clear navigate_before

Long and short blanket stitch icon
Long and short blanket stitch

Long and short blanket stitch main image

Long and short blanket stitch consists of a row of loops each anchored by the following stitch to form an L-shape.  It is stitched in a similar way to blanket stitch, the only difference is the assortment of stitch lengths.  As the name suggests, it can be used to edge blankets, but it can also be worked as a surface stitch.

For more background, see the entry for blanket stitch.

add_circleMy Stitches
Looped Buttonhole Edging Border Construction Outline Surface

This stitch has been generously sponsored in memory of Susan Albury.

Method

To work this stitch on the edge of a piece of fabric (as shown in the main image), treat the references below to the baseline of the stitch as referring to the edge of the fabric.

pan_tool
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 1 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Bring the needle and thread up on the baseline and take the needle down a few millimetres along and in from the line, leaving a loop on the surface.

Long and short blanket stitch method stage 2 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Bring the needle up inside the loop, on the baseline.

Long and short blanket stitch method stage 3 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Tighten the loop to create a reverse L-shaped stitch on the surface and then pull the thread through.

Long and short blanket stitch method stage 4 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Continue to work along the the baseline, varying the length of the vertical stitches.

Long and short blanket stitch method stage 5 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

The length of the vertical stitches can be alternated to produce a long and short design

Long and short blanket stitch method stage 6 illustration
Long and short blanket stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

or you can create interesting patterns and borders by creating stitches in repeated blocks of differing lengths.

Long and short blanket stitch

Structure of stitch

Looped Buttonhole

Common uses

Edging Border Construction Outline

Embroidery Techniques

Surface

Related Stitches

Blanket stitch

References

  • Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches (1934) , p.10–11