# [Whip or lace an outline](https://threadcabin.com/explore/283/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.

- Canonical page: https://threadcabin.com/explore/283/whip-or-lace-an-outline
- Language: en
- Published: 2026-09-25T17:26:34.5172354+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-25T17:26:39.3980886+00:00
- Craft: Embroidery
- Primary image: [Illustration: A line of simple backstitch transformed by a contrasting thread whipped around each stitch, beside a loosely laced outline.](https://threadcabin.com/images/explore/focused/whipped-outline.jpg)

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](https://rsnstitchbank.org/structure/whipped)
- [rsnstitchbank.org: running stitch](https://rsnstitchbank.org/stitch/running-stitch)

[Browse editable craft templates](/crafts?craft=embroidery)

[Report a correction](/corrections).

## Sources and provenance

- [Running, back, and stem stitch: compare the thread path](https://threadcabin.com/explore/13/running-back-and-stem-stitch-compare-the-thread-path)
- [Choose backstitch for a clear line](https://threadcabin.com/explore/277/choose-backstitch-for-a-clear-line)