Whip or lace an outline

Add a second thread around or through the foundation stitches without repeatedly piercing the ground. Direction of threading determines the surface pattern.

Before you start

Prepare a small offcut of the intended ground with the intended needle and thread. Mark the practice area lightly and support the fabric without stretching its grain.

Try this example

Make two identical running-stitch lines. Whip one consistently in a single direction and lace the other alternately; use a blunt needle and avoid splitting the foundation.

Check your result

• Release the frame and inspect front and reverse. The thread should lie as intended without distorting the ground; shorten a stitch or change the sample before pulling harder.
• Coverage and tension depend on the actual ground, thread and stitch length. A diagram shows the route, not a universal thread quantity or tension setting.

Sources

• rsnstitchbank.org: whipped
• rsnstitchbank.org: running stitch

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