Buttonhole Stitch
Buttonhole stitch is a variation of the Blanket stitch. As the name suggests, we use it to fasten the edges of buttonholes in hand sewing.
Some embroidery books and online sources say Blanket stitch and Buttonhole stitch are the same. The only difference – how dense the stitch is. Others say that these two are different stitches. I think so too. The embroidery techniques are different. Also, Buttonhole stitch creates a more robust edge which is excellent for areas with a lot of friction (like buttonholes).
Other names of the Buttonhole stitch
Sometimes it is also called Button stitch or Buttonhole stitch edging.
Applications of the stitch
- As the name suggests, the most common application of the Buttonhole stitch is to fasten the edges of the buttonholes.
- This stitch can secure any textile edge – a dress hem or a tea towel.
- Used in decorative embroidery, this stitch will create a line of “L” shapes with a little bump on top.
More variations of the Blanket stitch:
- Blanket stitch filling
- Scotch darning stitch
- Mirrored Blanket stitch
Video tutorial
Watch this video tutorial and learn how to embroider this stitch.
What's next?
Looking for some other stitch? Head to the Stitches and Techniques part of this blog and choose the stitch you want to learn!
N.B. Some links may take you to the Easy To Make designs blog. This is my older hand embroidery blog. While I’m dedicating all of my energy to the Practical Embroidery blog, the previous version still has a lot of great content!