Easy DIY Canvas Sign

Hello there!

There’s something about the power of words that I’ve always loved, so it’s only fitting that I incorporate words into my home décor. I have a lot of signs around my house – some I’ve purchased and others I’ve made – and today I’m sharing how I made one of the easiest and most inexpensive DIY canvas signs.

For this design, we create a faux “frame” using twine, which helps keep the cost down while still creating a border around the design. These are a lot quicker to make than signs with a wooden frame, and you don’t need to have any power tools or carpentry skills to make them. Make one for yourself or several to pass out as handmade gifts. 

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Canvas

• Acrylic paint

• Small paint brush

• Twine

• Stencil vinyl

• Ruler

• Cricut, razor blade, or other vinyl cutter

Step 1: Paint the canvas

If you want to keep your canvas white, you can skip this step. I wanted the background to have an off-white tint, so I mixed white acrylic paint with just a tad of brown acrylic paint. I mixed and continued to add brown until I reached my desired color. Completely paint the whole canvas and then allow it to dry. Waiting for it to dry is the hardest part for me, so I pulled out my hairdryer to help the process along. Whichever method you choose, you want to make sure the canvas is completely dry and no longer tacky before moving onto the next step. If it’s not fully dry, the vinyl will stick to it and pull off paint when you remove it. 

Step 2: Add the twine

Before moving onto stenciling, I added the twine to my canvas first. This way I could center my saying in the white space. If you stencil first, you may need to adjust where you place your twine. To add the twine, hold a piece in place in the top right corner on the back side of the canvas. Leave yourself about an inch or two of extra twine because you’ll be tying it here. (If you want to see the knot, you can use the same method, but start on the front of your canvas instead.) Wrap the twine vertically around the side of the canvas the desired number of times. While still holding your 2-inch piece, wrap the twine around the piece to switch directions and start wrapping around the top of the canvas. Once you’ve wrapped around the top your desired number of times, bring your twine to meet your 2-inch piece. Tie your ends together and trim the excess. 

Step 3: Create your stencil

Measure the white space to determine how large of a stencil you’ll need. Use Cricut Design Space or other program to write your saying in the desired size. Cut your stencil with your desired method and weed out the letters to create your stencil. I prefer to use a stencil vinyl because I think it works better, but a non-permanent vinyl will work as well.

If you don’t have a machine vinyl cutter, you can print the design on regular printer paper and trace the design onto vinyl. Use a razor blade to cut out the letters from the vinyl. This method works well for larger, thicker fonts and shapes. If that’s not an option, you can also purchase pre-made stencil letters to make your design. 

Step 4: Paint your saying

Remove the white backing and place the whole stencil over the white space on your canvas. Choose your desired acrylic paint color and paint over your stencil. After painting the words, remove your stencil at a 45-degree angle while the paint is still wet. Let your canvas dry and you’re done!

 This method for creating easy DIY signs for home décor is so simple to complete, and you can purchase most of the materials relatively inexpensively (most can even be found at the dollar store). These signs are great for around the house, and they’d make a great gift idea for birthdays, Christmas, teacher appreciation, or other holidays.

Have a great time crafting, and be sure to comment with any questions you may have. I’d love to see your finished products!