A whip stitch is a hand stitch worked over the edge of two pieces of fabricFabric is the outer surface of a puppet — the skin, the cl... More, and on fleeceFleece is the knit fabric used as the outer skin on most mod... More it is the stitch that makes a puppet’s seams disappear.
How it is worked
The needle passes through both edges at a slight angle, wraps over the top of the seam, and enters again a short distance along. The thread spirals over the edge rather than running through the flat of the fabric. Small stitches, evenly spaced, with just enough tension to draw the edges together without gathering them.
Why it vanishes on fleece
As the thread pulls over the edge it drags pile from both sides across the seam. The fibres close over the stitch line and hide it. This is why puppet builders obsess over dense-pile fleece — the fabric does half the work, but the stitch is what triggers it.
Where it is used
Closing the fleece skin around a finished head, which is almost always hand work because it has to be done in place on a three-dimensional form. Attaching features. Any seam a machine cannot reach.
Thread
Match the fleece as closely as you can and use something strong — upholstery or button thread rather than standard cotton. A seam that has to survive years of handling should not be the weakest part of the build.
Tension is the whole skill
Too loose and the seam gaps under stretch. Too tight and the fabric puckers into a visible ridge, which is worse than a visible stitch.
The hack: after sewing, brush the seam with a stiff brush or a pet slicker. It lifts trapped pile out of the stitch line and closes the last of the gap.