How to Do a Blanket Stitch (Decorative Edging by Hand)

1. 1

   Step 1: Start at the Bottom of the Stitch

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   Blanket stitch builds along a baseline with little arms standing up from it, so you start at the bottom of where that row will sit. Bring your needle up at the baseline, then stab back down a short diagonal distance away, like reaching for the opposite corner of a small square.

   The trickiest part of this whole stitch is getting going. Once the first one is set, the rest follow the same rhythm. Keep your spacing relaxed for now and worry about evenness after a stitch or two.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Mark a faint guideline with a water-soluble pen if you want your baseline dead straight. It wipes away with a damp cloth when you are done.

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   Used in this stepDMC embroidery hoopwater-soluble fabric marker

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2. 2

   Step 2: Form the Loop and Come Up Inside It

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   With the needle still down in the fabric, lay the working thread under the tip so it forms a little loop. Now bring the needle up immediately below where you went down and just to the right, catching the corner of that square, and make sure the point comes up inside the loop.

   That last part is the whole trick. If the needle does not pass through the loop, the stitch will not lock and you will just get a plain straight stitch instead.

   Tip:

   Watch this step If you lose track of the loop, hold it open with your thumb until the needle is through. A little patience here saves you from picking out stitches later.

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   Used in this stepJohn James embroidery needlesDMC stranded cotton floss

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3. 3

   Step 3: Pull Down to Shape the Stitch

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   Pull the thread slowly down toward you. As it tightens you will see it form a backward L: a vertical arm coming up from the baseline and a short horizontal bar running along it. That shape is the signature of blanket stitch.

   Put a finger on the bar as you tension so it does not creep or twist. Even, gentle tension is what keeps the row looking tidy. Yank it and the fabric puckers.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Aim for the same firmness on every pull. Consistent tension matters more than dead-even spacing for a row that reads as neat.

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   Used in this stepembroidery scissorsDMC stranded cotton floss

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4. 4

   Step 4: Repeat to Build the Row

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   Work the next stitch exactly like the first. Go down into the fabric a short distance along the baseline, loop the thread, come up below inside the loop, and pull. A row starts to build, with the line of stitching running along the bottom and the little arms standing up.

   The arms sit outside the piece you are edging and the baseline sits on the fabric, which is why this stitch is so good for covering a raw edge neatly.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Keep your stitches evenly spaced by eyeballing the gap against the previous arm. After five or six they start to feel automatic.

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   Used in this stepDMC embroidery hoopembroidery needle threader

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5. 5

   Step 5: Vary the Arm Length for a Decorative Edge

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   You do not have to keep every arm the same height. Alternate a tall stitch with a short one, or work a repeating pattern, and the row turns into a decorative border. It is a simple way to add interest without learning a new stitch.

   Whatever rhythm you choose, keep checking that the needle has gone inside the loop before you tension. That is the one mistake that trips people up, and it is easy to fix by sliding the needle back under and re-looping.

   Tip:

   Watch this step This stitch is the cousin of cross stitch in the beginner toolkit. Learn both and you can edge, outline, and fill almost any small project.

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   Used in this stepDMC stranded cotton flossembroidery scissors

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6. 6

   Step 6: Work the Stitch Over a Raw Edge

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   Blanket stitch really shines as an edging. Hold the fabric in your hands or keep it in a hoop, then stab down a little way in from the raw edge and bring the needle through the loop right at the edge itself. The thread wraps over the side and anchors there.

   Repeat along the edge and you bind a frayed border into something clean and finished. Quilters love this for tidying edges; slow stitchers use it to frame a frayed edge on purpose.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Felt and tightly woven cotton both take this edge well. Looser weaves fray more, so keep your stitches a touch closer together on those.

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   Used in this stepwool felt sheetsJohn James embroidery needles

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7. 7

   Step 7: Space It Out, or Pack It Tight for Buttonhole

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   Spacing is what separates the two stitches in this family. Leave gaps between the arms and you have blanket stitch. Pack them right up against each other and you have buttonhole stitch, which lays down a solid, almost satin-like ridge of thread along the edge.

   Buttonhole takes more thread and more time, but it gives a really firm edge that holds up to handling and even stops cut fabric from fraying. When you reach the end, take the tail through to the back and weave it under the stitches so it does not show on the front.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Use blanket stitch for a light decorative edge and buttonhole when you need strength, like binding a buttonhole, a cut applique shape, or a wired three-dimensional piece.

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   Used in this stepDMC stranded cotton flossembroidery scissors

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8. 8

   Step 8: See It on a Finished Piece

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   Here is the stitch doing real work. Around this appliqued butterfly, blanket stitch follows every curve and corner cleanly, holding the cut fabric shapes down while adding a decorative outline at the same time. It does two jobs in one pass.

   That versatility is why it earns a permanent spot in your stitch bank. Use it to edge a blanket, attach a felt heart, join two layers of a pouch, or outline an applique. Once it is in your hands, you will reach for it constantly.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Try it next on a small felt shape attached to a backing fabric. It is a quick, satisfying first project that shows off the edge to full effect.

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   Used in this stepwool felt sheetsDMC embroidery hoop

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Keep going

How to Do a Lazy Daisy Stitch

7 steps · about 5 minutes

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