- The blanket stitch is traditionally used in embroidery to finish the raw edges of fabric or as a decorative effect. The stitch is also used to form unnoticeable thread eyes, which are used with a metal hook in place of a metal eye; thread loops, which are usually placed at the corner of a neck opening and fasten to a small button; and belt carriers.
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An example of a blanket stitch.When hand sewing a blanket stitch, work from left to right with the point of the needle and the edge of the work toward you. The Reader's Digest "New Complete Guide to Sewing" says that you can either leave the edges of the fabric raw or fold them under. Tie the thread, securing it, and bring the thread from below the edge to start. To stitch, insert the needle through the fabric from the right side and bring it out on the edge. Keep the thread from the previous stitch under the point of the needle, draw it through and form a stitch over the edge. Repeat as necessary. - A blanket stitch also can be sewn on a machine, although the manufacturer of your machine may refer to it as a whipstitch or crochet stitch. The key feature of the blanket stitch is that the thread can be seen on both sides of the fabric, so experiment with different stitches to see if you get the effect you are looking for. Because the blanket stitch is an embroidery stitch, it may be found within the embroidery stitch functions on your particular machine.
