matplotlib 3D plot with PyQt4 in Qtabwidget (mplwidget)

In the code below you should find what you are looking for (at least with matplotlib 1.0.1 and pyqt 4.8):

class MplPlot3dCanvas(FigureCanvas):
def __init__(self):
    self.surfs = [] # [{"xx":,"yy:","val:"}]
    self.fig = Figure()
    self.fig.suptitle("this is  the  figure  title",  fontsize=12)
    FigureCanvas.__init__(self, self.fig)
    FigureCanvas.setSizePolicy(self,
        QSizePolicy.Expanding,
        QSizePolicy.Expanding)
    FigureCanvas.updateGeometry(self)
    self.ax = Axes3D(self.fig) # Canvas figure must be created for mouse rotation
    self.ax.set_xlabel('row (m CCD)')
    self.ax.set_ylabel('col (m CCD)')
    self.ax.set_zlabel('Phi (m)')
    self.format_coord_org = self.ax.format_coord
    self.ax.format_coord = self.report_pixel

def report_pixel(self, xd, yd):
    s = self.format_coord_org(xd, yd)
    s = s.replace(",", " ")
    return s

def update_view(self):
    for plt in self.plots:
            # del plt
            self.ax.collections.remove(plt)
        self.plots = []
        for surf in self.surfs:
            plt = self.ax.plot_surface(surf["xx"], surf["yy"], surf["val"], rstride=5, cstride=5, cmap=cm.jet, linewidth=1, antialiased=True)
            self.plots.append(plt)
        self.draw()


class MplPlot3dView(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, parent = None):
       super(MplPlot3dView, self).__init__(parent)
       self.canvas = MplPlot3dCanvas()
       self.toolbar = NavigationToolbar(self.canvas, self.canvas)
       self.vbox = QVBoxLayout()
       self.vbox.addWidget(self.canvas)
       self.vbox.addWidget(self.toolbar)
       self.setLayout(self.vbox)
       self.to_update = False

Then, you just have to add a QWidget to your QtaWidget and promote it to the new class MplPlot3dView (you will find easily resource on the net about how to do that).