This handiest of stitches is a great way to finish garments as well as blankets – not just for crochet projects!

You will need

Yarn (DK or lighter)
a sharp darning needle
some spare fabric to practise on.

Prepare the fabric by placing masking tape near the edge (try a 1.5cm/½in gap) on right side. This will help keep your stitches even in height.

Thread yarn onto needle and knot the other end. Insert needle up to the right side of the fabric, at the masking tape edge, pull up to the knot.

Push the needle back into the same hole and pull to form a small loop (3cm/1in). Pass the needle through the loop so yarn sits at the edge of the fabric.

*Now insert the needle into the right side of the fabric at the masking tape edge, a short distance to the right or left (try 1.5cm/½in). Push needle to the wrong side and beyond fabric edge. Catch the yarn loop you just made under the needle tip. Pull yarn gently to form a stitch, but not too firmly or the fabric will pucker. Repeat from * around the edge, keeping the stitches even in width (you can mark the masking tape with a pencil to help with this). Fasten off.

How to crochet blanket stitch edging