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Plastic Canvas Tips and Tricks

Whether you are new to plastic canvas projects or a pro looking to improve your work, this page is full of plastic canvas tips. Do you know an easy way to thread yarn for plastic canvas needles?

Maybe you're wondering what cross stitches can be made on plastic canvas? These plastic canvas for beginners and advanced crafter tips and tricks are the best ever!

definition of plastic canvas crafting

Plastic canvas projects involve crafting decorative and functional items using a stiff, open-weave material called plastic canvas. This plastic is the background for colorful yarn or embroidery floss and worked using simple needlepoint stitches.

This working with plastic canvas is great for kids and adults of all skill levels. 

plastic canvas projects

The projects can range from small items like coasters, bookmarks and ornaments to larger things such as tissue box covers, wall hangings and storage containers.

One of the reasons crafters enjoy plastic canvas work is because the projects can be so diverse. They can be personalized with endless color and pattern possibilities

We have a popular page on our site, "150 free plastic canvas projects" which is full of fun and free projects for all to enjoy. Please take a peak; you are sure to find something new and exciting to create! 

Beginners to this craft appreciate the forgiving nature of the material, while more experienced crafters enjoy creating the more intricate and multi-dimensional pieces.

Plastic canvas projects are ideal for gift-giving, home decor and fun, personal creative expression. 

Some of the tips below include how to start and end yarn on a project, as well as how to cover the edges of plastic canvas. Please scroll down to see all of the tips listed!

A wonderful list and lots of tutorials of plastic canvas stitches that would be both very helpful and very useful for all plastic canvas stitchers can be found on our site as well.

The tips on this page will be surprising to many and helpful to all plastic canvas crafters.

Plastic Canvas Tips and Tricks

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Covering Plastic Canvas Edge

If you want heavy coverage along the canvas edge, use a double strand of yarn for overcasting. The Needlecraft Shop

Cross Stitch Designs on Plastic Canvas

Which cross stitch designs can be made with plastic canvas? The design should contain a whole cross stitch and backstitch only, as you can’t work fractional stitches. Needlepointers.com

Cross Stitching On Plastic Canvas

The canvas will not give like cloth and you will need a smaller needle to get through the holes, especially when burying floss tails for finishing. Notorious Needle

Cutting Plastic Canvas Pieces

When cutting out plastic canvas pieces, make sure to count twice and cut once. Needlepointers.com

Duplicating Pieces

If you need several of the same shape for a design or project, i.e. coaster, tree, flowers, key chain holder, tissue box sides. Cut two and save one for later. This makes cutting easier and no need for markings. Needlepointers.com

Finishing Idea

Use wooden frames or other designer frames to help give your finished plastic canvas piece a more polished look. Craft E. Bug

How To Count Plastic Canvas Holes

If you have to count a large number of holes when making a plastic canvas project, a handy tool is to use a hole scaler or counter. The Needlecraft Shop

How to End Yarn (Plastic Canvas Basics)

How to End Yarn (Plastic Canvas Basics)

Learn how to end yarn when working with plastic canvas.

How to Make Plastic Canvas Tip

An ideal marking tool for plastic canvas is a fine-point overhead projection marker, available at office supply stores. This marker is dark and easy to see and washes off with water. The Needlecraft Shop

How to Start Yarn (Plastic Canvas Basics)

How to Start Yarn (Plastic Canvas Basics)

Learn how to start and anchor the yarn when stitching on plastic canvas.

How to Stitch Plastic Canvas Corner

When you get to the corners, you’ll need to do three stitches in the corner hole in order to cover each side and the corner part. Needlepointers.com

Keeping Track of Rows

When following patterns from a pattern book or loose pattern, put the pattern into a top loading sheet protector and just use the dry-erase marker to mark off the rows as you do them. Then just use either kleenex or a napkin to rub off the marker. Craft Designs For You

Mark and Cut Design

If the design pattern is intricate, use a marker to carefully count and mark the pattern; then cut it out. Needlepointers.com Associate

Marking Plastic Canvas

When doing plastic canvas, use a dry erase marker to mark the pattern. When finished cutting, take a napkin or kleenex and just rub it off. Craft Designs For You

Neat Embroidery

For neat and precise embroidery and small french knots over stitched plastic canvas, use a #18 or smaller tapestry needle. Needlepointers.com

Needle and Yarn Type

For 7-mesh canvas, use a No. 16 blunt tapestry needle and worsted-weight or plastic canvas yarn. Use a doubled strand for stitching on 5-mesh canvas. For 10-mesh canvas, use a No. 18 blunt tapestry needle and sport-weight yarn, embroidery floss, #3 pearl cotton or similar yarn. For 14-mesh canvas, use a No, 24 blunt tapestry needle and #5 pearl cotton. Annie's Catalog

Needle Threading Tip

Needle Threading Tip

If you have trouble threading a needle with floss or yarn, this method makes it easy. Needlepointers.com Associate

Plastic Canvas Crafts

Stitching plastic canvas is fun, it's easy and it's inexpensive. Dream A Little Bigger

Plastic Canvas Sheets

The larger the number the more stitches per inch or the smaller the stitch itself. The count number refers to the number of stitches per inch. For example, 7 count canvas means there are 7 stitches per inch and 10 count canvas has 10 stitches per inch. Craft E. Bug

Plastic Canvas Sheets

Plastic canvas comes in 4 sizes: 5 holes to the inch, 7 holes to the inch, 10 holes to the inch, and 14 holes to the inch. Before beginning a project, check the material list for the size you should use. Needlepointers.com Associate

Plastic Canvas Tear Repair Idea

If your canvas tears, just use the tip of a glue gun to melt the bars back together. DO NOT ACTUALLY USE HOT GLUE, USE AN EMPTY GLUE GUN. I use a low-temp glue gun. Craft E. Bug

Problem - Almost Out of Yarn

If you have barely enough yarn to finish a section, you can prevent having to start a new strand for only a couple of stitches by using a crochet hook to pull the yarn through. The Needlecraft Shop

Removing Marks

If you mark the canvas with a grease pencil, a used dryer fabric softener sheet removes marks easily. Needlepointers.com

Repair Hole or Inproper Cut

If you accidentally cut or tore a plastic canvas bar, get a piece of plastic canvas with the same size mesh, cut it slightly bigger than the area to repair and place it under the area to repair and stitch. Needlepointers.com

Repair Mistake - How to Fix A Cut or Torn Bar

If you accidentally cut or torn a bar or two on your canvas, glue the bars with a tiny drop of craft glue, super glue or hot glue. The Needlcrat Shop

Tension

As you stitch, try to maintain an even tension on the yarn. Loose stitches will look uneven, and tight stitches will let canvas show through. Annie's Craft Store

Tracing Rows

When using a pattern book etc. put a paper clip on the side of the page you are using...move it down as you work. This is a great way to keep track of what line you are on. Craft Designs For You

Washing of Plastic Canvas Project

If a project becomes soiled, it can be washed by soaking it in warm water and a little dish soap in a sink. CraftBits

Whip Stitching Edges Tip

When whip stitching the plastic canvas edges, cut canvas corners diagonally to allow better coverage when whip stitching edges. Debi's Plastic Canvas Site

Yarn

When working with a pattern that requires several colors of yarn, it's helpful to create small balls of each color. Place all the yarn balls into a baggie along with the pattern, a needle, and a pair of small, inexpensive scissors. This keeps everything organized and ready to use whenever you want to work on the project. Needlepointers.com

Yarn Twisting

If your yarn twists as you work, you may want to let your needle and yarn hang and untwist occasionally. Annie's Catalog





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