How To Do The Blanket Stitch In Embroidery For Beginners

The blanket stitch is a simple hand embroidery stitch. It is great for many projects. It is a very basic hand embroidery stitch. You can use it for many things. It is often used for finishing edges embroidery. This stitch helps stop fabric from coming apart at the edge. It also looks nice. So, if you need to know how to stitch fabric edges simply, the blanket stitch is a top choice for beginners. This blanket stitch tutorial will show you exactly how to do it. It is one of the first hand embroidery stitches many people learn.

Why Use The Blanket Stitch?

The blanket stitch is very useful. People learning embroidery stitches often start here. It is simple but strong.

Here are some reasons to learn it:

Finish Raw Edges: It stops fabric from fraying. This is important for things like blankets, towels, or felt projects.
Attach Applique: You can use it to sew one piece of fabric onto another. This is called applique. The stitch holds the applique piece down firmly. It also makes a nice outline. It works as a good applique stitch guide.
Add Decoration: The blanket stitch looks pretty. You can use it just to add a design to your fabric. It is one of many handy embroidery stitch techniques.

It looks like a line of L-shapes along the edge of the fabric. Or sometimes it looks like staple shapes. It is very easy to learn and use.

Getting Your Materials Ready

You do not need much to start with the blanket stitch. Gather these simple things:

Fabric: Choose a fabric that is easy to work with. Cotton or felt are good choices for beginners. Felt does not fray, so it is extra easy for practicing edge stitches.
Embroidery Needle: You need a needle with an eye big enough for your thread. A sharp needle works for most fabrics.
Embroidery Thread: Use standard embroidery floss. It comes in six strands. For the blanket stitch, you can use all six strands. Or you can split it and use fewer. Fewer strands make a thinner line. More strands make a thicker line. Pick a color you like.
Small Scissors: To cut your thread.
Embroidery Hoop (Optional but Helpful): A hoop holds your fabric tight. This makes stitching easier and helps keep stitches even. It is good when learning embroidery stitches.
Fabric Marker or Pencil (Optional): You can draw a line on your fabric to help keep your stitches straight.

Preparing Your Fabric

It helps to get your fabric ready before you start stitching.

Cut Your Fabric: Cut your fabric to the size you need. If you are just practicing, a small square is fine.
Mark a Guide Line: Decide how deep you want your stitches to go. This is how far from the edge your needle will come up. Use a ruler and a fabric marker or pencil to draw a light line parallel to the edge. This line will help keep your stitches the same length.
Put Fabric in Hoop: If you use a hoop, place your fabric in it. Make sure the fabric is pulled tight like a drum. The edge you will stitch should be easy to reach within the hoop.

Beginning Your Blanket Stitch Tutorial

Now you are ready to learn how to make the stitch. We will go step by step. Remember, this is a basic hand embroidery technique. Take your time.

H4 Starting the First Stitch

Let’s begin stitching. You will start from the back of the fabric.

Thread your needle. Make a knot at the end of your thread.
Bring your needle up from the back of the fabric. Bring it up right on the edge where you want your stitches to start. Or, if you drew a line, bring it up right on that line, very close to the edge.
Pull the thread all the way through until the knot stops it at the back. Your thread is now on the front of the fabric, coming out near the edge.

H4 Making the First Loop

This is the key part of the blanket stitch (and buttonhole stitch embroidery). You will create a loop with your thread.

Move your thread out of the way for a moment. Let it lie flat against the fabric edge.
Put your needle back into the fabric. Put it in a little bit over from where you came up. How far over? This will be the width of your stitch. For beginners, maybe about 1/4 inch (about 6 mm). Put the needle in right on the edge, or on your marked line.
Now, point the needle towards the edge of the fabric. The needle is going down through the fabric towards the edge.
Do not pull the needle all the way through yet! Leave a loop of thread on the front of the fabric.
Hold this loop down with your thumb or finger. Keep it loose.

H4 Pulling Through the Loop

Now, you will use the loop to lock the stitch in place.

