Tag Archives: diagrams

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch & Troubleshooting the Blanket Stitch.

The blanket stitch a simple how to.

The blanket stitch is the foreign film of stitches, at first blush it seems so complex, so unusual and seemingly difficult to understand. However like foreign film it’s actually pretty basic, a simple reiteration of something we all know and are comfortable with just done in a diffrent way.

While working on my latest blog project (which will be up in the next few days) I found myself in need of that old standby the blanket stitch this is a very simple and basic decorative stitch with beautiful results and millions of applications.

If your new to the blanket stitch or it’s been awhile here is a simple how to. The blanket stitch is basically a series of interwoven loops, this stitch takes a little practice but is wonderful for finishing around curves, it will not however stop your fabric from fraying so I wouldn’t use this on anything other than fleece, felt and other nonwoven fabrics. This is not as hard as it seems, if the words confuse you look at the pictures closely or visa versa. If you still don’t think you understand I encourage you to grab a scrap some thread and a needle and just try it, chances are you’ll get it in no time. This is the same stitch taught in summer camp wallet making all over the United States. If hyperactive 8 year olds can do I know you can too!

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch Step 1

*note circle indicates hidden knot

Step 1:

To start you will need to place your knot and bring your thread to the front. Take the needle to the back of your project run the needle through to place your knot and come down diagonally to the raw edge.You can now begin your blanket stitch by inserting your needle from the front at the desired depth of your stitch, usually around a 1/4″.

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch Step 2

Step 2:

Pull thread to make a loop make sure that the thread lays on top of the loop, (the tail of the Q is on top of the loop) pull it through until it lays nicely.

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch Step 3

Step 3:

Pull thread through in as straight a line but not too tightly. This is your first blanket stitch…see that wasn’t so hard.

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch Step 4

Step 4:

Take the needle to the back again and emerge ¼ inch away from the first stitch. A good rule of thumb is to place your stitch as far apart as the depth of your stitch. So the deeper the blanket stitch the farther apart your stitching can be. The new stitch will create a loop with the previous stitch making a U shape, repeat the loop and Q shape process. When you reach the end make sure you come up alongside the first stitch and knot in back.

No really that’s it! Nothing to it!

Just don’t ask me to explain crying clowns on the beach or why releasing balloons on a bridge at dawn is so moving you’ll have to take a foreign film class for those answers!

Trouble shooting the stitch

Having problems?

Most are easily fixed with a quick adjustment here are some of the more common blanket stitching issues.

Stitches are uneven- You can easily measure out and mark off the stitch points before sewing.

Thread causes the felt to pucker- Thread is pulled too tight or your stitches are too deep.

Stitches are wonky – Remember you are creating little angles and if your depth vs. height are too different you may have some issues with the stitches looking right.

Stitches are falling off of the edge – Your stitches are too far apart from one another or your pulling your thread through at an angle.

Stitches aren’t laying straight – You need to pull your thread straight along the line it may help if you turn your project to the side.

Loops are too loopy and look sloppy – Slow down and pay close attention as you pull your stitch through you are probably causing it to knot too early, you may also need to change the angle from which you pull your stitch through.

You keep losing the stitch forcing you to start again – Your stitches are too close together making forming a blanket stitch impossible and finding the next step difficult or your pull through thread (the tail of the Q) is on the wrong side of the loop.