Stitching The notebook
Blanket stitch round felt edges, evenly every time
How to work a neat blanket stitch along felt edges and round corners, keeping the spacing and depth even.
Pinned up on
Blanket stitch is the edge you see on most felt softies: a row of upright stitches with a thread running along the very edge, joining them. It does two jobs at once. It holds two layers together and it decorates the outline. When it is uneven, though, it is the first thing anyone notices.
Two numbers decide the look: the depth (how far in from the edge each stitch goes in) and the spacing (how far apart they are). For felt toys, 4 mm deep and 4 mm apart is a comfortable square. Keep both the same and the edge looks machine-made.
Step 1: Anchor the thread inside
You need
- three strands of floss
- needle
Knot the thread and bring the needle out between the two layers, right at the edge. The knot stays hidden inside the seam. Then take one stitch through both layers at the starting point, from back to front, to fix the start.
Step 2: Work the stitch
You need
- the joined layers held in your left hand
Push the needle in from the front, 4 mm in from the edge and 4 mm along. Bring it out at the back, at the edge. Before you pull the thread tight, pass the needle through the loop of thread. Pull gently until the loop sits on the edge. Pull too hard and the felt puckers.
Repeat. Your thumb holds each finished loop on the edge while you make the next one.
Step 3: Turn outside corners
You need
- nothing extra
At a corner, take three stitches into the same hole, fanning them out: one along the old edge, one diagonal, one along the new edge. The corner then looks filled-in, not bald.
Step 4: Go round curves
You need
- nothing extra
On an outward curve, keep the spacing measured at the edge and let the stitch tips fan a little. On an inward curve, do the opposite. Measure at the inner end and let the edge loops sit closer together. Tight curves look better with a slightly smaller stitch, about 3 mm.
Step 5: Join a new thread and finish
You need
- a fresh length of floss
Never run out mid-loop. Stop when 10 cm of thread remains, take the needle between the layers and run it along inside for 2 cm before snipping. Bring the new thread out through the last loop so the line continues unbroken. To finish a closed shape, pass the needle under the very first loop, then bury the tail between the layers.
Mark dots on the first piece you try. After a few practice edges your eye takes over, and you will be able to work blanket stitch without marking anything.