Free Guide: Essentials for Starting Punch Needle Embroidery

Learn what you'll need for punch needle embroidery and discover pro tips for making the most out of your tools

A traditional style of embroidery, punch needle is a technique that allows you to create beautiful three-dimensional effects and rich textures. Fiber artist and designer Micah Clasper-Torch (@micahclaspertorch) cares deeply about retaining the traditional aspects of the punch needle craft while exploring ways to bring it into the 21st century.

Micah's design style is abstract, based on striking color combinations and shapes, and her work has been featured in publications including Koel Magazine, Mollie Makes, and Love Embroidery Magazine.

In this article, she shares her comprehensive guide explaining tools and materials you'll need to get started in punch needle embroidery, comparing what's on the market, and sharing her pro tips for helping you make the most out of them.

But first, we take a look at the rich history of this incredible craft.

What is punch needle and where did it start?

According to embroiderer Laura Ameba (@lauraameba), while today there's a wide variety of punch needle styles, they actually all come from the same principle and model.

One of the most traditional (and possibly the first) iterations is made by hand using a wire and is smaller than a finger. Through considerable research, Laura discovered that this original punch needle comes from a Russian community of old believers, or raskólniki, a conservative religious group. Migration brought the craft to various countries who, in turn, adapted it.

Fundamentally, all kinds of punch needles are called such as they pierce or perforate the fabric. They are hollow needles, with a hole through which the thread passes.

Regardless of the model, you thread the thread through the inside of the needle, passing through its handle. Subsequently, the point of the needle pierces the fabric, making the embroidery stitch. Different needles give different control of the length of threads, creating different volumes and sizes of stitch. Find out more about the origins of punch needle.

Free Punch Needle Tools and Materials Guide

Punch needles come in various sizes, and you’ll need to choose the right one depending on what type of craft you are practicing. Micah’s guide includes all the features of a good punch needle and compares regular and fine varieties available on the market. She also shares the tips and tricks she has been learning through years of experience.

This resource is also a guide to the backing material, or foundation fabric, the most important ingredient in successful punching after your punch needle tool! Your backing material is essential as it holds the yarn loops tightly in place.

Finally, Micah shares her knowledge on types of frames, which are used to keep your backing fabric stretched tight so that the weave of the fabric is held open as you punch. The frame helps to create even loops and makes the process easier on your hand and wrist!

After clicking on the button below, you will find a file in .zip format in the Downloads folder on your computer containing the Punch Needle Essential Tools and Materials Guide by Micah Clasper-Torch.

If you want to learn more, check out Micah Clasper-Torch’s embroidery course, Punch Needle Techniques for Custom Accessories.

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