On this page you will find nifty little
hints that may save a little time and money. I'm sure there are many out there that are already aware of these tips and tricks
but it doesn't hurt to list them for those who are new to the world of plastic canvas.
The
Gotta Have That!
Ladies
On to the tips n tricks!
1. Always wash your piece of canvas in warm water before
using it. This will prevent your needle from catching in the holes while sewing.
2. If your like us and you pack your creations away (christmas,
easter, etc.) you might find that once you retrieve them for the holiday that they are a bit bent out of shape in places.
Don't throw them away! Get out your hair dryer. Hold it close to your creation and let it warm. Simply re-shape your creation
until it feels cool to the touch. Just like new!
2. Instead of sewing little trinkets onto your creation,
try hot glue. It saves a lot of time. In some cases you won't be able to use the hot glue, such as when adding beaded
work.
3. Try buying your yarn at WalMart as apposed to buying
it from the companies out there. It's cheaper at WalMart as well as Kmart. It's very rare that you can get nice yarn at a
yard sale.
4. Make your own floss. Simply divide your piece of yarn
in half. Floss is expensive! This will save a ton of money!
5. When washing your finished creations always use the
tips of your fingers (never fingernails as it frays your yarn aging it well before it's time.)
6. If you create a pillow. Always wash it in warm water.
If you use cold water and push down on the pillow it will crack. By using the warm water it will also allow you to re-shape
the pillow to it's original form, saving you time when it dries.
7. Never put plastic canvas in the dryer to dry. Always
air dry. The heat from the dryer will melt and ruin your dryer.
8. When cutting your canvas, save those nubs. You can
later use them in place of poly pellets. This does not work for creations that are not covered by yarn in that area. They
can be used as a filler on completely worked areas.
9. When air drying your plastic canvas piece. Never dry
them in direct sunlight. Sunlight will fade the coloring of the yarn. As tempting as it is to sit it in the sun. The best
way to keep it looking good for a long time to come is to sit it in the shade outside.
10. A sharp hobby knife is very helpful when cutting little
pieces of canvas out of a small area. We invested in one of those a few years ago and it was the best investment We
ever made! No more frustration trying to get a pair of scissors inside there only to end up with broken squares.
11. Spray your canvas creations with a little scotch guard
to protect them from staining. Note: spaghetti sauce will stain reguardless of the scotch guard. If you get spaghetti
sauce on your creation (table mats) immerse them immediately in very warm (not hot) water using dawn dish detergent. Take
a little dab of dawn and gently rub the stain using the tip of your finger (no fingernails) The dawn will lift the
stain. Let soak for a few hours. Rinse well.
12. Get creative with your creations. If you can vision
what you want to make. You can make it come together on canvas! We encourage individuality. Whether it's something small like
a magnet or a bit more complex, like a cookie jar or a house.
13. When stitching your canvas never use a long piece
of yarn that not only knots up every other time you stitch a hole but it will also weaken your yarn. With each hole you stitch
the yarn slowly loses it's texture. You will know this is happening when you look back at the beginning stitch. The more you
work with the same piece of yarn, the more worn it looks as you work down your canvas. When you see this happening, get a
new piece of yarn.
