrap went under from the other side. Unwrap back to it and pass the needle from top to bottom every time.
Left-handed
Whip from left to right and mirror the diagrams. Keep passing the needle under the stitches from the same side each time.
Variations
- Whipped running stitch. The same wrapping worked over a row of running stitch.
- Threaded back stitch. The second thread goes under one stitch from above and under the next from below, which makes a wavy line.
- Whipped stem stitch. Stem stitch wrapped in the same way, for a fuller, rope-like line.
- Whipped chain stitch. Chain stitch wrapped in the same way.
Patterns that use it
Questions
- What is whipped back stitch used for?
- It is used wherever you want a smooth, slightly raised line: outlines, stems and small lettering.
- What does whipping mean in embroidery?
- Whipping means passing a second thread around stitches that are already there, without picking up the fabric. Whipped back stitch is a row of back stitch finished that way.
- Does the whipping thread go through the fabric?
- Only twice: once where it comes up at the start of the row and once where it goes down at the end. In between it passes under the back stitches only.
- What is the difference between whipped back stitch and stem stitch?
- They look alike, since both make a rope-like line. Stem stitch is worked in one pass with one thread. Whipped back stitch takes two passes, can use two colors and is a little finer.