Yarn Crafts & Coffee

06/20/2026

How to Stitch the Alternating Scotch Stitch | Scotch Stitch Mug Rug, Part 3 🍉

Now that you've gathered your plastic canvas supplies and prepared your canvas, let's start stitching the alternating scotch stitch in green for the outer perimeter.

💚 I recommend your anchor stitch and final end of each strand be about 1 1/2" to2″ long, or about 2 boxes long, as the longer stitches are a little looser and we don’t want our tail end to slip out, but if it does, the 2″ length will be easier to grab and weave back in under the stitches.

💚 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.

💚 Continue working in this manner until you get 4 stitches wide and tall. Once you reach 4 stitches, 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. Insert your needle into the hole next to where you previously worked. You will see an edge start forming along the sides.

✨️ We'll continue the perimeter in the next video.

🩶 You can find all of these supplies in our Yarn Crafts & Coffee shop both online and in person inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida

🩶 Free Plastic Canvas Pattern can be found at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

✨️ If you enjoy working in the alternating scotch stitch, you'll love the other patterns in my Scottie Shane series that are boxes built of the same 4 stitches,

⭐️ Must subscribe to my blog to view the charts. Blog subscribers have access to the Free File Library where they can download the PDFs of our patterns for free. This pattern is DNS, or do not share. You are not permitted to share my charts or the PDF, but you can share the link to the blog post so others can check it out 😊

06/18/2026

3 Ways to Prepare Plastic Canvas for a Project | How to Cut a Plastic Canvas Rectangle for a Mug Rug 🍉

Now that you've gathered your plastic canvas supplies, let's get our canvas ready for stitching.

✨️ The canvas needs to be 33 holes tall by 49 holes wide, or 5" tall by 7 3/8" wide.

✨️ We're working with Size 7 mesh. If you want to use Size 5 instead, cut the same number of holes for a larger mug rug - adjusting the pattern down is not recommended. To use Size 10 instead, add holes in multiples of 4 until it's closer to the given measurements.

💚 Option 1: Stitch your canvas first, then cut the shape out. If you choose this option, there is nothing to do to prepare your canvas other than making sure it's large enough for the mug rug. This is my preferred method with basic shapes.

💚 Option 2: Count out the holes and cut out the rectangle shape. This is the most common method.

💚 Option 3: If you don't want to count your holes, you can use a soft tape measure to measure out the correct size, mark the canvas and then cut the rectangle shape out, making sure to start and stop measuring outside the complete hole, not inside the bars.

✨️ In the next video, we'll start stitching the perimeter with green.

🩶 You can find all of these supplies in our Yarn Crafts & Coffee shop both online and in person inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida

🩶 Free Plastic Canvas Pattern can be found at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

✨️ If you enjoy working in the alternating scotch stitch, you'll love the other patterns in my Scottie Shane series that are boxes built of the same 4 stitches,

✨️ If you are a Watermelon fan, check out my other craft projects that fit the theme 🍉

⭐️ Must subscribe to my blog to view the charts. Blog subscribers have access to the Free File Library where they can download the PDFs of our patterns for free. This pattern is DNS, or do not share. You are not permitted to share my charts or the PDF, but you can share the link to the blog post so others can check it out 😊

06/18/2026

Fi*****ng Weight Cluster Stitch Crochet Top 🤎

I never shared this beige version of my Lucille Top. It's worked in Berroco Yarn Vintage Sock that we carry in our yarn shop online and in person inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida

I was working a small sample to update my Fi*****ng Weight Lucille Top for the Orange Blossom Yarn Crawl as a featured design at Crochet Aweigh in Eustis, Florida.

Fast forward 3 months, the WIP is in the bin next to my couch and I keep looking at it. I think it's time to continue working on it so I can have a new top to wear!

I am also dreaming of a cardigan version though with some beautiful, orange yarn I got from Sleeve Island Yarn Co though 🤔

PS Yes, the head on my alien crochet hook has fallen off 🤭 Just need to glue it back!

🩶 Shop Awesome Yarns at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

🧶 Free Crochet Pattern at EyeLoveKnots.com

06/16/2026

The Supplies You Need to Stitch an Alternating Scotch Stitch Plastic Canvas Mug Rug 🍉

Let's explore the plastic canvas supplies you need to stitch up a mug rug, which is an oversized coaster that is large enough for your drink and a snack at the same time.

🩶 You can find all of these supplies in our Yarn Crafts & Coffee shop both online and in person inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida

🪡 Size 7 plastic canvas mesh -- you can use soft or stiff

✨️ You can also use Size 5 for a larger mug rug or Size 10 and adjust the pattern to get the same measurements

🪡 Worsted Weight 4 Yarn -- I'm using Lion Brand Yarn Pound of Love in the Wintergreen, White, Cherry and Black colorways

✨️ I also like Lion Brand Wool Ease for plastic canvas projects. There are so many really great options.

🪡 Size 18 tapestry needle that has a blunt, round tip

🪡 Scissors, big or small

🪡 a Tape Measure is optional if you want to use it to measure your canvas so you don't have to count the holes

✨️ In the next video, we'll prepare our canvas.

