The whipstitch is a hand-sewing stitch that is used for English Paper piecing and to join fabrics for appliqué and closing openings, like sewing the opening to a stuffed animal.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to join two hexies for English Paper piecing.
How to Whipstitch Step-by-Step Tutorial
The whipstitch is the common stitch used to sew English Paper piecing elements together.
Use it for hexies, diamonds, octagons, honeycombs and more!
Also, the whipstitch is used for appliqué and closing openings like on a stuff animal.
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See our article on English Paper Piecing for Beginners.
Materials
- Prepared English Paper pieces
- Coordinating thread, I prefer a silk thread
Tools
- Small eyed needle, I prefer an appliqué needle
- Embroidery scissors
Instructions
- Start by gathering your scissors, needle with thread and your prepared English Paper pieces. For this tutorial I'm using red polyester thread, so that you'll be able to see my stitching and stitches. I prefer to use silk thread that is thinner and strong, but would be more difficult to see in this tutorial. My thread has been knotted on the end using the Quilters Knot method.
- Take two of your prepared English Paper pieces and place them right sides together, lining up the edges that you want to sew.
- To start the whipstitch, place your needle in the corners, catching only the threads, not sewing through the paper template.
- Pull your thread to secure the corners. Take the next stitch by placing your needle straight through along the folded edge, again only picking up a few threads from both fabrics about 1/16 inch from the corner. See how the needle is straight?
- Keep taking stitches about 1/16 inches apart across the folded edges. Try to only pick up threads from the fabrics and not stitch through the paper. This will make it easier when it is time to remove the paper.
- When you get to the corner, place your needle in both corners and leave a loop.
- Take your needle and thread through the loop TWICE.
- Pull your thread tight to secure the knot. Then take one more stitch to secure the knot in the fabric.
- Trim your thread on the back of your work.
- And, enjoy your whipstitched hexies!
- Here is what they look like from the front.
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Here is a YouTube video that shows you how to Whipstitch:
What thread should I use to hand sew the whipstitch?
You can use any type of threads. In the tutorial above, I used a regular polyester thread and you can barely see the stitches. I wanted to use a contrasting color and thicker thread so it would be easier to see.
When I whipstitch my English Paper Pieces together, I like to use a silk thread – which is very thin and strong. Here are the two threads side-by-side and you can visually see the difference in the thickness of the threads.
Where can I use the whipstitch?
The whipstitch is not only used for English Paper Piecing. It is also used for appliqué – especially when doing wool felt appliqué. Sometimes it is used to hand-stitch hems. I like to use it to hand-stitch closing openings, such as when making stuffed animals or plushies.
And, it is a great way to sew crochet squares together – the same stitch but yarn is used instead of thread. This is one of the basic crochet stitches. When using the whipstitch for crochet, use a tapestry needle. Whip stitching through the back loops provides a great way to connect your crocheted pieces.
Check out our Beginner’s Guide to English Paper Piecing.