Thread to Art: PUNCH NEEDLE 101 - Issue Two

THREAD TO ART:  The Essential Punch Needle Guide- By Kelly Kanyok- Artist & Founder of Orphaned Wool

The Essential Punch Needle Guide - Volume Two- PUNCH NEEDLE 101 
"Created to teach and inspire artists to explore the world of Punch Needle Embroidery."

When I refer to the term “embroidery,” I am referencing the type of Punch Needle artwork that uses thread, not yarn. For questions regarding Punch Needle using yarn or wool strips, see the first issue of The Essential Punch Needle Guide.

Topics Covered In - Volume Two-Punch Needle 101

  • The Front and Back of the Punch Needle
  • Different Needle Sizes- How to use, and why are they different
  • How to Thread the Punch Needle
  • Punch Needle 101 - How to Hold & Punch
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Where to Start
  • Setting Loop Lengths

    This information will be based on using the Ultra Punch Needle. Still, the methods used are generally the same as those for other punch needles.

     PUNCH NEEDLE: Front & Back Sides

    The Punch Needle- Front & Back side of the Punch Needle:

    Understanding the front and back sides of the punch needle is essential for several reasons. First, for the threading process, you will need to know the front and back sides of the needle. This will also be important for the actual punching process.

    So, what is considered the “Front” of the Needle? The front has a tiny beveled edge opening. This is where the thread will come out of during the second step of the threading process, and this will also referred to as the TOP of the needle, which will be more clearly understood when we discuss How to Punch.

    The “Back” of the needle has a tiny hole called the “eye." This is where the thread tail will hang out in the third and final step in the threading process. It is also referred to as the “Bottom” of the needle. Once again, these terms will become helpful in the punching process.

    PUNCH NEEDLE: Different Needle Sizes

    Needle Sizes- How to Use and Why Are They Different?

    The Ultra Punch Needle Set includes three needles of different sizes. Typically, the Ultra Punch Needle Set has a medium-sized needle pre-loaded into the needle to start, and the large and small size needles are separate.

    So why are there different needle sizes? The various sizes are used to accommodate different thread thicknesses.

    How do you know what size needle is best to use, and how can you tell what size needle you are using? Each needle is marked on the bottom portion; in the blue area where you twist it onto the handle, an S, M, or L will be printed to indicate which size needle—small, Medium, or large. This size indicates the thickness of the needle. So, the largest needle size would accommodate more strands or thicker thread than the small needle.

    How do you know the best needle size to use on a project? The best way to determine which needle to use depends on the thread thickness you intend to use. The key to selecting the correct needle size is this: you want to use the smallest size needle that allows the thread thickness you are working with to move through the needle easily without any tension or drag on the needle.

    This is important because any tension on the thread will create an issue punching, like a partial loop or no loop. Also, as a side note, the larger or thicker the needle, the more force is used to open up the weave to insert the needle, which can take a little more force and can be a little harder on your wrist or hand if you have any issues with those areas.

    I have used the small needle for almost everything I punch, including Valdani 3-strand floss, Valdani size-12, DMC floss using three of the six strands, DMC Eco-Vita Wool thread, and the Rustic Moire Wool threads. I personally love using the small needle because I love the detail I can create, and it is also very easy on the wrist.

    Remember, you aren’t punching “holes.” You are opening the weave to insert the thread loop. Another thing to remember is you don’t want to make an opening that is too large for a thin thread because the likelihood of the thread coming out is greater if the opening is too wide. So, select the needle that is the best size for the threads you plan on using.

    PUNCH NEEDLE: Threading Process

    THE ULTRA PUNCH NEEDLE- THREADING PROCESS:

    • Excellent needle threading instructions are included if you have the Ultra Punch Needle Set. If you don’t have threading instructions, this will cover the process in three steps, so no worries.
    • To me, threading the punch needle is counterintuitive to how you want to thread the needle. It’s just three steps, and now that you understand the Front or Top and Back or Bottom sides of the needle, these steps will be much easier to understand.
    1. Step one: Push the looped end of the threader through the needle tip down until the theater loop comes out the bottom of the punch needle handle.
    2. Step two: Insert your thread through the loop, pull the threader back out from the tip of the needle, and unthread.
    3. Step three: Insert the threader loop through the back side of the needle or the (eye of the needle) towards the front of the needle that has the beveled edge, insert the thread, and pull back out the back (eye of the needle) and unthread so that the thread tail is hanging out the back of the needle.

    PUNCH NEEDLE 101: How to Hold & Punch

    How to Hold and Punch- Punch Needle 101:

    Now that you have selected the best needle size for the thread you will be using and have threaded your punch needle correctly, we are ready for the fun to begin!

