1.28.2010

blanket stitch tutorial

Mollie asked how to blanket stitch and I'm actually working on a receiving blanket for the baby (just in case it's a boy!) right now so that is great timing. I took a few pictures while I was working on it this morning. It' SO easy.

This blanket stitch is for the edge of an actual blanket. If you want to blanket stitch around an applique on a shirt like I did for the Valentine's shirt then check out these instructions.

Doing this for a baby blanket is so easy and it's a nice handwork project to have going because it doesn't take much thought and you can kind of pick it up whenever. I just buy a piece of flannel that seems a good size for a blanket... nothing exact. And then I get 2 things of coordinating DMC thread. First you'll need to wash and dry the fabric. Then loosely baste the edges, turning them down about 1/4 an inch and then another 1/4 an inch so you have a clean edge. Then you start the blanket stitch.

1. From the back insert the needle up through the edge of the fold and pull thread through.

2. From the front insert the needle a little ways to the right just below the fold of the hem that you basted. (just try to keep this even so all your stitches are spaced the same distance apart)

3. From the back you'll be reinserting the needle just at the top edge of the hem so that you just catch the fabric.

4. Wrap your thread around the needle from back to front and hold with your thumb as you pull the needle and thread through.

5. Then you just repeat that all the way around.
6. At the corners I usually do three stitches entering at the same point but coming out on each side and at the tip of the corner to anchor.

7. Remove the basting when you're done.

1 comment:

Chad and Mollie Hayes said...

I really like the look of that! Thanks so much for sharing! Maybe I'll get around to trying it soon.