Category Archives: Stitch of the Month

Blanket Stitch: A Beginner’s Guide to Beautiful, Finished Edges

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There are some stitches you learn early and keep finding new uses for—and Blanket Stitch is one of them.

Recognizable by its neat line of loops along the edge of the fabric, Blanket Stitch combines function with decoration. It can help finish a raw edge while adding a handmade detail that deserves to be seen.

And while you certainly can find it along the edge of a blanket, its usefulness goes much further. From wool appliqué and felt ornaments to seasonal decorations and creative repairs, Blanket Stitch is a wonderful technique to revisit as we move into fall projects and heavier fabrics.

What Is Blanket Stitch?

Blanket Stitch is an edge stitch made by creating a series of evenly spaced stitches with a loop of thread running along the fabric’s edge.

As each stitch is formed, the working thread is caught beneath the needle. This creates the characteristic continuous line along the edge.

Depending on the thread, spacing, and fabric you choose, Blanket Stitch can be subtle and functional or bold and highly decorative.

When to Use Blanket Stitch

Blanket Stitch is especially useful when you want the edge of your project to become part of the design.

Try it for:

  • Wool appliqué
  • Felt projects
  • Blankets and throws
  • Raw-edge appliqué
  • Fabric ornaments
  • Decorative patches
  • Seasonal decorations
  • Creative mending
  • Finishing heavier fabrics that don’t fray excessively

Fall is an especially good time to experiment with this stitch because it pairs beautifully with wool, felt, heavier threads, and layered textiles.

What You’ll Need

For a more decorative finish, try a heavier thread such as Presencia perlé cotton or Colonial Persian Yarn. The added weight makes the structure of the stitch much more visible.

Your needle should also suit the materials you’re using. Heavier thread and dense fabrics may require a needle with a larger eye or stronger shaft than you would choose for delicate embroidery.

How to Sew Blanket Stitch

Step 1: Begin at the Edge

Bring your needle up near the edge of the fabric, hiding your knot between layers whenever possible.

Step 2: Position Your Next Stitch

Insert the needle a short distance away from your first stitch and at a consistent depth from the fabric edge.

Step 3: Catch the Working Thread

Before pulling the needle completely through, position the working thread underneath the tip of the needle.

Step 4: Pull the Stitch Through

Gently pull the thread through. A small loop will form along the edge of the fabric.

Step 5: Continue Along the Edge

Repeat the process, keeping the distance between stitches—and their depth from the edge—as consistent as possible.

The connecting thread should create a continuous line along the edge.

Tips for a Beautiful Blanket Stitch

Watch your spacing. Consistent spacing is what gives Blanket Stitch its characteristic polished appearance.

Don’t pull too tightly. The thread should rest neatly against the edge without causing the fabric to pucker.

Mark your fabric. If evenly spaced stitches are difficult at first, use a removable fabric marker to create small placement guides.

Adjust for curves. Slightly shorten your stitches as you work around curves and corners.

Experiment with thread weight. Fine thread creates a subtle finish, while heavier thread makes the stitch a decorative feature.

Blanket Stitch vs. Buttonhole Stitch

If Blanket Stitch looks familiar, there’s a reason.

Blanket Stitch and Buttonhole Stitch are closely related looped-edge techniques, and their names and uses sometimes overlap. In modern sewing, Blanket Stitch is often worked with more open spacing for decorative edging, while Buttonhole Stitch is typically worked more densely to create a firm, reinforced edge around a buttonhole.

Rather than thinking of them as completely unrelated stitches, it can be helpful to think of them as close relatives whose spacing, scale, and intended purpose can change the finished result.

Change the Materials, Change the Look

One of the best things about revisiting a foundational stitch is discovering how much your material choices matter.

Try Blanket Stitch worked:

  • In matching thread for a subtle finish
  • In contrasting perlé cotton for a bold edge
  • Around wool appliqué
  • Along two layers of felt
  • Around a decorative patch
  • With deliberately longer or shorter stitches

The basic technique stays the same, but the finished effect can feel completely different.

