2 Stitches You Need to Know: Whip and Fell Stitch

The whip stitch and the fell stitch are two related stitches that can be used in a variety of situations. They are seen often in historical sewing through the centuries from the viking age to the German Renaissance and beyond. Learn the alternate names, characteristic and uses, as well as how to do them in this short and and to the point video.
0:00 Intro and Overview
0:29 All about the Whip Stitch
1:11 All About the Fell stitch
2:20 How to do the Whip Stitch
3:29 How to Use the Whip Stich to Overcast and edge to prevent Fraying
4:29 How to Do the Fell Stitch
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Music From Epidemic Sound

[@hdubbs9174]

I think these two stitches are easy to confuse, because you "fell seams" but are actually doing a whip stitch, but a lot of tutorials mistakenly call it a fell stitch. Thanks for clarifying the two stitches and demonstrating them so clearly.

[@argries]

I tend to get really lost in the weeds with stitch tutorials, but this was extraordinarily easy to follow!! Thank you so much!! :)

[@944gemma]

I just totally love hand stitching. That includes knitting and appliqué and embroidery. It’s relaxing and comforting and self satisfying. I just flat out love it.

[@bjoernbuck7173]

Wonderful video! Precise, concise, great narration and clear shots. And haunting background tune. Thank you for this! :D

[@konnii1]

Thank you, you are a saint

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Thank you! That is high praise, indeed!

[@khazermashkes2316]

Very helpful for felling the seam on my hat!

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Glad it helped!

[@luukbach8729]

Thank you for the instruction! It really helped me out!

[@amandacaldwell7066]

Brand new sub here, I just want to say thank you so much for making this video, I recently decided to take up hand sewing and just got started in the last week being able to sit down and get some practice stitches in. The first few I had landed on to practice are a running, combination/running backstitch, the backstitch, and the whip stitch. The first few times I tried doing the latter, I just COULD NOT get the hang of it at all and all my stitches looked like hot steaming garbage. So I took to the youtubes to see if I could find a video that explained and showed the process better, and I landed here. This has been sooooooooooo helpful and even in just a few days my whip stitch quality got a lot better. I even decided to give the fell stitch a go and somehow managed to have a better knack for that one from the get go 🤷‍♀️. I can't wait to see what is coming here in this space, you're great at explaining things and you have AMAZING hair. Have a fantastic day!

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Yessss!!! So glad you found it helpful. It is so interesting how some stitches just come more naturally than others. I also tend to favor the fell stitch, but the running stitch is my nemesis!

[@GrumpyKitten375]

Thank you for explaining these techniques. You have such helpful advice to sort through all the overlapping and confusing terms.

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Thank you. I'm glad you find it helpful!

[@mikesrandomchannel]

Beautifully clear and easy to follow. Wish more videos on YT were at this standard 👍

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Thank you kindly!

[@naomialexander]

You’re so underrated!! I’m so glad I found this😭😭

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Glad you like it!

[@johannageisel5390]

Thank you! I've been wondering about this for a while now.

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

So glad you found it useful!

[@joshicus_saint_anger]

Thank you so much for these videos! I've combed through tons of channels but yours is the first that got down into the details enough to give me the confidence to order up some basic supplies and get started. I can't wait to begin learning for real!

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

I love that!

[@sakka0]

Omg this came just at the right time! I could NOT figure out what the heck the "appliqué stitch" was in reference to attaching skirts to a 1780s bodice and could tell it was related to the whip until I tracked down that it was also called a fell stitch. Thank you for the clear instruction and comparison between the two! 🤩

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Yes! I love reading comments like this! That is why I do videos like this. Years of frustration and being lost in the names of stitches! So glad you found it helpful

[@sakka0]

@@ThimbleAndPlume thank you - I’m loving your other videos too! Subscribed! 😄

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

@@sakka0 Thank you! And welcome!

[@jungefrau]

Great tutorials!

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Thanks!

[@Mamasofian]

Great tutorial but can we use these stitches in our daily clothes substitute the sewing machine ? I read that these stitches by hand always used in haut couture till today .but don know ifff home sewers still do .love your channel.

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Yes! Absolutely. With these two stitches, a backstitch, and a running stitch...you can sewm many, many things. I have sewn many garments by hand. It takes longer, but it can definitely be done

[@Tribblejuice]

i love your lipstick color. what is it called? So pretty!

[@barefacedquestions]

I'm always confused by the felling stitch and whip stitch. So the main difference is in with the whip stitch, the needle goes from the ground layer through the top layer perpendicular to the fold? While the fell stitch is travelling diagonally?

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

exactly. Its all in how you hold your needle. Whip has the needle held perpendicular, so the stitch ends up slanted. Fell holds the needle diagonal and ends up with a perpendicular stitch.

[@barefacedquestions]

What's the difference between the fell stitch and the slip stitch? They look very identical to me, so I wonder if the difference is just in the application? Slip stich is for hem while fell stitch is usually for attaching lining or applique.

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

The slip stitch goes into the fold, then straight across and into the other fold. This joins the two folds together and creates a ladder (hence why it is also called a ladder stitch). Fell stitch connects a fabric on top of another. It takes a bite out of the fabric just past the fold on one fabric, then straight accross to the fabric below, then travels diagonally across to the top fabric again,. so it forms a half zig zag. But, they do look very similar to work.

[@barefacedquestions]

So whip stitch is the best option if I want to hem pants?

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Yes, that's what I prefer for most hemming.

[@philiprayner1772]

is the wip stitch similare to the blanket stitch

[@ThimbleAndPlume]

Kinda...but there with the blanket stitch, you go through the stitch to hold it in place before you pull it tight. I do have a video about how to do the blanket stitch here kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaCXh4iQZ9qfkJI