We’ve had so many people come into the store or contact us through the web site asking about punchneedle!  They’ve heard of it or seen it and want to know more.  A quick demo is all it takes to get started in this fun craft.  Keep reading for an online version of our popular 10 minute Lesson.  No appointment necessary!

A Little History 

Punchneedle is not new at all and in fact goes back to the Ancient Egyptians.  They developed the technique of threading fibers through the hollow bones of birds wings in order to “punch” the threads through cloth, creating a nubby, three-dimensional effect.  This method of embellishment continued through the Middle Ages and in the 20th century was brought to the United States by Russian immigrants.  Many have heard punchneedle called “Russian Punchneedle”.

What is Punchneedle? 

Punchneedle uses a special needle, hoop, weaver’s cloth (or any tightly woven fabric, such as muslin), and embroidery floss to create designs that consist of tiny loops.  The designs are miniature so punchneedle is a perfect way to use up some of those stashes of floss we all have from other projects.  The needle is a hollow tube.  A special long threader is used to thread the needle.  There is no counting involved.  You are just filling in color areas.  The project is worked in a hoop from the back of the fabric.  The tiny loops are placed close together so the finished product has a textured, chenille look.

How Do I Get Started? 

• Trace a design on Weaver’s cloth.  The fabric is surprisingly transparent.  Position the fabric over your design and trace with a pencil.  No need for a special fabric pen.  This will be the back of the project so any pencil mark will not show on the finished side.
• Place the fabric in a hoop, particularly one with a lip around it and tightening screws.  Position the fabric and tighten the screw.  Pull the fabric around the hoop to increase the tension and tighten the screw again.  Do this until the fabric is “drum tight”.
  
• Thread your needle with the floss color you will be using to fill in the design, or section of the design.  For most projects you will be using 2 or 3 strands of floss.  You can cut a piece of floss up to a yard long.  It feeds through the needle and will not twist or knot as in cross stitch.  Use your threader to draw the floss back towards the needle tip.  Once you have done that, thread the floss through the eye of the needle leaving a short tail behind the eye.
• Now you’re ready to start!  Put the needle into the fabric until it hits the stopper.  Pull up just until the needle clears the fabric, drag it a bit and then put the needle back into the fabric.  Your hand becomes like a sewing machine arm that takes the needle up and down through the fabric.  The back of the fabric will look like stitches, but when you turn it over the finished side will have the loops.  After you’ve gone a few stitches, cut off the loose end.  Even without a knot, the loops will then be relatively secure.  Outline the area you’re filling in first and then continue to go around and around placing the rows close together to fill in.
• When you reach a corner of the design, put the needle down into the fabric and turn the hoop, not the needle.  Just like a sewing machine.
• Let the needle run out of thread if you’re filling in a larger area.  You can clip off the stray end later.  If you are finished with an area and still have thread in the needle, hold the thread down against the fabric to keep it from pulling out, pull up the needle and then clip the thread.  Again, no need to knot.

Fun Stuff About Punchneedle

• No counting means you don’t have to constantly refer to the pattern.  Once you are working a color area, you just concentrate on that and can watch TV, have a conversation or whatever.
• You can draw your own designs!  Most designs are pretty simple and just require blocks of color to fill in.
• The punchneedles are ambidextrous!  Right-handed and left-handed people can use the same needles.
• This is a great craft to do in limited light or for those of us with less than perfect eyesight.  Some customers have told us they do cross stitch during the day when the light is better and punchneedle at night. 
• Words on punchneedle patterns are backwards.  Don’t be alarmed!  Remember, you are working on the back of the design, so the wording needs to be opposite what it will be on the front.
• When you first start your rows of loops, they will look too far apart to be correct.  As you add more rows, the loops will fill in together, so don’t worry.  Also, don’t obsess over your loops.  When they all gush together no one will notice if one loop is bigger than another.  If there are some skimpy spots – who cares!  Just go back and fill in some more and it’ll be just fine.
• You can create dimension by changing the gauge (the determiner of size of the loops).  You will probably want to do the background in the smallest loop, but then do some other parts in a little bigger loop to make the design pop!
• Instant gratification!  Punchneedle is so much faster than cross stitch or other types of needlework.
  
  

River Bend Stitchery Has What You Need

• We carry two brands of punchneedles: Cameo and CTR
  
• Hoopla hoops
• Morgan Lap Stands
• Weaver’s cloth – both natural and hand-dyed
• A multitude of patterns and books.  Some patterns include the fabric with the design pre-printed, some have the designs to be traced.  To see a wide array of patterns, click on Merchant Mall on our Home page and then order from us!
• Five different lines of hand-dyed and variegated flosses – Weeks Dye Works, Sampler Threads, Crescent Colours, Valdani Threads and Carrie’s Threads.  Over 700 colors!
• A friendly, experienced staff to help with any instruction or questions you might have.

Our Best Advice

• Have FUN with punchneedle!  It is not a precise craft and imperfections are unnoticeable.  Just have fun!