Easy Plastic Canvas Alphabet

Learn how to cut and stitch easy plastic canvas letters with this free pattern including all 26 letters! Perfect for an array of DIY projects, or string up as an ornament, gift tag or banner.

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Find the free pattern and instructions below, or purchase a printer-friendly, ad-free PDF on Etsy by clicking here.

In a hurry? Pin it for later when you have some more time.

In 2014, I shared a review over on EyeLoveKnots for a plastic canvas alphabet I had found from Sugar Tart Crafts. It was the perfect alphabet! And I used it to make several name banners, which I also shared about later in 2016.

I noticed quite some time ago that this blog became inactive, in which it still existed, but did not have anything new being posted. As of today (and some time ago too – I think 2021), this blog no longer exists, and that saddens me! During it’s period of inactivity, I emailed and sent messages to Toni asking if she would be interested in selling her pattern for the plastic canvas letters, and I never got a response. With the blog disappearing, so many makers reached out to me to share the pattern with them, and I did not want to share her pattern without permission (big no-no) so I came up with my own!

Well, it actually started out as a C2C Crochet Alphabet Wall Hanging, and 18″ C2C Crochet Alphabet Afghan Square with no thought of a plastic canvas alphabet.

I used the same charts from my crocheting projects to create a Perler Bead Alphabet, which worked out perfectly! In this pattern, you’ll find a pattern for each letter, and video tutorial.

Seeing how easy it was to use my crocheted charts to create perler bead letters, I set out to work on plastic canvas letters using the same exact method – would it work the same with the diagonal nature of the stitches? Absolutely! Better than I imagined because actually I imagined it being uneven so I am glad I actually tried it out to see.

Before I tell you what they are great for, this is a fun, easy and rewarding project for a child to do! Craft stores carry plastic needles so no worries on that aspect, you can get several letters from one sheet of plastic canvas, use a small amount of yarn (you can even grab some from Dollar Tree!) and you can do this project together! I love this idea.

These letters are really great for such a variety of projects:

You can glue them to things (like a wood sign or wreath),
String them up to create a garland (like for a name, holiday party, photo shoot, and so much more),
Hang them as an ornament or use as a gift tag,
Add magnets to the back to teach little ones,
Make them 3D and use as self-standing decor or an ornament
And so many more cool ways!

I can’t wait to start on projects with them! What will you make with them?

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What Supplies Do I Need to Make Plastic Canvas Letters?

7 Mesh Plastic Canvas
#18 or #20 Tapestry Needle – I like to use a #18 more
Worsted Weight Yarn – I’m using Red Heart Super Saver
Scissors
Optional, Jewelry Pliers

Material Notes:

You can use soft or stiff plastic canvas. If you don’t want to stitch it up, you can use colored plastic canvas – there is a fun variety of colors available!

You can easily change up the canvas size to get various size letters – use a respective size tapestry needle and yarn. For smaller letters, use size 10 mesh plastic canvas. I would recommend a #22 tapestry needle and lightweight #3 yarn, like WeCrochet Brava Sport. For larger letters, use size 5 mesh plastic canvas. I haven’t used this size for projects before but I’m thinking maybe a #14 or #16 tapestry needle and chunky weight #5 yarn, like Lion Brand Hue and Me. ZP Crafts on Amazon has a great set of large eye tapestry needles that range from size 16 – 22!

Other Great Worsted Weight Yarns: Caron One Pound, Bernat Super Value, Lion Brand Pound of Love, WeCrochet Brava

Jewelry pliers are an excellent tool to use to help weave in ends. Insert needle under the stitches, then grab the tip with the jewelry pliers and gently pull through (be careful because eye of needle or plastic canvas can break).

I am not lining mine, but for a cleaner back, you could cut and attach some felt, fabric, or cork.

Time Spent:

About 45 minutes to an hour depending on the letter.

The longest cutting time was six and a half minutes for the “S”, and the shortest was a minute and a half for the “T” and “L”.

The average for cutting was about three and a half minutes.

Stitching takes the longest, with the average time being about 45 minutes.

Measurements:

2″ Wide by 3″ Tall

All the letters follow the same sizing so they match. At the widest point, the letter is 12 stitches, and at the tallest point, the letter is 18 stitches.

How to Make a Plastic Canvas Letter:

Each letter is 13 holes wide by 19 holes tall. I started with a rectangle this size, and then cut it down to shape, working the center cut outs last.

You could also cut the shape for each letter out of the sheet of plastic canvas – you would have less waste, and probably get even more letters from one sheet.

Use the continental stitch pattern to fill in your letter. When finished, whipstitch around to finish.

Alternatively, you can stitch the letter first, then cut it out, and then whipstitch to finish – I do not use this method because I don’t like the stress of cutting my canvas after all the time has been put into the stitching.

How to Continental Stitch aka Half Cross Stitch aka Tent Stitch Video Tutorial:

“A” Cut Graph:

As a blogger, I rely on views to my blog to earn money from my ads. Please do NOT share my graph photo this includes in Facebook groups, or save to Pinterest. Doing so, would allow makers to not have to return to my blog, which would result in a loss of views and income. My charts are also protected by copyright, and directly sharing them with others is copyright infringement. You may pin and/or share the title image, or even one of the images of the finished letters, but not the charts, and you cannot remove or crop out my watermark – this equates to stealing my photo, and not giving credit where it is due.

“A” Stitch Graph:

“B” Cut Graph:

“B” Stitch Graph:

“C” Cut Graph:

“C” Stitch Graph:

“D” Cut Graph:

“D” Stitch Graph:

“E” Cut Graph:

“E” Stitch Graph:

“F” Cut Graph:

“F” Stitch Graph:

“G” Cut Graph:

“G” Stitch Graph:

“H” Cut Graph:

“H” Stitch Graph:

“I” Cut Graph:

“I” Stitch Graph:

“J” Cut Graph:

As a blogger, I rely on views to my blog to earn money from my ads. Please do NOT share my graph photo this includes in Facebook groups, or save to Pinterest. Doing so, would allow makers to not have to return to my blog, which would result in a loss of views and income.My charts are also protected by copyright, and directly sharing them with others is copyright infringement. You may pin and/or share the title image, or even one of the images of the finished letters, but not the charts, and you cannot remove or crop out my watermark – this equates to stealing my photo, and not giving credit where it is due.

“J” Stitch Graph:

“K” Cut Graph:

“K” Stitch Graph:

“L” Cut Graph:

“L” Stitch Graph:

“M” Cut Graph:

“M” Stitch Graph:

“N” Cut Graph:

“N” Stitch Graph:

“O” Cut Graph:

“O” Stitch Graph:

“P” Cut Graph:

“P” Stitch Graph:

“Q” Cut Graph:

“Q” Stitch Graph:

“R” Cut Graph:

“R” Stitch Graph:

“S” Cut Graph:

“S” Stitch Graph:

“T” Cut Graph:

“T” Stitch Graph:

“U” Cut Graph:

“U” Stitch Graph:

“V” Cut Graph:

“V” Stitch Graph:

“W” Cut Graph:

“W” Stitch Graph:

“X” Cut Graph:

“X” Stitch Graph:

“Y” Cut Graph:

“Y” Stitch Graph:

“Z” Cut Graph:

“Z” Stitch Graph:

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