Plastic Canvas

Working with plastic canvas can be a lot of fun and very versatile. The size of the holes in the canvas makes a difference on how detailed and tedious your pattern will be. What I like most, is that I don't have to use a sharp pointed needle, so I'm not always sticking myself. There are so many plastic canvas patterns available, that you can make almost anything.

For those folks who like refrigerator magnets, there are loads of patterns available. A few years ago, when I was participating in craft shows, I made magnets that were in the shape of bird houses. Boy, did they go over good. Some of the more popular patterns are glass coasters, napkin holders, purses, wall hangings, book covers, book ends, door stops, keep sake boxes and even how to make a complete Christmas village. The buildings in the Christmas village were just as detailed as the ceramic ones, but a lot less in weight when it came time to store them away for another year.

You can even adapt other types of patterns to plastic canvas; like mosaic squares, cross stitch or latch hook designs. Since they are all designed on an individual color block scale, you can use these same patterns to finish them to plastic canvas. You just have to find the equivalent yarn color to the color depicted in the instructions. How many of you really thought about that option? So, when you see a pattern you like in the store or online and it is in another medium, think about whether it could be converted into a plastic canvas pattern.

There are also many types of books available to learn how to stitch on plastic canvas and to provide you patterns and instructions for making a variety of items. Keep an open mind, the sky's the limit for your imagination on designing your own patterns. Have fun.