Plastic canvas

Free plastic canvas projects: Plastic canvas is a very exciting and fun craft material to work with, made up of lightweight plastic with regular spaced holes. Plastic canvas is a very good imitation of the embroidery canvas. Also known as vinyl weaves, this craft material is fun and imaginative. Used mostly as a foundation for needlework or other canvas embroidery work, plastic canvas can be used to create any imaginative free pattern on canvas. The rigidity of this craft material makes it an ideal material for creating 3-dimensional craft objects like jewelry boxes, tissue box covers, handbags and other decorative items.

People who enjoy craftwork find a plastic canvas craft project very interesting. Anyone can avail of the patterns for free, from the various craft sites on the Internet. Interested people can access plenty of free ideas for plastic canvas projects from the Internet. The plastic canvas project ideas range from Aloha tissue box covers to heart shaped key chains and Reindeer door handle designs to cool picture frames. There are also ideas on 3-D craft objects like 3-D Christmas ornaments.

Plastic canvas pattern book and stitching instructions: A plastic canvas craft design can be as imaginative as you want it to be and to make it more imaginative, you can take the help of a pattern book. A plastic canvas pattern book not only displays patterns of various projects, but it also contains instructions on how to go about the plastic canvas projects.

Given below are the instructions for stitching:
Step 1: Counting or identifying the stitches: The stitch should be contained within the lines of the plastic cross in a ‘+’. Count each line of the plastic as one stitch, baring the first outside plastic line.

Step 2: How to stitch: Bring your needle up, through the hole to the left and the bottom of each ‘+’ and then again send the needle back down, through the same hole to the right and the top of the ‘+’.

Step 3: How to stitch continuously: Continue with the stitches, working from left to right until the end of the row. Next, repeat the same procedure in the next row and this time make the stitches from right to left, till the end of the row.

Step 4: Working with a Color: In the beginning, start bringing the needle and yarn up the first hole until only ½” of yarn is left under the canvas. Then make sure that during the first few stitches you hold onto the tail of the underside stitches.

Step 5: Ending the project: When finishing with a color or a piece of yarn, flip the canvas view the other side of project and send the needle under several under stitches, before cutting the yarn.

Step 6: Working with the patterns (some finishing tips): When working on a project based on a pattern, always stitch the object first and then the pattern. Counting the stitches on the pattern will help you to identify your exact start location. Try to work on a pattern whose stitches are displayed in actual colors for all objects and if you find one, fill in the background with the color shown on the outline stitches.

Plastic canvas craft ideas: Plastic canvas is an ideal craft material for teaching children to work with needle point and cross stitch, since its hard structure does not require an extra hoop or frame. The craft sites help you to access numerous categories that offer only plastic canvas craft ideas, complete with ‘how-to’ instructions. Some of these sites also sell plastic canvas supplies and other related craft equipment.

Plastic canvas and other printable craft ideas: Plastic canvas is a good craft material for children, since it can bear all the wear and tear involved and still emerge beautiful. It is also very easy to create. Parents can download these printable plastic canvas projects for their children. Teachers can also make use of these printable plastic canvas projects and the students can be divided into groups, with two or three patterns allotted per group.