What Is Punch Needle Art?
What is Needle Punching?
Punch needle art is a super simple form of embroidery which uses a large needle-like tool to punch loops of yarn into your chosen fabric. It's a fast process which is easy to experiment with to create items for the home such as cushions, wall hangings and hoop art or to create fashionable accessories - upcycle old clothing to give your favourite bags and clothing a new lease of life! This fiber-based art has seen a reinvention in the last few years and is the perfect craft for those who love therapeutic hobbies which you can do in front of the TV!
FAQs
What fabric should you use?
The recommended fabric is Monks cloth as it features big holes to work into, if you cannot find this online, try with linen or a tight weave hessian
What yarn should you use?
This is open to interpretation! It's best to choose the thickness of yarn based on the thickness of your needle - the thicker the needle the thicker the yarn you will require. If you don’t have chunky wool to hand, you can double-up your threads (this works great for mixing colours of yarn!)
Can I use any frame for my needle punch art?
You can use anything that will hold your fabric in place, those who are already needlecrafters will have their preferred method! Embroidery hoops, tapestry frames and wooden frames are ideal for stretching your fabric taught - experiment with the size of frame for your own comfort
Top tips
- Follow a video guide and practise threading your needle punch tool a few times to make sure that you have it right - the needle opening needs to be facing the correct way when punching
- Hold the first few loops at the beginning of your work to make sure the stitches are anchored and don't pull out
- Punch all the way down with each loop so that the base of the needle meets the fabric
- Keep the fabric taught as much as possible to make the motion easier, if you're using a fabric hoop you can pull and tighten using the screw mechanism
Punch Needle For Beginners
In this video, Paige Joanna walks you through her journey into punch needle embroidery craft. This is just one of the many ways you can start needle punching - Joanna shares all her top hints and tips for buying fabric in the UK and getting into the flow of needle punching!
Needle Punch Cushion Pattern
We've teamed up with Rico to offer you this fantastic cushion pattern to get you started on your Needle Punching journey! Click here to find this gorgeous project which features in the Rico Punch Needle Booklet No. 1
Punch Needle Kits
Kits are a great way to get started with this craft, here is a round up of just a few available on the market!
Pllieay Punch Needle Embroidery Starter Kit
This cute kit includes a instructions, an embroidery hoop, 7 colours of yarn, a piece of cotton cloth with floral pattern, 5 embroidery tools, and a wood frame stand - everything you need to get started for £14.99*!
Studio Jepson Punch Needle Gift Set
Etsy is a great place to search for customisable punch needle kits, which is a service that Studio Jepson provides with multiple options on most kits. Prices vary.
Trimits Punch Needle Kit: Rainbow
Trimits are one of the biggest producers of punch needle kits - they have a huge range of motifs to choose from, we love this rainbow wall hanging which retails at £13.59*.
Well that concludes this quick round-up of needle punch art! Let us know if you've tried this craft before, and share your projects with us on CraftWorld!
Happy punching,
Natalie