Blanket Stitch for Edges, Appliqué and Trim
One overhand stitch wrapped around a raw edge does the work of a serger, an appliqué bond and a decorative trim. The trick is a firm anchor and a consistent bite.
What it is & when you need it
Blanket stitch is an overhand stitch with a difference: the loop is caught under the needle before the thread is pulled tight, which locks each stitch against the fabric edge instead of letting it slide. That single detail is why the edge cannot unravel, and why the row stands up as decoration.
It earns its keep in three places. It finishes the raw edge of a fleece blanket, a felt ornament or a turned cuff without a hem. It bonds appliqué shapes to a ground fabric with a neat wired outline. And it works as surface trim on pockets, hems and cuffs, where the stitching is the design.
Beginners usually make it look ragged for two reasons: the bite into the fabric varies from stitch to stitch, and the thread is pulled in the wrong direction so the top leg leans. Both are fixed by setting a measured bite and pulling the thread towards the edge, never away from it.
How to choose the right one
Three near relatives do similar jobs with different results. Buttonhole stitch is denser and harder wearing, because each stitch sits against the last with no gap. Slip stitch hems invisibly but has no decorative leg. Narrow zigzag on a machine is faster, and does not stretch as well over a fuzzy edge.
| You want to | Use this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Edge a fleece or felt project | Blanket stitch | Catches the edge and shows the thread as trim |
| Reinforce an edge that will be pulled | Buttonhole stitch | Denser, with no gap between stitches to snag |
| Hem without any visible thread | Slip stitch | Only a few fibres of each fold are caught |
| Bond an appliqué shape with outline | Blanket stitch or blind stitch | The legs hug the shape and hold it flat |
What you'll need
Tapestry or crewel needle, size 22-24
A blunt point pushes through felt and fleece without punching holes or splitting the pile.
Wool or embroidery thread, 4-6 strands
Six strands of stranded cotton reads as trim; wool yarn gives a softer, fuller leg on blankets.
Felt, fleece or woven scrap with a raw edge
Practise on the actual edge you intend to finish, since a woven bias edge behaves nothing like fleece.
Ruler and chalk pen
Marking the depth of the bite once is what makes the whole row look machine-even.
Pins or clips
Holding appliqué in place stops the shape creeping while you work the corner.
Beeswax for the thread
Lightly waxed thread slides less and keeps the loops standing proud of the edge.
How to do it, step by step
- 1
Set the depth and mark it
Decide how far in from the edge the top leg of the stitch will sit: 5-6 mm is standard for felt and fleece, 3-4 mm for fine appliqué.
Chalk a faint guide line at that depth and run it around the piece. Every stitch will be judged against this line, so it is worth drawing properly.
- 2
Anchor the first loop
Come up from the back about one bite-depth in from the edge, leaving the tail trapped under the fabric.
Insert the needle back down at almost the same hole and bring the point out on the raw edge itself. Keep the tail behind the point before you pull, so the first stitch locks around it.
- 3
Work the loop under the needle
With the needle still in the fabric, wrap the thread around the point from front to back, in the direction the row is travelling.
Pull the needle through slowly. The loop will slide down and catch against the edge, forming the vertical leg. Pull at the same angle as the row, not straight up, or the leg leans.
- 4
Keep the bite and the spacing equal
For the next stitch, insert the needle the same distance along the edge as the last one, and bring it out at the same depth on the guide line.
Check the first three stitches side by side before you go further. In blanket stitch an error in spacing shows for the rest of the row, because the eye measures the gaps rather than the legs.
- 5
Turn a square corner
Work the final stitch to the very corner point, then take two more stitches into the same hole at the tip, fanning them out at right angles.
The three shared holes make a mitred corner that sits flat and points cleanly, without the gather you get from stitching around a sharp turn at even spacing.
- 6
Join off and start a new length
To finish, pass the needle under the last three loops on the wrong side and trim. Do not knot on the face; the bump shows through the leg.
When the thread runs out, weave the old tail in from the back, start the new thread the same way, and the join disappears under the row.
- 7
Press and tidy the edge
Felt and fleece need no pressing; a woven edge benefits from a light steam held off the surface so the legs keep their height.
Trim any loose fibres poking between the legs with sharp snips, working on the back so the cut ends stay hidden under the loops.
Pro tips
- Work left to right if you are right-handed, which puts the loop on the correct side of the needle without you thinking about it. Mirror the direction for left-handed sewing.
- Count the threads rather than eyeballing the bite for the first few rows: five fibres in, five along. The count is what turns a ragged edge into a machine-looking one.
- For a softer, rounded corner on a curved edge, take a smaller step along the edge at each stitch so the legs fan, rather than trying to keep the spacing equal.
- Two strands of thread plus a blunt needle keeps the legs proud of the fabric. Heavy thread with a sharp needle punches through and the row collapses flat.
- If the edge is rolling, catch the roll rather than the flat: place the top leg just inside where the fabric starts to curl and the stitch holds it down.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
Stitches of visibly different depths along the row.
You are measuring the bite by eye. Chalk a line at the exact depth and bring every stitch out onto it, checking the first three against the line before you continue.
The legs lean or twist instead of standing upright.
The thread is being pulled away from the edge rather than along the row. Pull in the direction of travel, gently, and stop the moment the loop snugs down.
The corner bunches and lifts off the fabric.
You are stitching around the turn at normal spacing. Put three stitches into the tip hole instead, sharing the same point, and the corner mitres itself flat.
The fabric edge frays beyond the stitching.
The legs are sitting too far in from the edge, leaving raw fibres unprotected. Move the bite closer, or press a 5 mm turn of the edge under first and stitch through the fold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blanket stitch and buttonhole stitch?
Both are overhand loops caught at the edge. Buttonhole stitch is worked with the loop pulled tight against the previous stitch, producing a solid reinforced wall, and it is usually sewn right to left. Blanket stitch leaves a small gap, which is what makes it read as decoration.
Can I sew blanket stitch on a sewing machine?
A machine can approximate it with a wide zigzag over the edge or a dedicated blanket-stitch foot on older mechanical models, but the true hand stitch is what you want on fleece, felt and thick knits, where a machine foot pushes the layers apart.
What thread weight works best for a visible edge?
Four to six strands of stranded cotton, or a single strand of pearl cotton, gives crisp legs on felt and appliqué. For blankets, use wool or acrylic knitting yarn in a matched needle, which keeps the row soft and fills the gap between stitches.
How do I stop the fabric pulling as I stitch?
Keep the tension light and let the loop do the work. If the cloth is drawing, your bites are too small so the thread bridges under strain, or you are pulling up instead of along. A hoop or a weighted edge helps enormously on fine fabric.
Is blanket stitch strong enough to join two pieces of fleece?
Yes, and it is often better than a machine seam there, because it stays flexible and does not pucker the pile. Work it through both layers with the legs on the front, keeping the bite shallow, and the join takes wear without digging in.
Written by Bobbin & Form Editorial Team
Home sewists & machine-embroidery practitioners
Reviewed by Marie Delacroix
Custom sewist & machine-embroidery technician, 15 years at the machine
Steps were written and re-tested on real fabric by our team and reviewed by an independent sewing and embroidery professional. Results vary with your machine, fabric and supplies, so always run a scrap test on the same materials before stitching a finished piece. Nothing here is sponsored — when we link to a calculator or product it is because it is genuinely useful.
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