• A home-sewn apron is a great use for patterned canvas fabric.70071 image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
  
  Canvas is a tightly woven, heavy fabric with innumerable applications in craft projects. It is an ideal choice when you need fabric that is hard-wearing and strong. Canvas is also a versatile fabric, suitable for home decor, accessories, clothing and more. And, canvas is machine-washable.
  
  

Grocery Bag

• Canvas is a great fabric for making reuseable grocery bags. Simple tote-style bags are very easy to make. Either cut two rectangles for a front and back, seam them together along three sides, hem the top edges and add handles, or make a more roomy version with a base. Make the base rectangular, square, oval or circular. You could use canvas fabric in a different color for the straps. Stitching the straps to the outside of the bag beginning at the base makes them stronger. Make longer straps if you want to be able to carry the bag over your shoulder. Decorate a plain canvas bag with various embellishments: Use fabric paint to add an artistic design, sew a fabric trim around the rim, add a row or cluster of colorful buttons, or stitch an appliqué motif to the front.
  
  

Floor Cushions

• Large floor cushions are handy when you need some extra casual seating in a room. They can be stored away when not in use, or left in the room as functional accents. Purchase foam pads from a fabric store or recycle the cushions from an old sofa (trim the sofa cushions into rectangular shapes if necessary). If you use old sofa cushions, use the original cover as a template for your new canvas cover. Otherwise, the dimensions for the cover are fairly easy to measure and calculate. Various design options include adding cording along the seams, using buttons for a tufted look and using different colors or patterns of canvas fabric for the front, back and sides. Choose a zipper or hook-and-eye-tape to make the canvas covers removable for laundering.
  
  

Apron

• A canvas apron makes a great homemade gift for anyone who enjoys cooking. The basic shape, whether a full-length apron or one that ties at the waist only, is pretty simple to construct, usually with only one pattern piece. Just cut out the pattern piece, hem all the edges, then add neck and waist ties. You can use purchased twill tape or strips of canvas fabric, either in a matching or contrasting color. Optional extras for decoration include pockets and a ruffled trim. Make the neck-tie adjustable by using buttons and a series of button holes in the tie. Decorate a plain apron with appliqué or embroidery, perhaps to match a particular theme, such as barbecue, cupcakes or chili peppers. With the leftover fabric, make a matching pot holder, oven glove or novelty chef’s hat.