How to Blanket Stitch around Corners

The embroidery blanket stitch is a nice decorative stitch that may look difficult. Actually, by watching a quick tutorial on how to do the blanket stitch, it is quite simple.

However, many stitchers find that once they get to a corner, blanket stitch embroidery around corners is something they need a refresher on.

There are two different blanket stitches to try when embroidering with this stitch around a corner.

This tutorial shows how to blanket stitch around corners step by step with pictures.

If you need to learn how to end the blanket stitch, click the link to go to our tutorial.

Learn more about blanket stitch embroidery around corners by watching our video or keep reading this post with written directions and photos.

Visit our embroidery stitch library with many other stitching tutorials as well.

Before we get into the actual full-written photo tutorial on how to blanket stitch around corners, let's learn the what and when about the blanket stitch.

What is the blanket stitch?

Blanket stitch embroidery is a versatile hand embroidery stitch that derived its name from the finishing worked around the edges of blankets.   Today, however, various variations of blanket stitches are used as outlines and as functional decorative borders on all types of projects

In addition to the basic blanket stitch there are numerous variations like the long and short blanket stitch, boxed blanket stitch, double blanket stitch, knotted blanket stitch and buttonhole filling stitch, to name a few.

When can you use the blanket stitch?

• Hemming edges of blankets, napkins, pillowcases and tea towels
• Attach applique designs
• Crazy patchwork and crazy quilts
• Garments
• Finishing non-woven fabrics such as felt
• Sew felt toys
• Christmas decoration
• Embroidery filler stitch

THE BLANKET STITCH WRITTEN TUTORIAL

WHAT YOU NEED to blanket stitch around corners

• fabric
• embroidery floss
• embroidery needle
• pencil

method one

INSTRUCTIONS for using one stitch hole 

STEP 1: draw a corner line

When coming upon a corner using the blanket stitch, stop to lightly draw a corner line with a pencil to use as a guide when embroidering the blanket stitch.  

The pencil line is helpful when learning this technique, but it will not be necessary after you've done it several times.

This line should be at a 90 degree angle at the corner of the fabric.

Be sure the line is equidistance from the edge of the fabric, matching the width of the other blanket stitches that have been completed.

 STEP TWO: MAKE THE FIRST CORNER BLANKET STITCH

Push the needle with the embroider floss from the front of the fabric towards the back, going down through the fabric in the corner of the 90 degree angle that was drawn with the pencil. 

Stitch through the loop as is done with the usual blanket stitch.

step three: Stitch the second of the corner blanket stitches

Once the step above is complete, push the needle from the front of the fabric down through the same corner hole as the first stitch.  

When the needle is pulled through the loop, it will be on an angle at the corner of the fabric.

step four: make the final stitch of this three-stitch corner method

Finally, once step three is complete, push the needle from the front of the fabric one last time in the same corner hole that was used for the first two blanket corner stitches.

Make the blanket stitch loop, and the corner is complete. There will be three stitches that all use the same hole as the beginning blanket stitch.

step five: stitch to the next corner

Once the corner has been turned, continue making the blanket stitches until the next corner is reached.  Follow steps one through four above to embroidery a blanket stitch corner using one hole.

method two

blanket stitch around the corner using three different holes

step one: draw a corner line

When first learning this technique, using a pencil, lightly draw a 90 degree corner line along the bottom of the other blanket stitches in the row that has been sewn.

Make sure the pencil line is equidistance from all of the other neat stitches that have been made. Once the technique has been mastered, the pencil line will not be necessary.

step two: stitch the first blanket stitch before the corner

Using the blanket stitch, make the first corner stitch. In the row that you are stitching, push the needle from the top of the fabric down just a bit before the 90 degree corner and make the usual blanket stitch.

step three: make the blanet stitch corner

Next, push the needle from the top of the fabric to the back, going down directly at the 90 degree corner.  This is a separate hole than the first corner stitch. Loop through the embroidery floss and gently line up the stitch with the angle on the corner of the fabric.

step four: stitch the third corner blanket stitch

For the last stitch in the embroidery corner, make a blanket stitch by pushing the needle down from the front of the fabric into a third and separate hole to begin stitching straight again.  

step five: stitch to the next corner

Once the corner has been turned, continue stitching straight until the next corner is reached.  Follow the steps above to make a blanket stitch corner with three separate holes.

Before you know it, you'll be making blanket stitch corners like a pro!

other blanket embroidery stitch tutorials

• Short and long blanket stitch
• Basic blanket stitch
• Ending the blanket stitch