Blanket Stitch
for Hand Embroidery

The blanket stitch is very simple, but decorative edging stitch. It is also used to secure appliques, or just to add that crafty look to just about any edge. It is a continuous line of evenly spaced, interwoven loops that can add a finishing touch to many different projects.

Starting the Blanket Stitch

Knot your thread. You want your working thread to start at the outer edge of your fabric. Insert your needle about half the distance from the edge that you want your finished stitch to be. (Example: If your finished stitches will be 1/2” you will insert your needle about 1/4” from the edge.) Take a few running stitches to get you to the edge. Hide these running stitches underneath the last stitch.

Note: If you are working with multiple layers of fabric, hide your beginning (and ending knot when possible) within the layers of fabric.

To create the effect of the blanket stitch, now insert your needle from the front at the desired depth of your stitch. Angle your needle flat against the fabric, put your working thread loop behind the needle and pull the thread straight up. Do not pull too tightly, it will bunch up your fabric.

You want the top loop to lay nicely along the edge of the fabric. (You are actually creating interlocking right angles.) The straighter you pull your thread through, the straighter your stitches will lay. Continue creating blanket stitches until you get back to your first stitch.

Keep the depth of the stitches and the width apart as even as possible to create a more uniform look. If you are a perfectionist, or just don’t feel comfortable “eye balling” the depth and width, you can measure out and mark your points before you start sewing.

For different looks, you can alternate the depth of the stitches. You could also try alternating the width of the stitches, but I would recommend settling on an evenly alternating pattern. It is, in part, the uniform and even appearance of the blanket stitch that makes it unique.

Blanket Stitch Corners

When you get to the corner of your fabric, you should have the width of a stitch left to the side edge of your fabric. You will want to take a little shorter stitch, halfway between the side edge and the last stitch. Angle your needle so it is coming directly out of the corner of your fabric.

The next stitch will be on the side edge the same distance from the top edge as all the rest of your stitches. The bottom of the corner stitch will cut your even spacing in half, but the top of the stitch will maintain your spacing.

Finishing the Blanket Stitch

Use your final stitch to cover up and hide your original running stitch.

Insert your needle directly below your running stitch and come out, at the edge, directly above it. As you pull your thread through, the stitch you created should completely cover any part of the running stitch you could see from the front.

Tie off on the back side just below the top edge. If you can twist your knot so that you use the actual running stitch to tie off with, the stitch made will fall over and cover the ending knot as well.

(You will still be able to see the knot, but it won’t be as obvious. My beginning knot in the example picture looks really big. That’s because the entire project and the actual stitches are fairly small. On a larger project your knot won’t be as obvious.)

Note: If you are working with multiple layers of fabric, tie off within the layers so your finishing knot is hidden.

Use fine yarns or cotton crochet thread to sew the blanket stitch onto blankets, sheets or pillowcases you are preparing for crochet. To start crocheting, use the loops on the fabric edge as your foundation row.
Click here for some crochet edging ideas

To further embellish something with this simple stitch, try adding some beads. String all your beads onto your thread before beginning. Before inserting your needle to create your loop, slide a bead or a few, if they’re small, down to the fabric. Lock the beads in place when you insert your needle and complete your stitch.

Use this stitch to add another dimension to your couching stitch.

The possibilities with the blanket stitch are endless. There are so many fun yarns, bright and colorful cotton and metallic threads out there. Use your imagination and give boring store bought gifts your personal touch. Friends and family will love them!!

Next stitch: Chain Stitch

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