One-Hour Crafting With Scraps: Plastic Canvas Peeps!

It’s that time of year when the Peeps Brand emerges, similar to when Michael Buble emerges just in time for Christmas. In honor of Christmas and a great plastic canvas basket stuffer, I’ve decided to start 2024 strong with this One-Hour Craft with Scraps: Plastic Canvas Peeps Edition! 

Supplies You Need to Make Your Plastic Canvas Peeps

The supplies you need will be relatively the same as those detailed in my Getting Started with Plastic Canvas post. 

• 7-Mesh Plastic Canvas Scraps (affiliate)
• Size 16 Tapestry Needles (affiliate)
• Choice of Yarn Color
• Hole Scaler Ruler (affiliate)

How to Complete Your Plastic Canvas Peeps

Like any of my One-Hour Crafts with Scraps projects, this is a beginner-friendly pattern. I recommend you start by cutting an 11-by-22-inch piece of canvas. Then, using the diagram below, cut yourself out a plastic canvas peep. 

This is the fun part when you finish cutting out your plastic canvas peeps. As you’ve seen peeps are nice bold colors. You can do whatever color you have. If you have only a bit of yarn left from other projects, this is where you can use it! This peep doesn’t take a much yarn at all. 

What Stitch Did You Use?

Like most beginner projects I feature on this site, I used the continental stitch. Its the stitch you’ll see in the diagram above. A simple small diagonal stitch. You’ll use this stitch for the body of the peep. 

When you’re done with the body of the peep, you’ll do the overcast stitch, which you can see in my video below.

You’ll tie a French knot for the eyes and the nose. A French knot takes some time to get right, especially if you don’t use it all the time like I do. 

How to Do a French Knot?

Creating a French knot on a plastic canvas involves a few simple steps. 

Begin by threading your embroidery needle with the desired number of embroidery floss or thread strands. Position the needle where you want the knot to be and bring it up through the hole in the canvas, holding the tail end of the thread firmly against the canvas with your non-dominant hand. 

Next, wrap the working end of the thread around the needle a few times, usually 2-3 wraps, depending on the size of the knot you want. While holding the wraps in place, insert the tip of the needle back into the same hole, slightly offset from where it came out. Pull the needle and thread through the hole until the wraps tighten and form a knot. 

To secure the knot, insert the needle back into the same hole or a nearby hole on the canvas. Ensure the tension is firm but not too tight to distort the canvas. Trim any excess thread close to the surface of the canvas, and repeat these steps as needed to create additional French knots for your project. 

For visual learners like myself, check out the below video:

Looking for More One-Hour Crafts with Scraps?

Embrace the Peeps with my One-Hour Craft: Plastic Canvas Peeps Edition! Create charming Peeps using simple techniques and colorful yarn scraps. Follow my easy instructions, including a helpful French knot tutorial, and let your creativity shine. Explore more One-Hour Crafts with Scraps and check out my tooth fairy pouch plastic canvas and plastic canvas cactus for your next project.