Last fall, I introduced the idea of using Canva as a tool for quilting. Since then, a few of you gently reminded me that Canva is still pretty new — and some of you weren’t quite sure what it was or why a quilter might want it.

So let’s start there.

Canva is a FREE, online graphic design program.
Yes, there is a paid version (as there always is), but the free version is truly all most quilters will ever need.

If you’re trying to place it mentally, Canva lives somewhere between Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Illustrator — without all the bells, whistles, and steep learning curve. It’s a drag-and-drop program. You don’t draw in it, but you can type in it, arrange elements, and borrow graphics to make things look polished and intentional.

Loads of creators use Canva for cards, presentations, flyers, and social media. But what can quilters do with it?

Quite a bit, actually.

As I shared this fall, Canva can be used to create appliqué lettering or embroidery templates. (If that sparks your interest, keep an eye out for the upcoming Say It with Stitches workshop.)

It’s also wonderful for making special labels for the back of quilts — names, dates, locations, care instructions, or a simple message. I’ll be sharing more about that soon.

And then there are memory blocks.

Think about incorporating your child’s artwork into a quilt. Or creating a keepsake quilt for a wedding, graduation, or retirement that includes meaningful words or imagery. Canva makes it possible to design those elements cleanly and consistently.

And if you really start to stretch your creativity, you may even find ways to design simple appliqué shapes in Canva as well.

Once you’ve designed what you need, you simply download the file and print it. No fancy software. No complicated setup.

It’s just another tool — but one that opens up a lot of creative possibilities.