The blanket stitch is a versatile and beautiful hand embroidery stitch used for both decorative purposes and practical applications like sewing edges. Can you use it for finishing seams? Yes, it’s excellent for finishing seams and preventing fraying on fabric edges. This beginner-friendly guide will walk you through how to do the blanket stitch step-by-step, covering its uses, variations, and tips for perfect results.
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What is the Blanket Stitch?
The blanket stitch, also known as the crochet stitch or buttonhole stitch, is a looping stitch that forms a strong, decorative edge. Its name comes from its traditional use on blankets and knitted items to prevent unraveling and add a decorative finish. In hand embroidery, it’s a fundamental stitch that can be used in countless ways.
Why Learn the Blanket Stitch?
There are many reasons why learning how to blanket stitch is a valuable skill for any crafter:
- Versatility: It’s fantastic for sewing edges of fabric, appliqué, and creating decorative borders.
- Durability: It creates a strong edge that resists fraying, making it ideal for finishing seams or the raw edges of projects.
- Beauty: When stitched evenly, it produces a neat, attractive line of stitches that can be a design element in itself.
- Beginner-Friendly: It’s one of the simpler embroidery stitches to master, making it perfect for those new to hand embroidery.
- Decorative Possibilities: You can vary the stitch length, tension, and thread color to create different visual effects.
Materials You’ll Need
Before you start, gather these essential supplies:
- Fabric: Choose a fabric that suits your project. Cotton, linen, or felt are good choices for beginners.
- Embroidery Needle: A medium-sized needle with a sharp point is ideal.
- Embroidery Floss or Thread: You can use a single strand or multiple strands of embroidery floss for varying thickness and color. Perle cotton or even regular sewing thread can also be used.
- Embroidery Hoop (Optional but Recommended): This helps keep your fabric taut, making it easier to create even stitches.
- Scissors: For cutting your thread.
- Fabric Marker or Pencil (Optional): For marking your stitching line if needed.
Mastering the Basic Blanket Stitch: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
This tutorial focuses on how to do a basic blanket stitch. Follow these steps carefully to stitch a perfect blanket stitch.
Step 1: Prepare Your Fabric and Thread
- Thread Your Needle: Cut a length of embroidery floss (about 18-24 inches is a good starting length to prevent tangling). Thread it through the eye of your embroidery needle.
- Secure the Thread: You can tie a knot at the end of your thread, or use a waste knot a few inches from the end of your thread. For a cleaner finish, you can also “bury” the tail of the thread under a few stitches on the back of your fabric.
- Hoop Your Fabric (if using): Place your fabric in the embroidery hoop, ensuring it’s smooth and taut.
Step 2: Starting Your Stitch
- First Stitch: Bring your needle up from the back of the fabric to the front, exactly on your desired edge or stitching line. Let the thread tail hang at the back.
- Create the Loop: Now, move your needle a short distance along your edge (this distance determines the stitch length) and insert it back into the fabric from the front to the back. Before pulling the needle completely through, bring your needle under the loop of thread that is currently on the front of the fabric.
Step 3: Pulling Through the Loop
- Form the Stitch: Gently pull the needle through the loop. This action will secure the thread, creating the characteristic loop of the blanket stitch. The thread should lie flat along the edge of the fabric, with the loop forming a “bridge” over the edge.
- Ensure Evenness: Try to keep your stitches the same length and distance apart for a uniform look. The loop should sit right on the edge.
Step 4: Continuing the Blanket Stitch
- Next Stitch: For the next stitch, bring your needle up from the back of the fabric a short distance away from the previous stitch, at the same distance from the edge.
- Repeat the Loop: Just like before, insert your needle from the front to the back, a short distance from where you came up. Again, bring your needle under the loop of thread on the front of the fabric before pulling it through.
Step 5: Finishing Your Blanket Stitch Line
- Reaching the End: Continue stitching along your edge until you reach the end of your fabric or your desired stopping point.
- Securing the Thread: To finish, take a small stitch on the back of the fabric, securing the thread firmly. You can tie a knot close to the fabric surface or use the “bury the tail” method.
