Attach Charms to your Canvas

Charms can be a delightful addition to your needlepoint. Sometimes, as in the tree above, they can be the main embellishment on your project. At other times, as in the canvases below, just one can elevate the design. In addition, many canvases, such as Painted Pony angels, come with charms.

Charms can be flat or 3-D, metal, clay, or plastic. They can be further enhanced with enamel or rhinestones. You see most of these here in the stitched projects. The gingerbread men are flat metal. The holly is flat enameled metal with rhinestone berries. The apple is enameled metal. The mouse is 3-D metal.

No matter what you choose to do, charms are handled the same way.

Charms always have a ring on the, usually at the top, below top. They may also have a jump ring that is used to attach the charm to the links in a bracelet, below bottom. If there is a jump ring holding just a single charm, remove it before stitching. if the jump ring holds several charms, attach this ring to the canvas allowing the charms to hang free.

The charms are attached by sewing on the ring. Come up in the center of the ring and go over it to the outside. Make enough of the stitches to cover the ring. Always use the same thread to sew on the charm. You could, in a pinch, substitute a matching color of thread.

By covering the ring and matching the thread, the ring disappears and you won’t see how the charm is attached. if, as is the case with the mouse, the loop is part of the charm 9it’s the loop in his tail, then match the thread to the carm and se only enough stitches to attach the charm.

If you search on Etsy & eBay, you’ll find many inexpensive charms that can easily add detail to your canvases.