How to block embroidered canvas

Once you’ve stitched your needlepoint design, you’ll need to know how to lock the needlepoint canvas back into its original shape. It’s not a difficult process, but it may take two or three “crashes” to get right. If only it were that easy for us humans, sprinkle some water and we’re twenty years old again!

If the design you have is a square or other regular geometric shape, then you can probably “watch” it to reshape it. However, if it’s an ornament, doorstop, or some other irregular shape, it’s best to make a paper pattern of the original design before you start sewing. You will use this pattern to guide the embroidery canvas back into shape when you lock it. Simply trace the outline of the needlepoint design area onto parchment paper.

Follow these instructions on how to lock the needle point:

• Check the threads for color fastness. Moisten a small area of ​​colored yarn with water, then blot dry with a paper towel. If you have leftover thread, use this, not the sewn threads. If the dye from the thread gets on the towel, then the threads will not fade and you will need to dry block the needle point following the instructions below, but omitting all the parts about wetting the canvas. This is to prevent the dye from “running” onto adjacent fibers.
• Spray some clean water on the design area of ​​the canvas to moisten it. I use a spray bottle to do this.
• If you took a pattern from the design, tack it to a plywood or cork board using tacks or nails on the tacks. The board should be large enough to accommodate the embroidery design. Place the embroidered canvas on top of the paper you have placed on the board. If you don’t have a tracing paper, you’ll be placing the embroidered canvas directly on the board, so make sure it’s clean or cover it with a cloth.
• Now you need to match the outline of the canvas to the outline you traced on the paper, or “see” it in the shape it was originally in; Usually this means turning a parallelogram back into a square or rectangle. This will involve a bit of stretching.
• Starting in one corner, hammer tacks or small nails, or push tacks, around the design about 1 inch apart, stretching the canvas as you go to match the drawn outline or original shape. Often you need to place the tacks less than an inch apart at the corners. You will need to pull quite hard from various angles for the canvas to adjust its shape.
• Let it dry.
• Repeat this process two or three times if necessary until the canvas returns to its original shape.

Another top tip is to spray the finished, blocked canvas with a fabric protector. This will help keep your canvas from getting dirty and will keep your artwork looking good. There is little point in learning how to block embroidery if someone spills something on the finished pillow and ruins it. The fabric protector is invisible and will place a moisture shield over the fibers.