Blanket Stitch
The Blanket Stitch is a great alternative to the Whip Stitch when you want to achieve a beautiful finished edge. It's just a little bit trickier! It can be used to add a final touch to a raw cut edge, to keep the edges of a button hole from unraveling, or two join together two layers. You'll encounter it in as a preferred stitch in many Level II kits, such as the Dolphin Family. It can be worked left-to-right or right-to-left. Do what feels best to you!
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For a printable version of the Blanket Stitch Guide, click here.
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Please note that this "Stitch Guide" is a work in progress. We'll have new a few helpful videos soon!
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A first secure stitch in place
Step 1:
Start with your needle in between the two layers of felt and poke it up through the top layer, about 1/4” from the edge of the fabric. (The knot will be hidden be- tween the layers.) Wrap your thread over the top edge of the fabric and poke your needle from back to front through the same hole to make a stitch in place.
Tucking needle under first stitch
First Blanket Stitch
Continue passing thread behind needle
Step 2:
Tuck your needle underneath this first stitch, moving from right to left. Pull the thread tight to anchor it at the top of the stitch.
Step 3:
Insert your needle about 1/4” to the right and a 1/4” down from the felt’s edge. As you pull the thread snug, pass your needle in front of the thread. This bracket- shaped stitch is your first “blanket stitch.”
Step 4:
Continue working evenly left to right, always inserting your needle from front to back and passing it in front of the thread as you pull it snug.
Hiding Your Knot:
Step 5:
Reinforce the Last Stitch:
When you reach the end of the felt or need to switch threads, insert your needle up from the back of the felt at the base of your last stitch. Exit it between the layers at the top edge. Make a loop by passing the needle underneath the intersection of threads.
Step 6:
Tie a Knot:
As you pull the thread, pass your needle through the loop from right to left to make a knot at this intersection point.
Step 7:
Hide the Knot:
Insert your needle next to this knot, down between the layers of felt, and exit it a short distance away. Pull the thread tight. Trim the excess thread off flush with the felt where it exited and your knot will be hidden!
Starting a New Thread
Poke your needle in between the layers of felt and out the back side. Pass it from right to left under the last stitch (at the intersection point where you made your knot) to anchor your next Blanket Stitch. Proceed as in Step 3.