blanket stitch tutorial

Blanket stitch is an easy stitch with a beautiful visual effect and it is applied in many crafts such as embroidery, felt and appliqué. I often use this stitch in appliqué when I want to get an informal or country look.
Although this is an easy and unforgettable stitch sometimes there are some doubts about how to finish a blanket stitch closed line. I used in this example an heart because it is one of the most popular appliquéd shapes.
To start the first stitch, pull the thread through the background fabric, close to the edge of the heart. I like to start on a straight side of the heart.
Make the first stitch and continue the line. To make even stitches all the lines inside the appliquéd shape must point toward the center. This means all these lines are perpendicular to the heart edge. This rule is particularly important on the curved parts.

On a concave V point make three stitches ending each stitch on the same point. On a convex V point make three stitches beginning each stitch on the same point.
If the thread is too short to complete the entire perimeter, start a stitch but don´t finish it. Pull the thread to the backside of the background fabric leaving a small loop on the top.
Pass the needle, with the new thread, through the background fabric on the point where you should end the stitch, and through the loop.
Now gently pull the old thread to finish this bridge stitch.
Continue stitching around the appliquéd piece. Stop about one stitch length from the first stich you made. Pull the needle through the small loop of the first stitch.

Insert the needle on the point in the middle of the first and the last stitch.
Pull the thread to the backside of the background fabric, make a backstitch and cut the thread. That’s it.