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Stretching
a canvas returns it to its original shape before finishing. This
is possible because canvas is treated with some sort of sizing
to retain it's shape when dry. By wetting the canvas, you
can reshape it. Secondly, wool fibers have a memory which
can also be reshaped. In addition, tapestry yarns are
colorfast - the color will not 'bleed' when wet.
Warning:
Many fibers are NOT colorfast i.e. 'over dyed' threads.
Please check with your supplier when you're purchasing threads
and save yourself some agony.
To stretch a
canvas, you'll need a flat piece of wood (I'm using a piece of
single-sided plywood), a staple gun and a water sprayer.
 The
first step in blocking is to secure the longest side of the
canvas. I use the edge of the board as my guide.
Next I
thoroughly wet the canvas using my sprayer and
water.
I start
stretching the canvas back into it's original rectangular shape,
securing it with staples as I work. It seems to be easier
to pull the centre of the design square and then deal with
the rest.
This is rather
fiddly work and if you find that you need to move staples, just
pop out the old staple with a flat headed screwdriver.
When you're
happy with it, leave it a couple of days to dry. This is
really important! The canvas and wool must be completely
dry before you remove the staples. Otherwise, it will
return to the distorted shape.
 I
always leave it at least 3 days. This may seem to be an
inordinate amount of time, but I think it allows the wool to
'set' in it's new shape.
This is the
stretched canvas drying. You can see it looks almost
perfectly squared.
Note: I use a
small flat head screwdriver to remove the staples from the
stretched piece.
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Here
is a finished design ready to be stretched. The distortion in
the canvas is due to the fact that all the stitches are
slanted in the same direction (up to the right). This
'squeezes' the canvas and makes the completed design shorter
from lower left to upper right and longer from upper left to
lower right.
To
finish an eyeglass case, trim the stretched canvas leaving
approximately 3/8" of unstitched canvas on each side. Cut
one piece of your backing fabric and two pieces of lining,
each the size of your trimmed canvas.
With the right sides
together, pin one piece of lining to your canvas. Sew only the
seam at the top of the eyeglass case (the seam at the opening
of the case). Double stitch the seam and iron this seam
open. Again with right sides facing, pin the other piece
of lining to your backing fabric. Again sew only the top seam
(at the opening of the case) double stitching the seam. 
