PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE

2

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

ITCHY STITCHY

www.itchystitchy.com.auadmin@itchystitchy.com.au@itchystitchycomau

Gold Coast, Australia

Contact us with any punch needle questions! :)

3

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

CONTENTS

Punch Needle is a versitile yet simple embroidery technique which can be used for creating unique designs and modern products on a number of fabrics.

The punch needle is a hollow decorative stitching needle with which the thread is embroidered onto the fabric from the top. This creates loops on the back side, in which the height of the loop is determined by the height of the needle.

4Quick Guide

7Choosing Your Needle

11Punching with Yarn

8Punching with Floss

14Threading

12Technique

4

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

QUICK GUIDE

Ultra: up to 6 strands embroidery floss | Weavers Cloth

Lavor: 6 strands embroidery floss of DMC up to a fine yarn (1-2 weight) | Weavers Cloth (2 smallest needles), Monks Fine, Floba, Belfast

SKC: 4 ply up to chunky wool* | Monks Coarse/Fine

Oxford fine: 4 ply up to 8 ply | Monks Coarse/Fine (pre-ferred), Tula, Floba, Belfast

Oxford regular: 8 ply up to chunky wool* | Monks Coarse (preferred)/Fine

Lavor Chunky: 8 ply up to chunky wool* | Monks Coarse (preferred)/Fine

*some chunky wool may not work well depending on its composition and how tight it pulls in the needle.

No punch needle works with AIDA. Please take note of the particular materials each works with.

5

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

6

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

7

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

CHOOSING YOUR NEEDLE

1. What thickness yarn do you want to use?

Each punch needle has unique thicknesses it can work well with.

2. Do you want to use different loop heights in the one project?

If yes, choose an adjustable needle to save money.

3. What base do you want to work with?

Punch needles are fussy. They wont work on the wrong material.

Most important things to ponder...

8

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

Embroidery floss creates thin, detailed work.

Typically punched on weavers cloth, a tighly woven base.

The following generally holds true: The finer the fabric, the smaller the punch needle can be, and thus the thinner the wool can be used.

Belfast and Floba are able to be used with the lavor needle with floss.

FLOSS

Reccommended Needles:

Ultra Punch

Lavor

9

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

10

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

Take note of the recommended plys used for each needle. Popular bases for yarn inlcude Monks Cloth, Floba, and Tula.

The thinner the needle width, the more tighly woven the base can be. For example, the Fine Oxford can Punch on Belfast, however the Regular is too wide and struggles to enter through the cloth.

YARN

Recommended needles: SKC, Oxford, Lavor Chunky

11

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

Technique

The Lavor, Oxford and SKC share the same punching technique. The Ultra punches a little differently - with the bevel on the side rather than facing forward when punching.

12

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

The fabric should be tightened so it is quite taut.

How to punch Flat Stitches

Flat stitches are created by punching on the “front” of the hoop.

Once you have threaded your needle and have an inch of yarn tail through the eye of the needle, gently punch the needle into the fabric at a slight angle and as much as the handle will allow.

Once the eye of the needle is through the fabric, turn your hoop over to pull the tail of the yarn tail through to the back so you have 1” of a yarn tail.

Once you have pulled the yarn tail through to the back turn your hoop back over and gently lift the needle back up until you see the tip of the needle. “Skim” the needle forward approx 1cm and punch your needle back into the fabric.

Repeat this motion so that your stitches just touch one another.

When you punch your next row, aim to punch your

stitch half way between the previous row stitch to get the staggering effect.

How to punch Loop Stitches

Put in exactly same way of Flat Stitches but for the first stitch, don’t pull yarn tail through.

TIP If your yarn should come loose, just pull it tight again through the top of the needle then start to punch again. Remember to gently pull the needle up just until you see the eye of the needle then skim across the fabric to repunch. TIP Rather than punching over stitches, cut off your yarn rethread and start punching in the new section. TIP Make sure you have plently of slack in your yarn when punching. TIP If your yarn doesn’t stay in the fabric, give it another go by gently pulling the yarn backup through the needle. TIP Do not lift your needle too high up as this will release the yarn. The needle should not lift off the fabric. TIP Do not punch too bluntly, this will dislodge your fabric if working in a hoop. The punches should be eased in smoothly and without resistance.

13

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

Threading

The Lavor, Ultra and SKC are threaded the same way.

14

PUNCH NEEDLE GUIDE - ITCHY STITCHY

1. Put the threader through the end of the needle up out of the top.

2. Place the yarn inside and pull back through the needle.

3. Put the threader through the curved side.

4. Place the yarn inside and pull back through.

5. Leave a 2 inch tail coming out before you punch.

Watch a tutorial in our punch needle section on itchystitchy.com.au