Chloe Zhang
Plastic canvas is a lightweight, vinyl weave craft material that can be used as a foundation for needlepoint or embroidery. It is a versatile material that can be used to create a variety of items such as wall art, decorations, and home organizers. One of the most popular items to make with plastic canvas is coasters. These can be made using various stitches such as the Scotch Stitch, which creates a series of diagonal stitches that form boxes. The process of making plastic canvas coasters is quite simple and does not require special sewing skills. With basic supplies like embroidery scissors, yarn, and a plastic canvas needle, anyone can create decorative and useful coasters in a minimal amount of time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Required skills | Basic sewing skills |
| Materials | Plastic canvas, yarn, embroidery scissors, glue gun, needle |
| Techniques | Scotch stitch, whip stitch |
| Time | 30 minutes |
| Size | 4" square, 26 holes wide by 26 holes tall |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a pattern
Plastic canvas coasters are a fun, quick, and easy project that can be completed over a weekend. They are also a great way to express your creativity and make for thoughtful gifts. You can find several free plastic canvas patterns online, suitable for beginners and experienced crafters.
When choosing a pattern, consider the purpose of your coasters and the room they will be used in. For instance, you can choose a fun, bright colour combination for a spring or summer vibe or try out different colour combinations like a checkered pattern. You can also draw inspiration from things you love, such as Ancient Egypt, and incorporate symbols like the Eye of Horus or the Ankh.
The type of stitch you want to use can also guide your pattern choice. For example, the Scotch Stitch is a series of diagonal stitches that create a box, while the Whip stitch creates a spiral on the edge of the canvas. You can also try the Corner to Corner (C2C) crochet technique, which involves starting at one corner, increasing until you reach your desired size, and then decreasing back down to one stitch.
The type of yarn you use can also influence the pattern you choose. Cotton yarn, for instance, is more durable and absorbent, while a chunky weight yarn will cover the canvas better. You can also use any worsted weight yarn from your stash or common options like Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, which is 100% acrylic.
Finally, consider the size of your coasters. Most coaster patterns use 7-mesh plastic canvas, but you can change the mesh size or the number of holes to get the sizing you want. For instance, you can measure your canvas and cut any number of holes that are divisible by 5 plus 1, or you can start stitching first and then measure as you go.
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Cutting the plastic canvas
Cutting plastic canvas is a straightforward process, but it requires some careful preparation and the use of sharp scissors. The first step is to decide on the shape and size of the coaster. For a square coaster, a simple option is to cut a 4-inch square from the plastic canvas. You can either stitch the coaster first and then cut, or cut the plastic canvas square and then stitch.
To ensure a neat finish, it is recommended to cut all corners diagonally and trim as close as possible to the canvas bars without tearing. If you do accidentally tear or damage the plastic canvas while cutting, simply repair it by gluing the affected bars with a hot glue gun.
When you are happy with the shape and size of your coaster, you can start cutting. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut along the outline of your coaster. Cut through the rigid vertical and horizontal bars of the canvas, which will hold their shape when cut.
For a really professional finish, neaten the edges with a simple overcast stitch. This will ensure that the coaster does not unravel and that the edges are nicely finished. You can then move on to decorating your coaster with stitching, yarn, or other creative additions.
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Stitching techniques
Plastic canvas coasters are a fun, beginner-friendly project that can be completed in a weekend. They are made using plastic canvas, a lightweight vinyl weave craft material with evenly spaced holes, and yarn. You can use any type of yarn, but chunkier yarn will cover the canvas better and cotton yarn is more durable and absorbent. You can also use a range of stitches, such as the Scotch Stitch, which creates a series of diagonal stitches that form boxes, or the Whip Stitch, which brings the needle to the top side of the canvas and then back up from the underside, creating a spiral on the edge of the canvas.
To start, you can either cut the plastic canvas to size first and then stitch, or stitch first and then cut the canvas, leaving one canvas bar unworked on all four sides. If you are creating a design, you can start at a corner, leaving one bar of plastic canvas unworked on the upper left-hand side. You can then stitch in your desired order—design, filler, and then border, or design, border, and then filler.
When stitching, you can go up one hole and down one diagonal, or use the Scotch Stitch method of stitching diagonally from one corner to the next hole with no holes in between. You can also add backing to the coaster with felt, fabric, or cork to hide the reverse side and make it look neater. To attach the backing, you can use a glue gun or sew it on.
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Adding a backing
One way is to cut and attach some felt, fabric, or cork to the back of the coaster. You can use a glue gun to attach the backing material, being careful to only glue down two adjacent sides first, and then gradually gluing the remaining two sides. This makes it easier to finish than if you glued down three sides at once. Alternatively, you can sew the backing material to the coaster, although this may not look as neat.
Another option is to use a drawer liner as a backing. Outline the coaster on the drawer liner with a pencil, then cut it out. Place the liner on the back of the coaster, with the pencil side facing the coaster, and glue it down. Again, be careful to only glue down two adjacent sides at a time.
When stitching the coaster, it is recommended to leave one bar of plastic canvas unworked on the upper and left-hand sides of the canvas. This will help with attaching the backing. You can also use a whip stitch to create a spiral on the edge of the canvas, which will help secure the backing in place.
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Finishing touches
Plastic canvas coasters are a fun, beginner-friendly project that can be completed in a weekend. They are also versatile, making great gifts and working as mats for vases, plants, candles, and more. Here are some tips for adding the finishing touches to your plastic canvas coasters:
Backing
Adding a backing to your coaster will give it a neater appearance by hiding the reverse side, which may look messy due to the tying of yarn. Felt, fabric, cork, or a drawer liner can be used as backing. To attach the backing, you can use a glue gun, carefully gluing down two adjacent sides, and then the remaining two sides. Alternatively, you can sew the backing on, hiding the end of the thread in the yarn by going down through a hole in the liner and then diagonally up through the yarn.
Stitching
The type of stitch you use is up to you, but it can make a difference to the appearance of the back of your coaster. Long stitches on the back will make the back look fuller but will use more yarn, while quick, short stitches will result in a plainer back and will use less yarn.
Yarn
When choosing a yarn for your coaster, consider using cotton yarn, as it is more durable and absorbent. You can also use any worsted weight yarn or 100% acrylic yarn, which is the most common type of yarn used for plastic canvas coasters.
Design
You can stitch your design, filler, and border in any order you prefer. However, it may be best to stitch the design and filler first, followed by the border, as this will result in a neater appearance.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic canvas is a lightweight, vinyl weave craft material with evenly spaced holes. It is often used as a foundation for needlepoint or embroidery.
You will need a plastic canvas, yarn, a needle, and scissors. You can also use glue and a glue gun if you don't want to sew.
You can use acrylic or wool yarn. Some people prefer cotton yarn because it is more durable and absorbent.
There are different types of stitches you can use, such as the Scotch Stitch, which creates a series of diagonal stitches that form boxes. You can also do a Whip stitch, where you bring your needle to the top side of the canvas and then go back to the underside, creating a spiral on the edge.
You can add a backing to your coasters, such as felt, fabric, or cork, to hide the reverse side and make them look neater.
