How to Do a Whip Stitch: An Easy Guide for Kids

Two felt shapes are lined up, the needle is threaded, and the stuffing is waiting in a bag. Now the edges need to come together, and your child wants to know which way the needle goes.

For a lot of kids, the answer is a whip stitch. It is one of the easiest hand stitches to learn because every stitch is the same move, in the same direction, over and over. Once the rhythm clicks, a child can close a small felt shape without much help.

Quick Answer

To do a whip stitch, hold two pieces of fabric together with their edges lined up. Then:

1. Start hidden. Bring the knotted thread up from between the two layers so the knot stays inside.
2. Go over the edge. Take the thread over the top of both edges to the back.
3. Push through from back to front, a little way along and a little way in from the edge, through both layers.
4. Pull snug and repeat, always pushing the needle the same way, so the thread wraps around the edge in neat slanted stitches.
5. Tie off with a small knot and tuck the tail between the layers.

The rule that matters most: the needle always goes in on the same side, so the thread wraps over the edge instead of weaving in and out.

Table of Contents

• What a whip stitch is, and when to use it
• What you need
• How to do a whip stitch, step by step
• Closing a stuffed felt shape
• Common problems and easy fixes
• Using a whip stitch with our sewing kits
• Safety at the sewing table
• Frequently asked questions
• Try it on felt

What a whip stitch is, and when to use it

A whip stitch is a hand stitch that wraps the thread around the outside edge of the fabric. From the front it looks like a row of small diagonal lines running along the edge. It joins two edges side by side, which is why it shows up so often on felt plush and ornaments.

Felt suits it well: the edges don't fray, so the stitches can sit right on the edge.

Here is how it compares with the two stitches kids usually meet first:

Stitch	What the needle does	What it looks like	Good for
Whip stitch	Wraps over the edge, going in on the same side every time	Slanted stitches that hug the edge	Joining two edges, closing a stuffing opening
Running stitch	Goes down and up along a line	Dashes with gaps between them	Simple seams, outlines, a child's very first stitch
Back stitch	Steps back into the end of the last stitch each time	A solid line with no gaps	Stronger seams and lines that show

For a wider look at first stitches, our guide to hand sewing for kids walks through four of them side by side.

What you need

• Two pieces of felt cut to the same shape. A simple circle, heart or square is easiest to start with.
• A needle with a large eye. A plastic needle or a blunt tapestry needle works well for younger kids.
• Embroidery floss or yarn in a color that stands out against the felt, so your child can see each stitch.
• Stuffing, if you are making a little plush.
• Scissors, kept with the adult.

Cut a length of thread about as long as your child's arm; longer thread tangles. If threading the needle is the sticking point, our post on how to thread a needle for beginners covers three easy methods and how to tie the starting knot.

How to do a whip stitch, step by step

1. Line up the edges

Stack the two pieces so the edges match all the way around. Younger kids can pinch them together with their other hand.

2. Hide the starting knot

Slip the needle between the two layers and push it out through the front piece only, close to the edge. Pull until the knot catches. It is now hidden inside, where it won't show on the finished piece.

3. Take the thread over the edge

Bring the thread up and over the top of both edges, so it lies across the edge toward the back.

4. Push through from back to front

Move a little way along the edge. Push the needle through the back piece, then the front piece, and pull it out on the front. Keep the needle a small, even distance in from the edge. This is the move your child will repeat for the whole edge.

5. Pull snug, then repeat

Pull the thread until it lies flat against the edge, then stop. Go over the edge again, back to front again, a little farther along. A helpful phrase for kids is "over the top, in at the back."

6. Tie off

When you reach the end, or the thread is getting short, make a small knot close to the felt. Push the needle back between the layers and out a short way off, then trim the tail so it disappears inside. If the thread runs out partway, tie off and start a new length hidden between the layers.

Closing a stuffed felt shape

The whip stitch earns its place at the very end of a plush project, when the shape is stuffed and one gap is left open.

1. Stop sewing a few stitches before you meet the start, leaving an opening wide enough for two fingers.
2. Stuff in small pieces. Push them into the far corners first with a finger or the blunt end of a pencil, then fill the middle.
3. Pinch the opening closed so the edges line up again.
4. Whip stitch across the gap, keeping the stitches a little closer together here so the stuffing stays in.
5. Tie off and hide the tail inside the plush.

If the edges won't meet, take a little stuffing back out. Looking for a first plush idea? Our easy felt crafts for kids include a few small sewing projects, and a felt finger puppet is a quick way to practice without any stuffing at all.

Common problems and easy fixes

The edge is bunching up

The thread is being pulled too tight. Ask your child to pull until the thread lies flat on the felt, then let go.

It looks like a running stitch instead

The needle has started switching sides. Point to the back piece and say, "Always in here."

The stitches are different sizes

That is normal for a first try, and it still holds. Aim each new stitch the same gap from the last. On felt with pre‑punched holes, the holes set the spacing for you.

Using a whip stitch with our sewing kits

A straight answer first: the instruction booklets in our sewing kits teach other stitches, not the whip stitch. The booklet in the Bunny & Friends Sewing Kit teaches how to start a thread and the back stitch, and the Fairytale Sewing Kit booklet also uses the back stitch. The new North Pole Workshop Sewing Kit booklet teaches the running stitch, the back stitch, tying on and tying off.

So the best order is to follow the booklet for the first project, since that is the stitch the steps are written around. Then, once your child is comfortable, the whip stitch is a good second stitch to try. It joins the same kind of felt edges, so a child can compare how each one looks and choose a favorite.

Each kit holds several small projects of the same kind, which makes it easy to practice a stitch a few times in a row. The North Pole Workshop kit has eight felt characters to sew, plus a no‑sew felt tree and a fold‑and‑build workshop playset.

Safety at the sewing table

• Match the needle to the child. Younger kids do well with plastic or blunt needles. Sharp metal needles need closer adult supervision.
• Give the needle a home. A pincushion, a scrap of felt or a small lidded tin keeps it off the table, the couch and the floor. Count needles at the end of the session.
• An adult handles the scissors for younger makers, including trimming thread.
• Stuffing, small felt pieces and stickers are choking hazards for children under 3. Keep them closed up and out of reach when a younger sibling or a pet is around.
• Keep thread away from necks. Don't drape loose thread around a neck or wrap it tightly around a finger to hold it.

Frequently asked questions

What is a whip stitch used for?

Joining two edges side by side, especially on felt. Kids use it to sew plush toys, ornaments, finger puppets and small pouches, and to close the stuffing opening at the end of a project.

What age can kids learn a whip stitch?

Many kids around 5 and up can try it with felt, a plastic needle and an adult nearby. Older kids can usually manage a whole edge on their own. Every child is different, so let the first project be small and see how it goes.

What is the difference between a whip stitch and a blanket stitch?

Both wrap around an edge. A whip stitch simply goes over and back through, while a blanket stitch catches the thread in a loop each time, leaving a straight line of thread along the rim. The whip stitch is simpler to learn first.

What should my child try after the whip stitch?

A small project that uses it from start to finish, like a felt ornament or a little plush. Our list of beginner‑friendly sewing projects for kids has more ideas, and Christmas ornaments kids can make includes felt ornaments that suit this stitch.

Try it on felt

Line up the edges, hide the knot, go over the top and in at the back, pull snug, and tie off. The first row may wander a little, and it will still hold a felt shape together.

Prefer to start with felt that is already cut? The North Pole Workshop Sewing Kit comes with pre‑cut felt for eight holiday characters and a tree, plastic needles, thread, stuffing and an illustrated booklet. You can find our other kits in the Sew and Play collection.