Table: Basic Blanket Stitch Sequence
| Step | Action | Visual Cue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bring needle up from back to front on the edge. | Thread tail showing on the back. |
| 2 | Move needle a short distance and insert from front to back, under the thread loop on the front. | Needle is positioned to create a loop. |
| 3 | Pull needle through the loop gently to form the stitch. | A neat loop forms on the edge of the fabric. |
| 4 | Repeat steps 1-3 for subsequent stitches, maintaining even spacing. | A series of connected loops along the edge. |
| 5 | Secure thread on the back to finish. | Knot or buried tail at the end of stitching. |
Variations of the Blanket Stitch
Once you’ve mastered the basic blanket stitch, you can explore some interesting variations to add more flair and function to your embroidery. These decorative stitches offer different visual textures and effects.
1. The Double Blanket Stitch
This variation creates a denser, more prominent border.
- How to Stitch: After completing a single blanket stitch, instead of moving to a new spot, make a second stitch right next to the first one, following the exact same looping motion. This effectively doubles the stitches along the edge.
- Effect: It results in a thicker, more ornate edge that is very secure.
2. The Angled Blanket Stitch
This stitch creates a zig-zag effect along the edge.
- How to Stitch: Instead of bringing your needle up directly next to the previous stitch, bring it up slightly above and to the side of the previous stitch. Then, loop your needle under the thread as usual and pull through. The next stitch will then be angled in the opposite direction.
- Effect: Creates a decorative, slightly more textured edge than the standard stitch.
3. The Variable Length Blanket Stitch
This is more about controlling your stitch size than a new technique.
- How to Stitch: Play with the distance between stitches and the depth you insert your needle. Shorter stitches with closer spacing create a dense, solid line. Longer, more spaced-out stitches create a more airy, open effect.
- Effect: Allows for creative control over the appearance of your border.
4. Blanket Stitch with Decorative Elements
You can also enhance the blanket stitch by adding beads, French knots, or other small stitches within or around the loops.
- How to Stitch: After completing a few blanket stitches, add a bead to your needle and pass it through the fabric and back through the loop of the blanket stitch. Alternatively, you can add a small French knot to the fabric just below or beside the loop of a blanket stitch.
- Effect: Adds texture, sparkle, and visual interest to your decorative stitches.
Practical Applications of the Blanket Stitch
The blanket stitch is incredibly useful beyond just looking pretty. Its inherent strength and edge-finishing capabilities make it a go-to for many sewing and craft projects.
1. Sewing Edges
This is the most common use of the blanket stitch. It’s perfect for:
- Finishing Seams: Apply the blanket stitch to the raw edges of a seam allowance to prevent fraying, especially on fabrics that tend to unravel easily. This is a simple yet effective way of finishing seams.
- Hemming: For a decorative hem, especially on thicker fabrics or projects where a visible stitch is desired (like felt crafts or some garments).
- Appliqué: Securing appliqué pieces to a background fabric. The stitch encases the raw edge of the appliqué, creating a clean and durable finish.
2. Quilting and Patchwork
- Joining Fabric Pieces: While not as common as machine sewing for structural seams in quilts, the blanket stitch can be used for decorative joining of fabric pieces, especially in art quilts or hand-stitched projects.
- Edging Quilts: It can be used as a decorative outer edge for a quilt, providing a sturdy and attractive finish.
3. Crafts and Home Decor
- Felt Projects: The blanket stitch is a staple in felt crafts. It’s used to join felt pieces, create decorative borders on toys, pillows, banners, and more. It’s a very forgiving stitch for felt.
- Monogramming: A blanket stitch can be used as a base for monogramming, outlining letters before filling them in with other stitches or using it as the primary stitch to create a bold, blocky letter.
- Table Linens and Towels: A neat blanket stitch can be used to hem napkins, tea towels, or placemats, adding a handmade touch.
Tips for Achieving Perfect Blanket Stitches
Even a simple stitch like the blanket stitch can be improved with a few helpful tips. These will ensure your stitch a blanket stitch looks professional and neat.
- Consistent Tension: This is key! Too tight and your fabric might pucker; too loose and your stitches will look messy and won’t lie flat. Aim for a consistent, moderate tension.
- Even Spacing: Try to keep the distance between the start of each stitch consistent. Use a ruler or mark your stitching line with a fabric marker for accuracy.
- Loop Placement: Ensure the loop of each stitch consistently sits over the edge of your fabric.
- Needle Direction: Always bring the needle through the loop from the same direction (usually from front to back).
- Thread Choice: Different threads will create different effects. Embroidery floss offers color variety, while perle cotton provides a lovely sheen and weight. For very fine work, use fewer strands of floss. For a bolder look, use more strands or thicker thread.