While holding the loop, bring your needle back up through the fabric. Where do you bring it up? You bring it up right on the edge of the fabric. This is often very close to where you put the needle down. If you are stitching an open edge, you come up right on the edge itself. If you are stitching around an applique piece, you come up just inside the edge of the applique.
Make sure your needle comes up inside the loop you made. The thread from your needle should go under the loop.
Now, pull your needle and thread through. Pull gently.
Pull until the loop closes and forms a neat edge stitch. It will look like an L-shape or a staple shape right on the edge. The vertical part of the L (or the side of the staple) lies on the fabric, and the horizontal part (the top of the staple) goes over the fabric edge.

This completes one blanket stitch! That is the basic action.

H4 Making the Next Stitch

Now you just repeat the steps.

Decide where you want the next stitch to start. This will be the distance between your stitches. For even stitches, make this distance the same as the width of your first stitch. Move over about 1/4 inch (6 mm) along the edge.
Put your needle into the fabric at this new spot. Put it in on your marked line (or where the line would be if you didn’t mark one).
Point the needle towards the fabric edge.
Leave a loop of thread on the front.
Bring the needle up on the edge of the fabric, inside the loop you just made.
Pull the thread gently until the loop forms the next stitch right next to the first one.

H4 Continuing Along the Edge

Keep repeating the process. Put needle in, point to edge, leave loop, come up on edge inside loop, pull thread.

Try to keep your stitches even.
* The distance between where you put the needle in and where you bring it up (the height of the stitch) should be the same. This is your marked line.
* The distance between each stitch along the edge (the width of the stitch) should be the same.
* The tension (how tight you pull the thread) should be the same for every stitch. Not too tight, not too loose.

This takes practice. Do not worry if your first stitches are not perfect. They will get better as you go. This is all part of learning embroidery stitches.

H4 Ending Your Stitching

When you are done stitching along the edge or when you run out of thread:

After pulling the last stitch tight, put your needle back into the fabric very close to where the thread came up. Go straight down through the fabric.
Pull the thread to the back of the fabric.
On the back, weave the needle and thread under a few stitches you just made. This secures the thread.
Cut the thread close to the fabric.
If you need to start a new thread, begin again from step 1 of “Starting the First Stitch” in a new spot or near where you finished.

Here is a simple table to show the main steps again:

Step	Action	Where Needle Goes	Thread Position
Start	Make knot, bring thread up.	From back to front, on edge/line.	On front.
Form Loop Part 1	Put needle down for the next stitch.	From front to back, on line, distance from last stitch.	Loop forms on front.
Form Loop Part 2	Bring needle up inside the loop.	From back to front, on the edge.	Needle goes under the loop.
Finish Stitch	Pull thread gently.	Pull through loop.	Loop tightens into stitch on the edge.
Repeat	Put needle down for next stitch, bring up on edge inside new loop, pull.	Repeat steps 2-4.	Repeat loop formation and tightening.
End	Put needle down, pull to back, weave under stitches, cut thread.	From front to back, near last stitch.	Secured on back.

Tips for New Stitchers

Learning hand embroidery stitches takes patience. Here are some simple tips to help you with the blanket stitch tutorial:

Use a Hoop: It really makes a difference. Tight fabric is easier to stitch evenly.
Practice Tension: Do not pull the thread too tight. The stitches should lie flat on the fabric edge, not pull it in or make it bumpy. Practice on scraps.
Keep Spacing Even: Try to make the distance between your stitches the same. Also, try to make the height of the stitches (from the edge to where the needle goes down) the same. Drawing the line helps a lot here.
Check the Back: Look at the back of your work sometimes. The back should look neat too, mostly just small straight stitches going into the fabric.
Use Right Thread: Start with standard embroidery floss. Using fewer strands makes a finer stitch. Using more makes it bolder. Try different numbers of strands to see what you like.
Relax: Your first stitches won’t be perfect. That is okay! Just keep practicing. This is how you get good at basic hand embroidery.

Using Blanket Stitch in Different Ways

The blanket stitch is more than just one simple stitch. It is a base for several embroidery stitch techniques and has different uses.

H4 How to Stitch Fabric Edges

The most common use is finishing edges embroidery.

When you cut fabric, the threads at the edge can come undone. This is fraying. The blanket stitch wraps over the edge. It makes a strong border.

On Raw Edges: Stitching along the very edge stops fraying. This is great for fleece blankets, felt items, or simple fabric edges on clothes or home goods.
On Hemmed Edges: You can also use it on an edge that is already folded over and perhaps ironed or glued. Stitching over the fold secures it and adds decoration.

