Plastic canvas pattern maker

How to stitch a plastic canvas chart

1. Cut the canvas. Count the holes on 7-count canvas, mark the size the maker gives you and cut along the next row of holes. Trim the nubs so the edge is smooth.
2. Continental stitch. Each square of the chart is one stitch: bring the needle up at the lower left hole and down at the upper right hole, worked diagonally over one square.
3. Work in rows. Stitch the first row right to left and the next row left to right, and so on. Weave each yarn end under 8 to 10 stitches on the back.
4. Overcast the edges. Wrap the outside bar with one stitch in each edge hole and three stitches in each corner hole so no plastic shows.

The stitches you need

• Continental stitch: fills the design. It leaves a long slant on the back, which makes a firm, padded piece.
• Half cross stitch: looks the same from the front but uses a little less yarn, because the back is a short straight stitch.
• Overcast stitch: covers the raw edges of a single piece.
• Whipstitch: joins two pieces, such as the sides of a tissue box cover, while covering their edges.

Cross stitch on plastic canvas

Prefer cross stitch? Every chart here works as cross stitch on plastic canvas: make a full cross over each square instead of a continental stitch. It looks fuller and takes roughly one and a half times the yarn. On 14-count plastic canvas, use embroidery floss and the cross stitch pattern maker instead, which gives DMC thread colours.

Yarn and canvas

Use 7-count plastic canvas with worsted weight yarn and a blunt tapestry needle. Stiff canvas suits coasters and boxes; soft canvas bends for curved pieces. The yards shown are estimates for continental stitch with a little spare, so buy a bit more of any colour you need to match exactly.

Want a ready-made design? Browse the free plastic canvas patterns, or spell out names with plastic canvas letters.