Projects to Try This Fall

Put your Blanket Stitch skills to work on:

  • Wool appliqué
  • Felt pumpkins or ornaments
  • Fabric leaves
  • Decorative patches
  • Mug rugs
  • Needle books
  • Small wool or felt pouches
  • Handmade holiday decorations

It’s an approachable stitch for beginners, but there’s plenty of room for experienced stitchers to experiment with spacing, color, thread weight, and materials.

Sometimes a familiar stitch is worth another look—especially when changing the fabric or thread can turn it into something entirely new.

Split Stitch: A Beginner’s Guide to Texture, Lines & Detail

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Sometimes the simplest stitches are the ones that give you the most creative freedom. The split stitch creates a beautifully textured line that’s equally at home outlining a delicate flower, following the curves of embroidered lettering, or adding detail to a larger design.

What makes this stitch different? Instead of placing each new stitch beside the last, your needle actually passes through the previous stitch, splitting the thread. The result is a continuous, slightly textured line that almost resembles a tiny braid.

With September’s focus on texture and layers, it’s a perfect stitch to add to your repertoire.

What Is a Split Stitch?

The split stitch is an embroidery stitch made by bringing the needle up through the center of the previous stitch, separating—or “splitting”—the thread as you go.

That simple technique creates a strong, continuous line with more texture than a backstitch but a slightly different appearance from stem stitch.

Because the stitches connect so closely, split stitch follows curves particularly well and can create remarkably smooth outlines.

When to Use Split Stitch

Split stitch is a wonderfully versatile embroidery technique.

Try it for:

  • Outlining embroidery motifs
  • Curved lines and intricate shapes
  • Lettering and monograms
  • Flower stems and botanical designs
  • Filling small areas
  • Creating a foundation underneath satin stitch
  • Adding texture to layered embroidery

It can be subtle when worked with fine floss or much more prominent when stitched with heavier thread.

What You’ll Need

Tip: Split stitch is easiest when you’re working with a divisible thread. Using an even number of strands makes it easier to bring your needle up cleanly through the center of the previous stitch.

How to Sew Split Stitch

Step 1: Bring Your Needle Up

Bring the needle from the back of the fabric to the front at the beginning of your design line.

Step 2: Make Your First Stitch

Take a small straight stitch forward along your marked line.

Step 3: Split the Stitch

Bring your needle back up through the center of the stitch you just made, splitting the strands of thread as evenly as possible.

Step 4: Stitch Forward Again

Insert the needle a short distance ahead along your design line and pull the thread through.

Step 5: Repeat

Bring the needle up through the center of that newest stitch and continue working forward.

As you repeat the process, you’ll see the characteristic continuous, textured line begin to form.

Tips for a Smooth Split Stitch

  • Keep your stitches relatively short when following curves.
  • Aim for the center of each previous stitch.
  • Maintain gentle, consistent thread tension.
  • Try an even number of floss strands so you can divide them evenly.
  • For a smoother line, keep your stitch length consistent.
  • For a more organic effect, experiment with slightly varied stitch lengths.

Split Stitch vs. Stem Stitch

These two stitches can look similar, but they’re constructed differently.

With stem stitch, each new stitch overlaps the previous stitch while the working thread remains consistently on one side.

With split stitch, the needle comes directly through the previous stitch and separates the thread.

Stem stitch creates a more distinctly twisted line, while split stitch produces a slightly flatter, braided texture. Both are excellent choices for outlines and curves—the look you want can help determine which one you choose.

Try Adding a Second Layer

September is all about texture and layers, so don’t stop after one line.

Try working a second row of split stitch beside the first, layering another stitch over it, or changing thread colors and weights. Split stitch can also serve as padding underneath satin stitch, giving the finished embroidery additional dimension.

Sometimes exploring a familiar technique in a new way is all it takes to change the look of a project.

Projects to Try

Put your split stitch skills to work on:

  • Embroidered lettering
  • Botanical motifs
  • Floral outlines
  • Monograms
  • Decorative borders
  • Small filled motifs
  • Layered embroidery samplers

Whether you use it as a subtle outline or build it into a textured design, split stitch is a simple technique with plenty of room for experimentation.