To stitch a corner: Stitch up to the corner. Make the last stitch of the first side go into the corner point. Then make the first stitch of the next side come out of the same corner point. The vertical part of the stitch will lie along the new edge. It might look like a little square stitch right at the corner tip. Practice corners slowly.

H4 Applique Stitch Guide

Applique means sewing one shape of fabric onto a larger piece of fabric. The blanket stitch is perfect for this. It holds the shape down and makes a nice edge around it.

Attaching Shapes: Place your applique shape on the background fabric. You can use a little fabric glue stick or pins to hold it.
Stitching: Stitch around the edge of the applique shape. The needle goes down through the applique and the background fabric. The needle comes up inside the edge of the applique shape, inside the loop. Pulling the thread tight pulls the loop over the edge of the applique.

The height of your stitch (how far into the applique piece you go) determines how wide the stitched border looks. A stitch going further in makes a wider border.

This method creates a clean, finished edge on the applique piece. It is a key stitch for many felt crafts and decorative projects.

H4 Decorative Use

The blanket stitch is also just pretty! You can use it to add lines or borders to your embroidery. It doesn’t have to be on an edge.

Straight Lines: Stitch it in a straight line in the middle of your fabric. The stitches will look like little L’s or staples lying on the fabric.
Curves: Stitch it along a curved line. The stitches will follow the curve.
Shapes: Outline shapes with it.

When using it decoratively not on an edge, where you put the needle down is on your line. Where you bring it up inside the loop determines the length of the “foot” of the L-shape. You can make this foot long or short. Experiment with this! This shows some simple embroidery stitch techniques.

Blanket Stitch Compared to Buttonhole Stitch Embroidery

Is the blanket stitch the same as the buttonhole stitch? Almost!

Blanket Stitch: Stitches are usually spaced slightly apart. It’s used more for decorative edges or simple finishing.
Buttonhole Stitch: Stitches are usually placed very close together, right next to each other. This makes a thick, strong edge. It is used for buttonholes on clothing or for very durable edges.

The way you make the stitch is the same. The difference is mostly in the spacing and purpose. For beginner hand embroidery, you will likely use the more spaced-out version, which is commonly called the blanket stitch. Learning buttonhole stitch embroidery is just a small step from mastering the blanket stitch.

Exploring Embroidery Stitch Variations

Once you know the basic blanket stitch, you can change it up! These are embroidery stitch variations.

Change Spacing:
- Make stitches close together for a denser look (like buttonhole).
- Make stitches far apart for a lighter look.
Change Height:
- Make stitches short for a narrow border.
- Make stitches tall for a wider border.
Change Thread:
- Use more strands for a thicker stitch.
- Use fewer strands for a thinner stitch.
- Use different types of thread (like perle cotton, which is thicker and shiny).
Different Colors:
- Use one color along the whole edge.
- Switch colors every few stitches for stripes.
- Use different colors for the vertical and horizontal parts of the stitch (this is more advanced, sometimes called two-color blanket stitch, but shows how versatile it is).
Angled Blanket Stitch:
- Instead of keeping the vertical stitches straight up and down (90 degrees to the edge), you can lean them to one side. Put your needle down at an angle instead of straight across from the previous stitch. This changes the look a lot.
Mirrored Blanket Stitch:
- Work stitches from both directions meeting in the middle of a line.
Crossed Blanket Stitch:
- Work a row of blanket stitches. Then work a second row coming back, crossing the first stitches.

These embroidery stitch variations let you create many different textures and looks using the same basic movement. This is part of the fun of learning embroidery stitches!

What If Something Goes Wrong? Simple Fixes

Everyone makes mistakes when learning basic hand embroidery. Here are common problems and how to fix them:

