Raised Blanket Stitch Band
Raised Blanket Stitch Band is a hand embroidery stitch in the Blanket Stitch family with a raised, textured look. Like other raised bands (Chain Stitch Band or Stem Stitch Band), Raised Blanket Stitch Band is made in two steps. First, embroider parallel stitches to create a base for your raised stitch, then add Blanket Stitch on top.
The second layer, Blanket Stitch, does not pierce the fabric; it stays attached to the base stitch, so on the back side of the fabric only diagonal stitches from the base ladder are visible. If you don’t start each row of the Blanket stitch with a new length of thread, you will also see jumping threads tucked under these diagonal stitches (like in my sampler).
Other names of the stitch
Raised Buttonhole Band or Raised Buttonhole Stitch Band are alternative names for this hand embroidery technique.
Applications of the Raised Blanket Stitch Band
The Raised Blanket Stitch Band creates a voluminous, textured surface. You can use this technique for decorative bands and borders, or as a raised filling stitch. A straight band is not the only shape this stitch can take. You can fill any regular or irregular shape with Raised Blanket Stitch Band. As long as you can fill the object with parallel base stitches, you can fill the shape with this technique.
Raised Blanket Stitch Band will work great for branches or tree trunks in botanical designs. You can use the technique to fill backgrounds or create objects like fences, baskets, or rugs. This technique also works well for depicting textured surfaces such as scarves, sweaters, or hats.
The Raised Blanket Stitch Band embroidery method lets you mix colors or create gradual color changes. You can color the design in stripes of contrasting color or create ombre color changes using multiple shades of the same color.
More stitches from the Blanket Stitch family
Want to learn more Blanket Stitch variations and understand this technique better? Read these:
Learn how to embroider Raised Blanket Stitch Band
Follow the step-by-step tutorial with detailed photos below, and you will learn the Raised Blanket Stitch Band quickly. If you are a visual learner, watch a video lesson in the tutorial or on the Practical Embroidery YouTube channel to learn this hand embroidery stitch faster.
How to embroider Raised Blanket Stitch Band
Step-by-step hand embroidery tutorial
1. Mark the shape you want to fill with Raised Blanket Stitch Band. Start embroidering with the base stitches.
2. Embroidery runs top-down or left to right. Start at the top left corner and fill the entire band with parallel, equally spaced stitches.
3. Bring the needle back to the surface at the top-left corner. You can change the thread color if you wish.
4. Pass the needle under the first base stitch and inside the loop of the working thread, just like making a Blanket Stitch.
5. Pull the thread to tighten the loop on the first base stitch, then make one more on the second rung of the ladder.
6. Add a Blanket Stitch on each base stitch. When you reach the end of the band, pass the needle to the back.
7. To avoid long passing threads on the back, you can start a new length of thread. This works great when the band is long. For shorter shapes, pass the thread under the stitches on the back.
8. Return to the surface near the start of the first row of filling, and use the same method to add one more row of filling.
9. Add rows of Raised Blanket Stitch Band one after another, pushing them slightly with the needle, to make the filling denser and more compact.
10. The last row can be tricky, as there isn’t much space left. Be careful not to pierce the fabric or the base stitches when you pass under them.
11. When you finish the filling, pass the needle to the back and secure the thread.
12. Note that the band’s look depends heavily on the threads you use. The band on the right is stitched with double pearl cotton on a double pearl cotton base. The dark blue band on the left is made with single pearl cotton thread (both the base and the filling).
Video tutorial
Tools and materials I used for this sampler
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What’s next?
If you’re in the mood to explore more hand embroidery stitches, check out the Stitches and Techniques page for the list of other fantastic stitches available on my blog. From timeless classics to modern twists, a whole world of stitches is waiting for you to explore and master. Decorative stitches, techniques for filling and outlines, borders or mending – all in one place!
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Need More Guidance?
The top 10 hand embroidery stitches to learn is a free online course created for beginners.
