Your Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Blanket Stitch Corners

Have you ever wanted to add a beautiful blanket stitch border to a project, but stopped in your tracks when you got to the first corner?

You're not alone! It’s one of those little things that can feel so fiddly. One minute you're stitching along happily, and the next you're staring at a corner, wondering how on earth to get around it without creating a weird, bulky mess.

First things first, if you're completely new to this stitch, you might want to pop over to our main guide, How to Do the Blanket Stitch, to get the basic rhythm down. It’s the perfect foundation.

But if you’ve got the basics covered and it’s just those ninety-degree turns giving you grief, you are in exactly the right place.

Forget the frustration of tangled threads or uneven edges. I’m going to show you a simple, almost foolproof method to create sharp, tidy, and frankly, adorable blanket stitch corners every single time. It’s one of those little "aha!" moments that makes all the difference.

Ready to turn a corner in your stitching skills? (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) Let's get started.

How to Stitch a Perfect Outside Corner

The whole secret to a beautifully crisp outside corner is surprisingly simple: it’s all about letting a few key stitches share the very same hole. This method works like a dream on evenweave fabric, where counting your threads makes it extra clear.

Here’s how we do it, step-by-step:

Step 1: Stitch Up to the Edge

Stitch along your border as you normally would. Stop when you are just one space away from the corner hole. Easy peasy!

Step 2: Make the Turn with Three Sharing Stitches

Now for the fun part! To create the turn, you’ll work three diagonal stitches. The trick is that all three of these stitches will pop up through that very same corner hole. This creates a neat little fan that guides you around the bend.

Step 3: Carry on Stitching

Once your three turning stitches are complete, simply skip over the next empty hole on the new side and continue your blanket stitch as normal along the new edge.

And just like that, you’ve turned the corner!

 

Tackling the Inside Corner (The Easy Way!)

Ready for some good news? If you found the outside corner manageable, you’re going to love this next part.

Inside corners are even simpler! There’s no need to create a fan of stitches; it's all about one single, tidy loop that anchors the turn perfectly. It’s a beautifully simple solution that keeps your work looking neat.

Using the same diagram as above, all you have to do is...

Step 1: 

When you reach the inside corner, take your needle down directly into the corner point.

Step 2:

Now, bring your needle back up just over the working thread and pull gently. You’ll see a neat little loop form that secures the corner.

And honestly, that’s it! You’ve just created a perfect inside corner. Now you can carry on stitching along the next side, confident that everything is tidy and secure.

A Helpful Tip: Running Out of Thread?

Stitching a long border often means you'll need to start a new piece of thread.

If you see your thread running short as you're navigating a corner, don't panic! we have a wonderfully neat trick for that! You can find our full tutorial on how to add a new thread without anyone ever spotting the join.

Now You’re a Corner-Turning Pro!

See? It wasn't so scary after all!

With these little tricks up your sleeve, you can now add a beautiful, continuous blanket stitch border to anything you can dream of - a handmade felt book, a cozy fleece blanket, or even a sweet little appliqué. Those once-tricky corners will now be a source of pride, not panic.

The most important thing is to have fun with it. Every stitch is a chance to relax, create, and make something that is uniquely yours.

I’d love to see what you create with your new corner-turning skills! Feel free to share your projects with me.

Happy stitching!

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