October 4, 2022

My sewing room fabric assortment is growing in its fabric variety quickly and I am loving all the new options that I have to play with in my projects. My newest favorite substrate to work with is canvas. Canvas fabric is durable and stronger than quilting cottons, so it is great for bag making and home decor projects. But it isn’t so stiff that it couldn’t be intermingled with your other scraps for a new texture and depth in your quilting projects.

Canvas fabric by the yard can come in the same width as quilting cottons, about 40-44”, or come in a wider width of 54”. Canvas, just like quilting cottons, comes in solids and a variety of fun prints to fit any project you can dream of.

Here are some tips I have for sewing with canvas, but always remember, do what works best for you (and your sewing machine)!

Don’t be afraid to adjust your sewing machine settings. You might not need as much pressure from your presser foot and you might want to adjust your tension settings to achieve a balanced stitch.

Check your bobbin casing more frequently. Heavier fabrics and heavier threads can generate more lint.

Adjust your stitch length for a more balanced top stitch. I increase my stitch length to 3.0 or 3.5 when I am sewing with canvas fabric.

Clips/Basting Tape vs Pins: When sewing with heavier fabrics, like canvas, I prefer clips or basting tape over pins. I find it to be easier in bulkier areas than using pins.

Sewing around bulkier areas: Slow down. If you are newer to sewing with canvas fabric, some of the seams might be bulkier than you are used to. My number one word of advice is: slow down.

Needles: Denim needles are great, but you can also use a Universal needle if that is what you have available.

Try new things! Mix, match, play and see what new projects you can create with this substrate in your fabric stash. It can pair with anything! Quilting cottons, faux leather, cork, linen… you name it!

Written by Audra Hoy Chaimson