Position your stretcher on the roll of canvas.

Using a pair of very sharp scissors, cut around the stretcher, leaving a margin of at least 4". Try to follow the weave of the canvas and cut in a very straight line.

The canvas should be placed on the side of the frame that has the beading as seen above.

Centre the canvas and put one staple in the centre of one of the stretcher pieces.

Go to the opposite end and pull the canvas tight. Try to find the other end of the weave that you have pinned. Pin this in the centre of that end. Your canvas weave should be running parallel to the stretcher pieces. Do not apply a great tension, because the canvas will shrink a lot when it is primed.

Now go to one of the other sides, apply a slight tension and staple  what appears to be the middle of the canvas to the middle of the stretcher side.

Tension the canvas from the other side and staple in place. Further staples can now be applied on either side of the 4 you have already put in place. Keep placing staples alternately around the canvas until you are approaching the corners, applying a light tension each time.

Now move to the first corner. Tension (by pulling outwards towards the corner) as shown above, then apply staples to hold the canvas in position moving from the centre of the strut towards the corner up until 4" or 5" from the corner. Repeat on the other 3 sides.

Now pleat a corner as shown above, then staple into place (any style of pleating will do as long as there are no bulges that might hinder framing).

Fold the remaining flap over and staple into place as shown above. Repeat for the other 3 corners.

Prepare your primer as per manufacturer's instructions. This could be rabbit skin size or, as in the example above, acrylic primer. They can be used together or either will do. Rabbit skin size alone will prime the canvas and give a fast surface to work on. Most primers provide a tooth to grab the paint. An acrylic primer will protect the canvas and provide a tooth.

Apply a coat of primer to the canvas.

Make sure you also prime the edges.

Allow to dry 

You are now ready to start painting!