Tutorials

A while back, I introduced a sheep punch needle floss minder that I designed. I made a short video to show you how it can help you with your punch needle. As you punch, the floss will just flow right off the floss minder and you don’t have to constantly chase and move your spool […]

One of the things to figure out when beginning punching is how to go about punching the details in a design. Should the details be punched first, last, or somewhere in between? By details, I mean small things like single lines or dots. For example, on this vintage truck pattern, there are small lines on […]

I frequently get asked about a Valdani – DMC conversion chart. I didn’t think there was one – I thought you had to convert to Week’s Dye from DMC and then to Valdani. But I wanted to make sure so I contacted the fine folks at Valdani and found out that Yes, they do have […]

Check out this Valdani price comparison!   I recently compared the difference between punching with Pearl Cotton #8 and 3 strands of floss. I found there wasn’t a lot of difference, but I think the 3 strands gives a softer look than the pearl cotton #8. But what about the cost difference between the two different […]

I have been working on getting some finished punch needle projects ready for an upcoming show. I wanted to show you how I framed this punched George. Supplies to Frame a Punch Needle Project: Frame Craft Glue Scissors Press on mounting board Glazier points Picture frame hanger I find thrift stores and auctions to be […]

Exactly what does it mean to get your weavers cloth drum tight, and how do you go about doing it? Punch Needle Hoops: First things first – let’s talk hoops.   Not all hoops will work well with punch needle. Even if you start with the weavers cloth super tight, it can slip as you punch and […]

My Ultra Punch came assembled, but it must be taken apart to change the needle size. You will want to change the needle if you decide to punch with a different width of string. It’s not hard, but with all of the different parts, it can be confusing at first. Matching Springs & Needles: The […]

One of the most commonly asked questions I receive from new punchers is why their punch needle loops aren’t staying in the fabric. If this is happening to you, here are a few things for you to investigate. Watch the Video: Needle Threading: Is your needle threaded correctly?  If you threaded it through the tube but […]

If you just started punching, you might be wondering how to tell how close punch needle stitches need to be. The answer: it depends. To show you what I mean, I punched with 3 different depths using my CTR punch needle. (The CTR Punch needles have been discontinued.) Watch the video: Punching the Samples: First, […]

When I first started punching, I was constantly losing punch needle threaders. The threaders fell so easily between the cushions on the couch or onto the floor where the cat thinks they are her toy. I was looking for it every time I needed to rethread the needle. Until I realized that the threaders are […]

Need help figuring out which needle to use on the Ultra Punch Needle? If you recently purchased an Ultra Punchneedle tool, you might be wondering what to do with all three of the needles that came with it. Watch the Video: Identifying the Needle Tips: It isn’t obvious at first glance, but if you look […]

Are you wondering what is the best embroidery hoop for punch needle? Some of you have asked me why you can’t just use a regular embroidery hoop when punching. When punching, you need the fabric to be kept really tight, tight like the top of a drum. You can probably get the weavers cloth tight […]

All punchers seem to have an opinion about which punch needle is the best, but what should you do when a pattern uses a different needle than your favorite? I did a Punch Needle Punching Depth Comparison by comparing the punching depths of 3 of the most commonly used punch needles to help you figure […]

Do you have a struggle figuring out how to store depth adjustors for your punch needle? The depth adjustors on my CTR punch needle (discontinued) are so tiny, it would be easy to lose one. When I take one off to punch at a different depth, I store the depth adjustors on a safety pin. […]

It always seems like my punch needle threader breaks at the most inopportune time; usually when I am right in the middle of punching a fun project! I figured if I could make them myself, it wouldn’t be that big of a problem when I break one. And if I can make them, I am […]

You might know you can punch pearl cotton size 8 in your three strand punch needle, but do you want to? What is the difference between punching with 3 strands vs pearl cotton #8 anyway? The skeins of embroidery floss are actually six individual strands of floss all twisted together. You can separate the strands […]

I will admit it, threading a punch needle is my least favorite part of punching! Although it isn’t difficult, it is a two-step process. If you are new to punching and aren’t quite sure how to thread your needle, here’s a tutorial to show you how to properly thread your punching needle. If you have […]