Free Plastic Canvas Checkerboard Coaster Pattern

Learn how to cut and stitch the Scottie Shane Coaster, an easy alternating Scotch Stitch plastic canvas coaster that is the perfect piece to add to your living room, kitchen or dining room to house a delicious cup of coffee or tea. Work in a solid color or a fun checkboard pattern.

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

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Happy Yarnsgiving!

I’m so excited to be participating in Yarnsgiving this year, which is a project of the Craft Yarn Council and Warm Up America!

The goal of Yarnsgiving is to promote “making with yarn and giving to others” during the Thanksgiving and holiday season so I’ve teamed up with 17 other bloggers to bring you fun crochet, knit and craft projects that fit this bill, like home decor, party favors, small items for the table, place cards, gift items and more!

Yarnsgiving starts on October 12, 2024 and ends on December 3, 2024.

Seems with publishing the Scottie Sage Coasters, and now these Scottie Shane Coasters, I’ve been in a Scotch Stitch plastic canvas mode. I just love the texture that’s created by alternating the direction of the boxes, and by working longer stitches, these coasters work up fairly quickly, especially compared to say a continental stitch coaster.

Scottie Sage features Alternating Scotch Stitch boxes that are made of 5 stitches while Scottie Shane features Alternating Scotch Stitch boxes that are made of 4 stitches. This simple change changes the feeling and pattern ever so slightly, but leads to more possibilities.

The Scottie Sage Coasters were inspired by my crocheted Colin Drew Coasters from my sister blog EyeLoveKnots, which are worked in a crochet stitch pattern called C2C crochet – that is Corner to Corner Crochet, a technique of starting at one corner, increasing up until you reach your desired size, and then decreasing back down to one stitch, and while it can be done in practically any stitch pattern, it is very common to use boxes.

These Scottie Shane Coasters were a spin off, similar to my crocheted Colin Harper Coasters where I’ve used the same technique, but smaller boxes.

This Scotch Stitch Coaster is perfect in a solid color, but also a great project to try out different color combinations in a fun checkered pattern!

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What is the best yarn to use to stitch up a plastic canvas coaster? Can you use acrylic yarn to work up a plastic canvas coaster?

When I am crocheting coasters, I like using Queensland Coastal Cotton or WeCrochet Dishie Yarn because they’re colorfast, which means the colors are set, plus cotton is more durable and absorbent. I tried Dishie out on my Plastic Canvas Buffalo Plaid Coaster a couple years ago, but it was just a touch to thin to really cover the canvas. I haven’t had time to test out the Coastal Cotton yet, but it is a touch thicker so I think it may work better.

You can definitely use any worsted weight yarn out of your stash though! My chosen Pound of Love is a 100% acrylic yarn, and I have a several coasters I’ve made myself using Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, which is also a 100% acrylic yarn, and probably the most common yarn to use when it comes to working plastic canvas projects. A hot cup of coffee is not hot enough to melt synthetic fibers, and while it doesn’t quite absorb the same way with cold beverages, it still holds the water and does not seep through to the surface. Lion Brand Wool Ease is another lovely yarn for coasters that I have used for some in my personal collection, and the wool adds to the durability and absorbency.

If you don’t have any worsted weight yarn to spare, you can hold two strands of lightweight yarn together, and stitch the same way with it, or hold one strand and work two passes per stitch.

Are Plastic Canvas Coasters Washable?

With coasters being used for a variety of beverages that can sometimes spill and leak, I like to use yarns for coasters that I know are easy to wash, like Red Heart Super Saver and Lion Brand Wool Ease. They both hold up well to use, and washing and drying, and while these yarns and the canvas could be machine washed and dried, spot cleaning is recommend to preserve your items.

How to Wash Plastic Canvas Coasters?

I’ve had coasters with light coffee stains on them, and coasters with deep soda stains on them, and with a little spot cleaning, I’ve been able to make them good as new! Grab a damp towel or paper towel, and dab a couple times onto the coaster, then dab with a dry towel or paper towel and reassess. You may need to do it a couple times until the stain comes out. If it’s a tougher stain, you can use a gentle soap, like Dawn, on your damp towel. Repeat the same process, and once your stain is out, go back in with just a damp towel to work the soap out. Press with a dry towel to get out as much water as possible, and then lay flat to dry.

Alternatively, you can fill a bowl with some soapy water (I like to use cold like room temperature water, but you’ll find many others say warm water), and soap the coasters for about 10 minutes. Empty the bowl, and fill with just water, and rinse the coasters. I do not like to run the coasters directly under running water as it can be too abrasive. Press with a dry towel to get out as much water as possible, and then lay flat to dry.

Now, if you have a lining on the back of your coaster, like fabric, felt or cork, you’ll need to consider that when you are cleaning, how those items and/or the method of adhering it onto your coaster will hold up to your cleaning method or supplies.

As much all you’ll want to, make sure when cleaning not to try to rub the stain out or use anything that is too abrasive, like a brush, otherwise, you’ll find that your yarn will pill, fray or felt (depending on the fiber) and could look very worn and icky.

