How to Make the Blanket Stitch

The blanket stitch is mainly a decorative stitch used to finish fabric edges, but there are some other things you can do with it, such as adapting it to finish hand sewn buttonholes, or even binding carpet if you don't have a sewing machine that can bind the edges.

Making the Blanket Stitch image courtesy of Pixabay

About the Blanket Stitch

If you're binding fabric that doesn't fray, like polar fleece or felt, you can use a wide blanket stitch and heavy thread to create a dramatic effect.

If the fabric you're stitching is woven and may unravel around the cut edges, make a shorter, tight blanket stitch or roll the cut edge under about 1/8-inch, as if you were making a rolled hem by hand, and use the blanket stitch to sew the rolled edge.

If I'm doing this stitch on something heavy, like a blanket or carpet edge, I like to use a coarse thread or six strand upholstery thread.

The blanket stitch is also the stich used to hand sew buttonholes, you just make the stitches narrow and tight to keep the cut fabric from stretching out of shape or fraying.

When I use the blanket stitch on lighter fabric, I prefer to use either regular sewing thread or split 3-strand embroidery floss.

Blanket Stitch Video Tutorial

This hand sewing a blanket stitch video tutorial on Hand Sewing from Stitching it Right YouTube channel takes you step-by-step through the process of making a blanket stich to finish the edge of your fabric.

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