Stitching With Waste Canvas

Waste canvas is used to do counted cross stitch on items not made of an evenweave material. Many people use it to embellish sweat shirts, tee shirts, tote bags, socks, and all kinds of other items. With waste canvas, the stitcher's creativity is what's important.

Waste canvas is very stiff because it's starched, and it looks similar to mono needlepoint canvas except with larger threads and holes. Some waste canvas will be woven with a blue thread every 10 holes to help you count as you stitch. It generally comes in these sizes: 8.5 threads per inch, 10 threads per inch, 14 threads per inch, and 18 threads per inch. It's called waste canvas because after you finish your stitching, you pull the canvas threads out of the item and throw them away. I'll talk about how to do so later in this article.

Before you begin stitching your project, it's a good idea to wash and dry the item on which you'll be stitching. This will shrink things like tee shirts, sweats, etc. It will also help prevent dark colors from fading onto your stitching after it's completed.

When you use waste canvas, the xes are generally stitched over 1 canvas thread. You'll want to be sure to have a piece of waste canvas somewhat larger than your design. It is very affordable to buy, so that extra will help you when it comes to removing the threads.

After you've cut the waste canvas, you need to decide where on the item you're going to be stitching you want the design to be. Again, this is in large part a choice your creativity will let you make. Small or large designs can be centered on an item, or they can be off-center.

Before you secure the waste canvas to the project, you'll want to decide whether or not you want to use a light- to medium-weight interfacing on the inside of the garment. This is often done with machine embroidery, and it can be done for more stability when you use waste canvas, too. Most of the people with whom I've spoken don't bother with interfacing because they feel there is plenty of stability without it. So this is another matter of preference.

The next thing you'll want to do is to place the waste canvas on the item where the design will be. I have received some good tips about centering the waste canvas. One is to pull a thread up through the center of the garment area and then to draw it through the center of the waste canvas. Another is to fold an item like a sweatshirt lengthwise and to insert straight pins along the fold. Then, find the center of the waste canvas, and place the center along the pins.

To secure the waste canvas to the item being stitched, you'll need to hand baste. It's a good idea to do so beginning in the center so your canvas doesn't pucker or slip. Some stitchers baste every so-many holes from the center out to the edges, while others baste an x from one corner of the waste canvas to the other, starting in the middle. I know basting can be a pain, but you'll find it worth the extra time. If you choose to use interfacing, it can be basted inside the item at the same time you baste on the waste canvas. You'll have a sandwich if you do this: inside will be a layer of interfacing, then the garment, and on top, the waste canvas.

Should you use hoops, QSnaps, or a frame for stitching with waste canvas? Some stitchers do, while others stitch in the hand. It was pointed out that knit items like sweatshirts and tee shirts can stretch easily, and maybe a hoop wouldn't be a good idea in this case.

You'll need to consider what kind of needle you want to use when you stitch with waste canvas. In most cases, you'll want a sharp needle for a couple of reasons: (1) It may be very difficult to get a blunt tapestry needle through the fabric of the item; (2) The waste canvas is sometimes so heavily starched that the starch clogs the holes. You'll need a sharp needle to penetrate them. The needle that works best for me is a chenille needle. It's sharp, and it has an eye large enough to accommodate multiple strands of floss.

I recommend using regular cotton floss like Anchor or DMC when you stitch with waste canvas. I would NOT recommend using any thread that may run because the items you stitch will often be washed in the washer after you're done with them. It would probably be a good idea to set the colors in the floss you're using, too, especially if you're going to use reds or other dark colors. You can do this by soaking the floss in 3 parts cold water to 1 part white vinegar. After you've soaked, rinse the floss in cold water until the water runs clear.

How much floss do you use? It depends upon the size of the stitches and the amount of coverage you want. You may also want to use more strands if the color of the item and the color of the floss vary drastically. A good rule of thumb is this: On 14-18 count waste canvas, use 2-3 strands; on 8.5-10 count, use up to 6 strands.

You should strip the floss first, no matter how many strands you use. Stripping means to pull each strand of floss out of the length and to put the ones you're using back together again. This helps you avoid twisting, lets the floss lie flatter, and gives better coverage, as well as a neater appearance.

Next, you do your stitching, including any backstitch. On items stitched using waste canvas, the loop method of beginning stitches will help your keep the stitches from coming loose when you lander the item later. On items like sweatshirts, I see no reason not to knot your floss if you so choose. To end a row or color, you can run the needle several times under the stitches on the back to anchor them securely. You need to be very careful not to run any of your stitches through the waste canvas threads. Doing so will make that particular thread almost impossible to remove later.

The final step is to remove the waste canvas. It is so stiff, you'll go crazy trying to get it out unless you treat it first. The simplest way to soften the waste canvas is to dampen it, usually with a spray bottle of water. Be careful not to soak it too much, or it won't come out easily. While the canvas is damp, undo any basting, and with a pair of tweezers, pull out the canvas threads. If your design is large, you may want to snip the canvas threads in or towards the middle to make them shorter and easier to pull. To pull them out, try using a pair of tweezers or hemostats. The threads will be much easier to grab with one of these items instead of with your fingers. You can also use a tapestry needle to "frogstitch" the canvas threads out. Some stitchers even use small crochet hooks to help in this job.

Another suggestion is to put a small amount of fabric softener in a spray bottle with water to dampen your waste canvas. Stitchers who do this claim it really helps them draw out the canvas threads more easily.

Yet other stitchers have suggested we wash the entire item, waste canvas and all, in the washer, and then dry it before we remove the waste canvas. Washing will take the starch out of the canvas and make it much easier to work with.

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