If tie blankets aren't your style, the whip stitch gives a single piece of fleece a neat, finished edge — entirely by hand, no sewing machine. It's one of the easiest hand stitches there is, and a contrasting yarn color turns the edge itself into decoration.
WHY WHIP STITCH?
A tie blanket needs two layers of fleece. The whip stitch finishes a single layer, so it uses half the fabric — and it lies flatter with a slightly more polished look. That makes it a great pick for baby blankets and gifts.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- 1 piece of anti-pill fleece, cut to your finished size (fleece barely shrinks, so what you cut is what you get — 1 1/2 yards makes a nice lap blanket, 2 yards a throw)
- Yarn in worsted weight, or embroidery floss — a contrasting color looks fantastic as a decorative edge
- A yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle) with a large eye
- Sharp scissors
- Optional: a ruler and fabric marker for keeping stitches even
STEP 1: CUT YOUR FLEECE
Cut your fleece to the finished size you want and trim off the selvage edges. No fringe needed here — the stitch itself is the edge finish.
STEP 2: THREAD YOUR NEEDLE
Cut about 18 inches of yarn. Longer pieces tangle and fray as you sew, so short lengths save a lot of frustration. Thread the needle and tie a good-sized knot at the end — a couple of stacked overhand knots works fine.
STEP 3: START AT A CORNER
Start on the back side near a corner. Push the needle up through the fleece about 1/2 inch in from the edge, and pull it through until the knot catches on the back.
STEP 4: MAKE THE STITCH
Bring the needle over the edge to the back side, then push it up through the fleece again about 1/2 inch farther along and 1/2 inch in from the edge. Each stitch wraps diagonally around the edge. Then repeat: over the edge, up through the fabric, over the edge, up through the fabric — all the way around.
STEP 5: KEEP IT EVEN
Aim for stitches about 1/2 inch apart and 1/2 inch deep. Even spacing is what makes the edge look professional. A ruler and a few light fabric-marker dots along the edge help enormously.
STEP 6: FINISH
When you run out of yarn, knot off on the back side, trim the tail, and start a new length overlapping one stitch so there are no gaps. At the last corner, take two or three extra stitches to lock it down, knot, and trim. Done!
HELPFUL TIPS
- Don't pull the yarn tight. Snug stitches lie flat; tight ones pucker the edge.
- Stick to 18-inch yarn lengths. You'll rethread more often, but you'll never fight a tangle.
- Contrasting yarn hides nothing, which forces nice even stitches — and it looks great.
- Mastered the whip stitch? Try the blanket stitch next: same idea, but each stitch loops through the previous one for a fancier braided edge.
READY TO TRY IT?
One layer of anti-pill fleece is all it takes. Browse our fleece prints: https://fleecequeen.com/collections/new-fleece-arrivals and solid fleece: https://fleecequeen.com/collections/solid-anti-pill-fleece