So, you finished your needlepoint project and you just love it but it’s not exactly in a perfect shape. Now what do you do? All your hard work and time doesn’t have to be a wasted, you can save your warped canvas. Straightening out the warped canvas is not as difficult as you may think. The quickest and most efficient way to reshape a finished piece of needlepoint is to pin it to a blocking board.

You can find a blocking board at your local craft store or needlepoint store, it is a lightweight, pin-able board that is covered with a printed grid of squares on the fabric. The grid is used as a guide for squaring the canvas during the blocking process. You will also need to have heavy duty rust proof T-pins, a spray bottle that contains clean room temperature water and a steam iron. Be sure, to remove any masking tape that may have been used to bind the edges of the canvas. When spraying the canvas, make sure not to overdo it, the canvas should be slightly dampened, only. Let the canvas stand for at least 5-10 minutes to let the fibers relax. Then reshape your piece slightly by tugging on the corners and sides of the canvas to obtain your desired shape and size, be sure to use the grid lines as your guide to square the canvas. Pins should be placed no less than an inch apart and should be placed far in enough to hold the canvas securely in place. Leave for several days allowing the canvas to dry completely before removing any pins.