Punch needle has been gaining much popularity on Instagram, what is punch needle? It looks like embroidery, you need yarn or thread, hoop, loose weave fabric, but there’s one more tool you need, the punch needle tool, the one I am using is called Oxford Punch Needle.
History of punch needle dates back to ancient Egypt when hallow bones of birds’ wings were used as needles. During 17th. Century, some Russian immigrants in the USA applied the punch needle techniques by using needle and yarn to create embroidery on their clothes, sailors in the USA then adapted the technique by using a larger needle and made rugs as a way to pass the time on long sea voyage, or even sold the rugs when they reached port.
The best fabric for punch needle is the Monk’s fabric, frame the fabric onto the hoop before having the pattern transferred on the fabric, then you can work with the punch needle from the back side of the pattern. ; When you punch the yarn through the fabric with the punch needle tool, it leaves tufted loops of yarn over top of the fabric.
Current craze for the punch needle is beyond hook rug and embroidery on clothes, people are making cushions, cross-body bags, home décor, etc, I think it will be fun making a frame box clutch with the application of punch needle.
Materials
- Punch Needle
- Yarn in the colour of your choice
- An embroidery hoop or thumbtacks gripper frame
- Monk's cloth or burlap
- Hollow metal clutch frame
- Embroidery scissors
- A pencil for tracing
Punch needle embroidery is an easy and fun twist on the traditional art of rug hooking. A project like this hollow frame clutch only takes a couple of hours to finish, and the result is that you have a beautiful handmade piece that you won't find anywhere else.
