Blanket Stitch

Beginner Finishing

A looped edge stitch that wraps around a raw edge, leaving a neat row of connected "L" shapes — a classic finish for blankets and felt appliqué.

Bring the needle up from the back of the fabric, a short distance in from the edge.
Insert the needle down through the fabric right at the edge, directly out from where the thread emerged, and bring the tip back up at the same starting depth a short distance to the side.
Before pulling the needle all the way through, catch the working thread under the needle's tip so it loops around as you pull — this loop is what locks each stitch to the edge.
Pull the thread snug, not tight, so the loop sits flat against the edge.
Repeat along the edge, keeping your stitch depth and spacing even.

Catching the working thread under the needle before pulling through is the one step that turns a plain stitch into a blanket stitch — skip it and you just get loose diagonal stitches.
Worked very close together with no gap between stitches, this becomes "buttonhole stitch," used to reinforce buttonholes instead of finishing an open edge.
Blanket stitch both finishes a raw edge and decorates it at the same time, which is why it's a felt-craft and appliqué staple.