How to Hand Sew: Blanket Stitch

This decorative stitch may seem daunting at first, but you'll be a pro in no time once you know the mechanics of the stitch. You may even be able to figure out exactly how to do the stitch just by looking at the intro photo above! But if not, here is the step by step.

Step One:

Pull your thread through from the back of your fabric. If I am blanket stitching two pieces of fabric together, I like to pull the thread through from the back of the top layer, so that way the knot is hidden in between the two pieces of fabric.

Step Two:

Then, on the same side of the fabric that you pulled your thread out of, stick the needle in right next to the hole your thread came out of to begin with.

Step Three:

Pull the thread through, but stop before you pull it all the way. Leave a loop of thread hanging there, just like the picture shows.

Step Four:

Now, take your needle and stick it through that loop of thread you left hanging.

Step Five:

Keep pulling that needle so the thread is pulled through that loop.

Step Six:

Tighten it, and it will hold that loop of thread in place, along the edge of the fabric.

Step Seven:

We're going to repeat the process over and over and over again. The first loop didn't have that squared off look that we are going for. But never fear! This is when it starts to look pretty. Go ahead and stick that needle through the front side again.

Pull the thread through just enough to make a loop that you'll be able to swing the needle through one more time.

Once it's pulled tight, it will hold the loop in place and give you that finished edge look.

Now keep going! Eventually you may figure out that you can actually manage to pull the whole thing off in one fluid movement. I like to hold the fabric sideways so that the thread naturally starts off with a nice loop that I can just easily slide the needle through while I am tightening the thread. You can sort of see how I do that in the picture above.

Anyways...happy sewing!

Here is a link back to the hand sewing directory if you'd like to read more: How To Hand Sew