🩶 Free Plastic Canvas Pattern can be found at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

✨️ If you enjoy working in the alternating scotch stitch, you'll love the other patterns in my Scottie Shane series that are boxes built of the same 4 stitches,

⭐️ Must subscribe to my blog to view the charts. Blog subscribers have access to the Free File Library where they can download the PDFs of our patterns for free. This pattern is DNS, or do not share. You are not permitted to share my charts or the PDF, but you can share the link to the blog post so others can check it out 😊

06/16/2026

Lion Brand Made with Love The Cottony One Yarn 🧶

Lion Brand Made with Love Yarn The Cottony One is a worsted weight yarn made of 60% acrylic and 40% cotton that is perfect for home projects, like baby blankets, table runners, coasters, baskets and wall hangings, as well as bags ie a sunglasses case, clutch, cosmetic bag, notions bag, shoulder bag, tote bag, market bags, all the bags!

You’ll love that your project will be easy to care for being machine washable and dryable!

I think it is the most dry feeling out of all of the cotton blends I’ve tried. That paired with a really tight twist of the yarn makes for a rope-like yarn, which is a little tougher on the hands.

With that said, don’t be so quick to write it off. I think the dryness and the tightness of the twist really add to the durability of the yarn making it excellent for home projects and bags.

🩶 Shop this yarn online at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

🧶 Free Crochet Patterns linked at the bottom of the shop listing too!

06/15/2026

Adorable elephant 🩶 Free Crochet Pattern on the T & C Crafters blog

06/15/2026

Watermelon Alternating Scotch Stitch Plastic Canvas Mug Rug 🍉

It's always fun to see how a plastic canvas project comes together with each new color section.

I started with the outer green border followed by the inner white border, both worked in my favorite stitch, the alternating scotch stitch.

Then, I filled in the red center using a modified scotch stitch to leave room for the seeds, worked in the Smyrna Cross Stitch.

I received a lot of questions asking what a mug rug was and why my "coaster" was so long. A mug rug is like a coaster, but larger. It's big enough to fit your drink and a snack at the same time.

🧶 Yarn is Lion Brand Yarn Pound of Love, which we carry in our yarn shop both online and in person inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida

🩶 Free Plastic Canvas Pattern can be found at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com

✨️ If you enjoy working in the alternating scotch stitch, you'll love the other patterns in my Scottie Shane series that are boxes built of the same 4 stitches,

⭐️ Must subscribe to my blog to view the charts. Blog subscribers have access to the Free File Library where they can download the PDFs of our patterns for free. This pattern is DNS, or do not share. You are not permitted to share my charts or the PDF, but you can share the link to the blog post so others can check it out 😊

06/14/2026

Beautiful free square pattern from Polly Plum 🧶

FREE pattern of the day - Gwendolyn 12" granny square

Available free on my website: http://everytrickonthehook.com/patterns-2/gwendolyn/

06/14/2026

The Half Cross Stitch versus The Continental Stitch in Plastic Canvas 🪡

I am preparing for a learn to needlepoint class tomorrow in my yarn shop, Yarn Crafts & Coffee in Melbourne, Florida where we will use the Tent Stitch to make some 2" by 3" letters, so I am working on a photo tutorial of two of the Tent Stitch variations: the Half Cross Stitch and the Continental Stitch.

The Tent Stitch is a series of single diagonal stitches that run parallel to each other and is the most common stitch used in plastic canvas 🪡 projects.

When it comes to the two variations mentioned, the front of the stitch pattern on both looks the same, but the back of the stitch pattern varies.

I prefer the Continental Stitch because it makes for a fuller, neater back that is easier to hide tail ends in, though it does use a little bit more yarn than the Half Cross Stitch.

It is not uncommon to combine both styles as you work and not even realize it until you take a peek at the back, and really, that is totally okay! As long as the front of the project looks correct, the back is no big deal, so don’t feel pressure to pull any stitches out just to work in one style over the other.

🩶 I will be sharing the photo tutorial soon on my blog, YarnCraftsandCoffee.com, but in the meantime, you can watch a video tutorial on my On Rockwood Lane YouTube channel.

06/13/2026

Berroco Remix Light at the Yarn Crafts & Coffee shop 🧶

Berroco Yarn Remix Light Yarn is a fantastic wool-free, eco-friendly yarn that consists of 30% superfine nylon, 27% cotton, 24% acrylic, 10% silk and 9% linen all of recycled fibers from garments and other textiles that are leftover. The material is shredded, combined and respun, and the result is a durable yarn with a beautiful, textured, tweed effect.

The yarn has an interesting feeling, and while it's not rough, it has a bit of dryness, like cotton and linen do. You can expect your garment or wearable to soften with wash and wear, and you’ll love the ease in being machine washable!

✨️Shown are Almond, Buttercup, Rose, Fern and Blue Moon.

🩶 Shop Berroco Remix Light in the Yarn Crafts & Coffee shop, Booth 50 inside America's Antique Mall Melbourne, Florida
🩶 or shop online at YarnCraftsandCoffee.com