Plastic Canvas Heart Coasters

I recently made these plastic canvas coasters. It was the first time I'd done a plastic canvas project since around 1983, when I was 11. 

What made me pick up plastic canvas after such a long hiatus? It started during our last family cruise. Princess Cruises does such a great job offering tons of on-board activities, including crafting. The cruise staff taught a different craft on each of our at-sea days. You could use the kit and follow the directions exactly or go off in your own direction. 

I started with the kit. There were five colors of yarn and two different patterns (easy and intermediate). 

I think the idea was that you'd make two squares that were the same and combine them to make the pouch, but I made each design once instead. I changed up the colors from the pattern, too. Here's how my pouch looks (front and back).

After completing my pouch, I started on my heart coasters. I started by sketching out a heart on paper and using a Sharpie to dot it onto my canvas. Then I started stitching concentric squares, alternating the direction of the stitches with each square. 

I completed the last square before the heart, then switched to red yarn. I stitched the heart using the dots I'd put on the canvas earlier. Then I filled in the empty spots with yellow. Finally, I sewed around the edge with red. 

I made a second coaster exactly the same way, except I switched the red and yellow yarns. Here are the two coasters together:

I thought it would be nice for me to create a pattern so you could replicate my coasters, but it turns out that it is harder than it seems to make a pattern (for me, anyway). This was my first attempt.

My second attempt was even worse. I don't know why it's so hard for me to make a pattern. It was much easier making the design in the first place than trying to make a pattern from my completed design! (Is that normal? I doubt it.) If anyone knows how to make patterns for plastic canvas, let me know.