Blanket Stitch Pattern Design

Blanket stitch, an embroidery technique, is both useful and decorative. It is traditionally used on the outside edges of blankets, but it can be a rustic addition to tea towels, napkins, quilts, appliques, and even clothing. The stitch adds a finished look to the project, and it reinforces the edge. No need for hemming!

Hand Sewing Blanket Stitch
Insert your needle through the back of the fabric to the front. Place your needle a diagonal 1/4 inch away, and insert the needle back through the fabric. Bring the needle back to the front, making a 1/4-inch vertical stitch. Insert the needle to the back, making a 1/4-inch horizontal stitch.

Every time you do this, it will lock the previous stitch in place, creating a kind of ladder effect that keeps the edge nice and secure. Blanket stitch works well around a curved edge, as you can adjust your stitches to accommodate the changing edge.

Machine Sewing Blanket Stitch
Many sewing machines include this stitch in their repertoire. You can either use a raw edge or turn the edge under to create a small hem underneath the blanket stitch. You can use any weight of thread and a standard-sized needle. For a fun touch, use a contrast-color thread to help the stitch stand out against the fabric.
If you can crochet, you can create a variety of craft projects, from wearables to home decor items and household goods. One aspect of crochet that makes it an ideal craft for home decor and clothing items is that you can use crochet to embellish or create an edging on an existing item. Use crochet to make decorative edgings for shirts, pillowcases, tablecloths, baby blankets, and much more. All you have to do is create a blanket stitch edging on the item and then crochet into the blanket stitch.

Things You'll Need:
Needle
Crochet thread or embroidery floss
Scissors
Yarn
Crochet hook

Instructions
Thread a needle using crochet thread, embroidery floss, or another thick thread. Knot the end of the thread and pull the needle up through the fabric from the back to the front, 3/8 of an inch (1 cm) from the edge of the fabric.

Insert the needle 3/8 of an inch to the right from the top to the bottom of the fabric and start to pull it through. Before the loop pulls all the way through, bring the needle up from the back of the fabric around the edge and pull it through the center of the loop. Now pull the loop tightly through. What you should have now is a stitch that resembles an upside-down "U" shape on the edge of your fabric.

Repeat step two all the way around the border or edge of the fabric, pushing the needle into the fabric every 3/8 of an inch around and pulling the needle through the loop to make your blanket stitch. Fasten off when you get back to the beginning by tying another knot in the thread on the back side of the fabric.

Crochet into the blanket stitching. You will treat the blanket stitching like a chain base, and insert your hook into the looped edge of each blanket stitch to make your crochet stitches. Attach your yarn to one blanket stitch using a slip stitch, and then make a border of whatever stitches you choose. Finish off and weave in the ends as you normally would.
Blanket Stitch Pattern Design