Stitches are Uneven: This is very common for beginners.
- Why: Not keeping the distance between stitches the same, or not keeping the stitch height the same.
- Fix: Practice! Use a marked line on your fabric. Measure the distance between stitches if needed at first. Go slowly. Your hand will learn the rhythm.
Loops are Loose: The stitch doesn’t look like a tight L on the edge.
- Why: Not pulling the thread firmly enough when finishing the stitch. Or maybe the loop was too big when you put the needle through it.
- Fix: Make sure you are pulling the working thread gently but firmly until the loop sits nicely against the edge. Check that your needle is coming up inside the loop correctly.
Fabric is Bumpy or Pulled: The edge is wavy or gathered.
- Why: Pulling the thread too tight.
- Fix: Loosen your grip on the thread. Pull just enough to make the loop flat, not to pull the fabric. Practice tension on scrap fabric.
Knot on the Front: You accidentally pulled the thread all the way through when you meant to leave a loop.
- Why: Not holding the loop with your thumb or finger while you put the needle in.
- Fix: Take out the last stitch or two. Be more careful to hold the loop.
Thread is Twisting: Your thread gets kinks in it.
- Why: The thread naturally twists as you stitch.
- Fix: Let your needle and thread dangle every few stitches. The thread will untwist itself. You can also use a thread conditioner.

Do not be afraid to take out stitches! A small pair of pointy scissors or a seam ripper can help. It is better to fix a mistake than stitch over it. Fixing is part of learning embroidery stitches.

Practicing Your Stitches

The best way to get good at the blanket stitch (and other hand embroidery stitches) is to practice.

Use cheap scrap fabric.
Stitch lines, squares, circles.
Practice on different types of edges.
Try different thread colors and numbers of strands.
Don’t worry about making a finished project at first. Just stitch lines of blanket stitches. See how they look when they are spaced differently. See how they look when they are taller or shorter.
Compare blanket stitch vs buttonhole stitch embroidery by practicing them side-by-side.

Think of your practice piece as a sampler of embroidery stitch techniques.

Moving on from Blanket Stitch

Once you feel good about the blanket stitch, you have a great foundation in basic hand embroidery. This stitch uses a loop method that is also used in other stitches.

What hand embroidery stitches could you learn next?

Running Stitch: Simple up-and-down stitch. Great for outlines or gathering fabric.
Backstitch: Makes a solid line. Good for outlining shapes clearly.
Straight Stitch: The most basic stitch, just a single stitch.
French Knot: Makes a small dot. Good for filling in spaces or adding texture.
Stem Stitch: Creates a rope-like line. Perfect for flower stems or outlines.

Learning embroidery stitches often starts with these basic ones. The blanket stitch is a perfect step because it teaches you about working on edges, keeping spacing, and handling tension. These skills help with all kinds of embroidery.

FAQ About the Blanket Stitch

Here are some common questions beginners ask.

H5 Can I use blanket stitch on any fabric?

Yes, mostly. It works well on fabrics that do not stretch much, like cotton, linen, or felt. It can be harder on very thin or very stretchy fabrics. Felt is great because it doesn’t fray.

H5 How many strands of thread should I use?

For standard embroidery floss (6 strands), using all 6 gives a bold, thick stitch. Using 3 strands makes a thinner stitch. It is up to you! Try different amounts on a scrap to see what you like best.

H5 Does the blanket stitch look the same on the front and back?

No. The front shows the L or staple shape along the edge. The back will mainly show small, straight stitches where the needle goes in and out of the fabric. A neat back shows careful stitching.

H5 Can I use blanket stitch for seams?

The blanket stitch is strong for finishing edges, but it is usually not strong enough for a seam that holds two pieces of fabric together under stress (like clothing seams). It is better for decorative seams or edges on things that don’t get hard use.

H5 What is the difference between blanket stitch and buttonhole stitch?

The way you make them is the same. Buttonhole stitch is worked with the stitches very close together. Blanket stitch usually has space between stitches. Buttonhole stitch creates a very dense, strong edge, good for buttonholes. Blanket stitch is often more decorative or for simple edge finishing. So buttonhole stitch embroidery is just a dense version of blanket stitch.

H5 Can I do blanket stitch with a sewing machine?

Yes, many sewing machines have a built-in stitch that looks like a blanket stitch. It is a good option for sewing edges quickly. But hand stitching gives you more control and the special look of handmade work. This tutorial is about the hand method.

Wrapping Up Your Blanket Stitch Journey

You have learned how to do the blanket stitch! This is a wonderful step into the world of hand embroidery stitches. You now know how to stitch fabric edges, how to use it for applique, and how it fits into basic hand embroidery techniques.

Keep practicing. Try the embroidery stitch variations. Use it on a real project, like a simple felt coaster or the edge of a small piece of fabric you plan to frame.

Learning embroidery stitches is a fun and rewarding hobby. The blanket stitch is a fantastic place to start. Happy stitching!