Omar Khalid
Plastic canvas is a cheap and easy way to create your own crafts. You can use plastic canvas to create a wide range of items, including keychains, magnets, pins, earrings, cellphone straps, and more. To start stitching your plastic canvas, you'll need to secure the end of your yarn by passing the needle through each hole from the back to the front two or three times. When creating a row of stitches, you'll want to stitch over the tail to avoid any loose threads. If you need to create a larger canvas, you can stitch together two or more pieces with a whipstitch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Threading the needle | Fold a small piece of tape over the yarn's end, press it flat, and thread it through the needle. Alternatively, use a paper clip as a needle threader. |
| Joining two pieces of plastic canvas | Use an overcast stitch to join pieces together at a right angle to create 3D shapes like phone pouches or badges. |
| Finishing raw edges | Use an overcast stitch to cover the edges for a neat finish. |
| Securing stitches | Stitch over the tail of the thread to secure it and prevent loose threads. |
| Stitch direction | Work from right to left or left to right, whichever is more comfortable. |
| Stitch count | For 14 count plastic canvas, two strands usually provide decent coverage. For 10 count, use three or four strands. |
| Cutting | Cut outside the stitching, leaving one bar to keep stitches in place. |
| Canvas selection | Plastic canvas comes in various colours, shapes, thicknesses, and hole counts. Choose the appropriate canvas size for your project. |
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What You'll Learn
Joining two pieces of plastic canvas
To use the overcast stitch, follow these general steps:
- Secure the end of the yarn by holding the last inch to the back of one of the canvas pieces, next to where you want to join them.
- Line up the two pieces of canvas and hold them together.
- Pass the needle through each hole two times, and three times on the corners for extra security.
- Continue stitching along the join, passing the needle through both sets of holes two or three times.
- To finish, weave the end of the yarn underneath the backs of the stitches in multiple directions to secure it.
On curved seams where the holes don't line up perfectly, you may need to add some extra stitches. Pass the needle through all the holes, both stitched and unstitched, and consider passing through each set of holes three times for the best coverage. If you encounter difficulty passing the needle through the canvas, you can try gripping it with pliers to pull it through.
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Finishing raw edges with overcast stitch
Plastic canvas is a super easy and cheap craft to pick up! Overcasting is an essential stitch to learn for 3D sewing with plastic canvas and for finishing 2D pieces neatly. Overcasting is used to cover the raw edges on a single piece of plastic canvas. It is always worked in the same direction, creating a series of diagonal stitches that wrap around and cover the raw edge of the canvas. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to finish raw edges with an overcast stitch:
- Secure the end of the yarn by holding the last inch to the back of the canvas.
- Pass the needle through each hole from the back to the front two or three times per hole to cover the tail. You may need to pass the needle a couple of times more at the corners for full coverage.
- Work one stitch in each hole along straight edges and inside corners.
- Work two or three stitches in outside corners for complete coverage.
- Carefully trim the sharp edge off the corner with fine-tipped scissors, being careful not to cut into the hole.
- Run the yarn end under an inch or so of stitches on the backside of your work to secure it.
- Weave the end of the yarn underneath the backs of stitches in a few directions to secure it.
If you are joining two pieces of plastic canvas together, you will use the whipstitch technique. Line up the two pieces of canvas and pass the needle through each hole two times and three times on the corners. Stitch both sets of holes.
Grip the needle with pliers to pull it through if it gets stuck.
Happy stitching!
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Threading the needle
Firstly, cut a length of yarn or floss that is long enough to work with comfortably. It is recommended to start with approximately three feet of yarn or floss. You can always cut off any excess later. Fold a small piece of tape over the end of the yarn and press it flat. This will make it easier to thread the needle by providing a stiff end to work with.
Next, hold the needle in one hand and the taped end of the yarn in the other. Carefully insert the taped end through the eye of the needle. Take your time with this step, as it can be challenging to get the yarn through the small eye of the needle. Once the taped end is through, gently pull the yarn through until the tape reaches the eye of the needle.
Now, remove the tape from the end of the yarn. You should now have your needle successfully threaded with your chosen yarn or floss. If you find this method challenging, there are a few alternative techniques you can try. One suggestion is to open a paper clip and use the smaller middle loop as a threading aid. Place the loop through the eye of the needle, pass the yarn through the loop, and then gently pull the paper clip out, leaving your needle threaded.
Finally, when working with plastic canvas, it is important to secure your stitches to prevent loose threads. To do this, insert the needle through the backside of the canvas, leaving a two-inch tail of yarn or floss. Hold the tail against the back of the canvas, following your intended stitch line. Execute your stitches over the tail, ensuring it remains secure and covered. This will create a neat and tidy finish to your work.
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Starting a row of stitches
To start a row of stitches on a plastic canvas, you must first ensure that there are no loose threads. To do this, stitch over the tail of the thread by threading your needle with around three feet of yarn or floss. Insert the needle through the back of the canvas, leaving a two-inch tail, and hold the tail against the back, running along the stitch line. Then, execute your stitches over the tail until it is covered.
When you start a new thread, you can use a paper clip to thread the needle. Open the paper clip and use the smaller middle loop as a needle threader by putting it through the eye of the needle, passing the yarn through, and then pulling the clip out.
Another method to thread the needle is to fold a small piece of tape over the end of the yarn and press it flat. Then, thread the needle and cut off the excess with scissors.
When you start a new row of stitches, you should also be mindful of how to finish the previous row. When you complete a row, flip the canvas so the back is facing up. Insert the needle and yarn through several completed stitches to avoid leaving a bulky knot or hanging tail.
When cutting the canvas, always cut outside your stitching, leaving one bar in place to keep your stitches in place.
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Finishing a row of stitches
When you finish a row of stitches, you don't want to ruin your creation with a bulky knot or a hanging tail. To create a clean finish on the back of the canvas, flip the canvas so that its back is facing up. Then, insert your threaded needle through several completed stitches. Work from right to left or left to right, whichever is most comfortable for you.
To secure the end of the yarn, hold the last inch to the back of the canvas and pass the needle through each hole from the back to the front two or three times per hole to cover the tail. At corners, you may need to pass the needle through a few more times to fully cover the canvas. Weave the end of the yarn underneath the backs of stitches in a few directions to secure it. On curved seams where the holes don't line up, you may need to add some extra stitches. Pass the needle through all the holes that have been stitched and those that are unstitched. You'll likely need to pass the needle and thread through each set of holes three times for the best coverage.
If you're planning to attach something to the outside of your charm, such as a keychain or earrings, you might want to leave a few squares uncut so that you can attach your finishing. Cut out your finished design, making sure to leave a border around the stitches for integrity. You can do this with an Exacto knife or a normal pair of scissors. Just work your way around the design slowly.
If you're cutting your plastic canvas, always cut outside of your stitching. Leave one bar in place to keep your stitches in place. So, if you have six stitches across, there needs to be seven bars.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy everything you need for a plastic canvas project at your local craft store or online. You will need a plastic canvas, yarn or floss, a needle, and scissors.
One way to do this is to fold a small piece of tape over the end of the yarn and press it flat, then thread the needle and cut off the excess with scissors. Alternatively, you can open a paper clip and use the smaller middle loop to thread the needle.
To connect two pieces of plastic canvas, stack your canvas so that the edges are flush. Pull the needle up through the top edge hole of both canvases. Wrap the thread or floss tightly against the edges of the canvas. Insert the needle into the next hole and pull it through. Repeat this process until you reach the bottom of the canvas.
