- Blanket stitch
The Blanket Stitch is a stitch used to reinforce the edge of thick materials. It is also called a whip stitch. It is defined as "A decorative stitch used to finish an unhemmed blanket. The stitch can be seen on both sides of the blanket." This stitch has become popular for use with
polar fleece produced byMalden Mills andBerkshire Blankets ofWare Massachusetts . This stitch has long been both an application by hand and as a machine sewn stitch.[
merrow blanket stitch (2007 )]Distinction between mechanical and hand-stitching
The blanket stitch as a hand stitch is also considered a
crochet stitchAs a mechanical stitch it is often defined as a whip stitch or a Merrow Machine Company Crochet Stitch.
History
The very first
sewing machine to sew a blanket stitch was produced and patented by theMerrow Machine Company in 1877. The defining characteristic of thecrochet machine is its ability to sew with yarn and stitch thick goods with a consistentoverlock edge. From 1877-1925 the machine evolved dramatically, and consequently so did the capacity of manufacturers to produce goods with the whip stitch.In the early 1990s Chinese manufacturers copied the design of the original crochet sewing machines.
Intellectual Property
The
Merrow Sewing Machine Company retains a patent on the mechanism that creates the blanket stitch. The CrochetSewing Machine has been modified hundreds of times since its introduction in 1877.In 2007 Merrow renewed the patent for the whip stitch and is currently involved in litigation with several Chinese firms who are accused of violating Merrow's intellectual property rights.
tyle
There are many styles of production blanket stitching. Some rolled, narrow, with elastic, and traditional.
The blanket stitch is commonly used as a decorative stitch on an array of garments; beyond blankets to sweaters, outerwear, swimsuits, home furnishings, and much more. The blanket stitch is a name which has come to describe the application of the stitch rather than its actual use.
Types of Blanket Stitching
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