Marine canvas use isn't all the same. So when you are looking at prices online be sure you are looking at the same fabric before you decide you have the best deal. You also want the right fabric for the right job for the best performance and durability with exposure to the sun, wind and rain. Most of us sailors use Sunbrella because, well, it just works. It is tough enough for our marine environment, but offers a variety of color and style choices. It is fairly forgiving and easy to sew. While there are other outdoor fabric brands to consider, we'll save that comparison for a future post.
Here are some points to consider regarding the grades of Sunbrella most likely to be used aboard:
Sunbrella Marine grade - This is
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Pillows are an easy sewing project. They can be very simple or dressed up a bit. Where would you want to add a bit of color and comfort?
Start with your pillow form. What size do you want? 14" is small but cute. 20" is a good larger size. Maybe you want some in between or odd sizes? Joanne's Fabrics and Sailrite offer nice pillow forms. Do you have serviceable pillows you could recover? Or do you want a pillow sham that you can stuff with extra linens or clothes? The captain requested one pillow cover for storing his down coat. What about a pillow made of old sailcloth for cockpit lounging?
Are you going to sew in the pillow form or make a cover that you can take off easily? You can easily make an envelope-style pillow Read more [...] 
OK so this post is a bit off topic. My Captain does such a good job keeping our topsides looking good that I couldn't stand that those off-white plastic cowls were looking so bad. I suspect that they had never been cleaned. And the boat is a 1990!
My thought was that this is a project that I can do and would be best done while the boat is under shrink wrap cover this winter. No problem. I unscrewed the cowls, marked the screws in little snack zips so I wouldn't lose them and brought the cowls home for a good soak. The soaking did nothing except get the first layer of dirt off. They really were mildewed. Secret trick: We took Tilex and a bit of Comet to them with a sponge.
The Captain couldn't help himself. 
If your boat is your home - full time or for weekend time, you'll want it to reflect your style and provide some comforts of home. There are a variety of styles for curtains to add some warmth to you home afloat. What fits your boat's personality and your lifestyle on the boat? A fun nautical or tropical print? A solid darkening curtain just to keep light and heat out? Do you want a simple snap on cover? Blinds? Curtains with tabs that roll up or curtains that slide on a track? Pleats for a bit more formal style or something softer? And there are those times when you may want to keep others from peeking in. You may even get a bit of warmth from curtains. So whether for style or comfort think about what your curtains can say about 
Originally appeared as a guest post for Women and Cruising Blog - October 18, 2012
Anyone else have canvas on her boat? Yes?! I do. Lots of it. Big and small. Canvas is important protective covering for your boat. It saves you money and time by protecting teak from the sun, keeping dirt out of your winches and instruments, and keeping you cool at anchor.
Can you guess how many different canvas items you have on board? Quick without looking. I counted 20+ unique items with some items having multiples in use at any given time on our Morgan sailboat, Magnolia. That doesn't count functional and decorative fabrics below. And I have plans to add more canvas on my growing sewing projects list!
How many unique canvas items can you