Do people use coasters?

Coasters are easy to keep handy in the kitchen, dining room, living room and office so it’s easy to grab when you need it anytime you are drinking a delicious beverage and/or snacking – it’s a great item to set down a tasty treat on as well.

Coasters are so versatile, they don’t stop at being used for coffee or a snack. They are great little mats that work for all sorts of items like a small vase, plant, candle, pen or make up brush holder, lotions and more! Coasters could easily work in any room of the house, and make great gifts too!

Can I use 10 mesh plastic canvas to make coasters? Can I use 5 mesh plastic canvas to make coasters?

While I’ve designed these coasters to be made with 7 mesh plastic canvas, you could definitely change up the mesh size to use whatever you have on hand! You will need to change up the number of holes to get the sizing to work so you can either measure your canvas out and cut any number of holes that is divisible by 4 plus 1, or you can start stitching first, measure as you go, and then stop when you get close to the size you’re looking for.

Use a respective size tapestry needle and yarn. For size 10 mesh plastic canvas, I would recommend a #22 tapestry needle and lightweight #3 yarn, like WeCrochet Brava Sport. For 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!

What Supplies Do I Need to Make a Plastic Canvas Coaster?

7 Mesh Plastic Canvas
#18 or #20 Tapestry Needle – I like to use a #18 more
Worsted Weight #4 Yarn – I’m using Lion Brand Pound of Love in the White, Olive and Honey Bee colorways
Scissors
Optional, Jewelry Pliers

Material Notes:

You can use soft or stiff plastic canvas.

If you wanted to change up the size plastic canvas, you will need to change up the number of holes to get the sizing to work so you can either measure your canvas out and cut any number of holes that is divisible by 4 plus 1, or you can start stitching first, measure as you go, and then stop when you get close to the size you’re looking for. Use a respective size tapestry needle and yarn. For size 10 mesh plastic canvas, I would recommend a #22 tapestry needle and lightweight #3 yarn, like WeCrochet Brava Sport. For 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 for plastic canvas projects are Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, WeCrochet Brava and Lion Brand Wool Ease just to name a few. Feel free to use your favorite!

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.

Do you like working from plastic canvas kits?

I have this plastic canvas pattern available as a kit in my Etsy shop.

Time Spent:

I had each coaster ready in just under 45 minutes.

Measurements:

Before stitching, the mesh is just over 4 3/8″.

The finished coaster is 4 1/2″.

Special Stitches:

The Scotch Stitch is a series of diagonal stitches that create a box. You start in the top corner working from one box diagonally into the very next hole with no holes in between, just like a continental stitch. For the second stitch, you bring your needle up in the hole next to where you did the first time, work diagonally over skipping one hole in the middle and finishing by inserting your needle into the hole that is underneath where your previous stitch was worked.

Now you continue working in this manner until you get 4 stitches wide and tall (or any number of stitches if you want to change up the size of the box). Once you reach your desired width, in this case 4 stitches, then start decreasing the box back down so for the next stitch you’ll bring your needle up the hole that is underneath where you previously did, skipping one less hole as you work diagonally over, and insert your needle into the hole next to where you previously worked. You will see an edge start forming along the side and bottom.

Project Note:

I recommend your anchor stitch and final end of each strand be about 2″ long, or about the length of 2 boxes, as the longer stitches from the scotch stitch are a little looser than say a continental stitch and we don’t want our tail end to slip out. In the event that it does, the 2″ length will be easier to grab and weave back in under the stitches.

This photo shows the back of my scotch stitch coaster.

Checkerboard Scotch Stitch Coaster Video Tutorial:

How to Make a Checkerboard Scotch Stitch Plastic Canvas Coaster:

Cut Graph:

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Each coaster is 29 holes wide by 29 holes tall.

You can either stitch the coaster first, or cut the plastic canvas square out first, and then stitch.

Stitch Graph:

Use the Alternating Scotch Stitch of boxes that are 4 stitches wide and tall to fill in your coaster. You can work the entire coaster in one color, or to do the checkboard pattern: start with Color A (mine was White) and alternate between that and Color B so the pattern takes on a checkerboard pattern.

You will have 7 boxes tall by 7 boxes wide when finished.

After you finish all of your boxes, whipstitch around to finish – if you have not cut your canvas, you’ll want to do that first, and then whipstitch.

How to Whipstitch and Finish:

I like to work two whipstitches into each stitch along the sides to get more coverage and a fuller edging. The first one I pull up and over the center of the hole…

… and the second one I pull up and over to the right.

For the corners, I like to work 3 stitches with the second one covering the point. This way, nothing is poking through, and the canvas is completely covered.

For projects with a lot of shaping to them, I do not like to stitch first and then cut because I don’t like the stress of cutting my canvas after all the time has been put into the stitching, but for easy, straight forward shapes, like this square, stitching first and then cutting is very easy, especially if you are not sure exactly how many holes you want to cut to achieve the size you’re looking for with the stitching you want to use.

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Free Plastic Canvas Checkerboard Coaster Pattern | Checkered Scottie Shane Plastic Canvas Coaster Pattern