- Practice Makes Perfect: The more you practice, the better you’ll become at judging your tension and spacing. Don’t be discouraged if your first few stitches aren’t perfect.
- Use a Hoop: As mentioned, an embroidery hoop really helps keep the fabric stable, allowing for more even stitches.
- Consider Your Fabric: The weight and weave of your fabric will influence how your blanket stitch looks. Thicker fabrics might require a larger needle and looser tension, while finer fabrics benefit from a finer needle and more controlled tension.
- Backstitch to Start/End: For extra security, especially on projects that will be washed or handled a lot, you can start and end your blanket stitch line with a small backstitch on the reverse side of the fabric before beginning or after finishing the blanket stitch itself. This is part of finishing seams blanket stitch effectively.
Blanket Stitch vs. Other Edging Stitches
While the blanket stitch is fantastic, it’s good to know how it compares to other similar embroidery stitches used for sewing edges.
| Stitch Name | Description | Best Uses | Visual Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanket Stitch | Looping stitch that forms a decorative and strong edge, with the thread loop lying over the fabric edge. | Finishing raw edges, appliqué, decorative borders, felt crafts. | Neat, defined loops along the edge. |
| Running Stitch | Simple in-and-out stitch. Creates a dashed line. | Basting, simple mending, decorative lines where a less robust edge is needed. | Dashed line, not very strong for edge finishing. |
| Backstitch | Mimics machine stitching, creating a solid, continuous line. | Outlining, lettering, creating strong seams, replacing machine stitches. | Solid, strong line. |
| Whipstitch | A simple stitch that wraps thread around the edge of two pieces of fabric to join them. | Joining fabric edges, appliqué, often used on felt. | Small, diagonal stitches wrapping the edge. |
| Overcast Stitch | A stitch that goes over the raw edge of the fabric to prevent fraying. Can be done loosely or tightly. | Finishing raw seams, preventing fraying on single fabric edges. | Zig-zagging over the edge. |
The blanket stitch stands out for its decorative appeal combined with its strength when finishing edges, making it a preferred choice for many decorative stitches and finishing seams blanket stitch tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is the best thread to use for a blanket stitch?
A1: Embroidery floss is a popular choice due to its availability in many colors and the ability to use different numbers of strands for varying thickness. Perle cotton is also excellent, offering a beautiful sheen and weight. For very fine work, a single strand of embroidery floss or a fine sewing thread works well.
Q2: Can I use a sewing machine to do a blanket stitch?
A2: Yes, most modern sewing machines have a built-in blanket stitch or buttonhole stitch. This is a great way to achieve a consistent blanket stitch effect quickly, especially for sewing edges on garments or home decor items. Refer to your sewing machine’s manual for instructions on how to use this specific stitch.
Q3: How do I make my blanket stitches look neat and even?
A3: Consistency in tension and spacing is crucial. Using an embroidery hoop will help keep your fabric steady. Mark your stitching line with a fabric marker if you need extra guidance. Practice on a scrap piece of fabric first.
Q4: How do I start and end a blanket stitch neatly?
A4: To start, bring your needle up from the back of the fabric. To secure the thread, you can tie a small knot on the back or thread your needle and pass it through a few stitches on the back before you begin your first stitch. To end, make a small securing stitch on the back or tie off a knot close to the fabric.
Q5: What is the difference between a blanket stitch and a buttonhole stitch?
A5: In hand embroidery, the terms blanket stitch and buttonhole stitch are often used interchangeably as they produce very similar stitches. The blanket stitch is a slightly more general term for a looping stitch used on edges, while the buttonhole stitch specifically refers to the stitch used to finish the edges of buttonholes, which has a very similar looped structure.
Q6: Can the blanket stitch be used for functional seams, not just decorative edges?
A6: Yes, the blanket stitch is quite strong and can be used to join fabric pieces, especially in crafts like felt projects or for visible mending. It’s particularly effective for finishing seams to prevent fraying, making it suitable for both decorative and functional purposes. When finishing seams blanket stitch is a great option.
Q7: How do I prevent my thread from tangling when doing hand embroidery blanket stitch?
A7: Use shorter lengths of thread (about 18-24 inches). Keep your needle threaded only when actively stitching. Gently smooth out your thread before each stitch. If using multiple strands of embroidery floss, gently twist them together as you stitch.
By following this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well on your way to expertly stitching the blanket stitch, adding both beauty and durability to your embroidery projects. Happy stitching!