    So, now that we are ready to start the punching process let's quickly review how the loops are created and how they stay in the fabric. The loops are made using the punch needle to push open the weave of the weaver’s cloth fabric, which is 45% Cotton and 55% Polyester, creating the weave's elasticity.

    Then, we pull the needle out, allowing the weave to close around the thread and hold it in place. This is done repeatedly, creating a continuous rhythm of Push-Pull-Move Forward-Push-Pull-Move Forward.

    It sounds easy, but some techniques are needed to create the perfect loop and a beautiful punch needle design. Here are some tips on how to hold the punch needle correctly and how to make perfect loops.

    Before we start, here is a reminder that we are working on the pattern from the back side, where the pattern is printed or drawn, and the loops are pushed through to the front side, which is the finished side of the design. So, if you are drawing your design, remember the pattern will be reversed on the finished side. If there is any lettering in the design, that will need to be reversed on the pattern.

     Holding and Moving the Punch Needle Correctly:

    Holding your punch needle at an angle, much like you would comfortably hold a pencil, will allow the needle to slide in and open the weave more efficiently, making it much more comfortable to punch. Resting the side of your hand on the fabric will also help stabilize the needle and make it easier to punch.

    The proper position to hold the punch needle is with the top side (the beveled opening) facing up and the bottom (with the eye) from which the thread is hanging facing down towards the cloth.

    I like to use this analogy to remember the correct position: It's like "walking the dog," which I explain as follows: The front or top of the needle, (with the beveled edge opening), should be facing up (showing a tiny piece of your thread in the needle). This beveled opening is what I refer to as the “Dog’s Head.”

    The back or bottom of the needle (known as the eye) where the thread hangs is what I refer to as the “Dog's Tail.”

    So when you hold the needle and start to punch or “Walk the Dog,” the dog's head should be facing up, the tail facing down, and you are always punching or "walking" in the forward direction. So this "Walk the Dog" analogy is a cute reminder to do all of these things while you are punching. 

    This needle position and movement are critical to punching correctly and not accidentally pulling out your loops. Just a good little reminder to you to help keep your punch needle positioned correctly and continue moving the needle in a forward direction.

    Therefore, remember “walking the dog” like this: head facing up, tail down, and always moving forward.

     What do you mean by moving in a forward direction? In the punch needle process, continuing to move the needle forward means you will have to rotate your wrist along with the frame or hoop as needed to keep your needle positioned properly and moving forward. If you punch down or backward, you will pull out the previous loops and create different-length loops, making uneven loop lengths. 

    How to Punch—The Punch Needle Rhythm: This punching process begins by pushing the punch needle into the fabric until it stops. Then, the needle is pulled out just enough to expose the needle tip, advanced across the fabric, and pushed down to create the next loop. It’s a continuous rhythm of “Push-Pull-Move Forward and Repeat.” It sounds easy, but some techniques are needed to create the perfect loop continually.

    Helpful Loop-Making Tips & Techniques:

    • Make sure you push the punch needle into the fabric until it stops at the fabric. If you don't push the needle down completely, some loops will be shorter than others.
    • When you pull up on the needle to move forward to make the next loop, be sure you are not pulling the needle up off the fabric too high. You want to pull it out just enough to advance to create the next loop. Pulling the needle out too much will pull out your loop or shorten its length.
    • The proper loop spacing is essential to making loops that fill in on the front of the design but are not so close together that they bunch up too tight and don’t lay properly or so close that they create tiny holes in the fabric. This is where the punching technique is perfected: a series of loops not too close but not spaced too far apart. It’s difficult to tell exactly how to space your stitches because different thread thicknesses will fill in differently. So, this is where the techniques and all your practice come together to create beautiful loops. You want the design to fill in nicely and not show any fabric from the front but that is not so full that the design becomes over-punched and distorted.
    • Ensure the weaver’s cloth fabric is “drum tight” on your frame or hoop. Not having the fabric “drum tight” will make you work harder and can frustrate you when punching. Loose foundation fabric can also cause different-length loops.
    • Ensure that the feed thread is loose and that nothing prevents it from feeding easily into the needle. Any pressure on the thread will prevent the loops from being created.
    • Holding your punch needle at an angle, much like you would comfortably hold a pencil, will allow the needle to slide in and open the weave more efficiently, making it much more comfortable to punch. Resting the side of your hand on the fabric will also help stabilize the needle and make it easier to punch.
    • Cut the threads flush with the fabric on the backside. This will allow you to continue to see the design throughout the punching process as more threads are added to the pattern. If you leave long threads, it makes a messy back and can obscure the pattern. Cutting the thread flush will not affect the loops. I promise they will not “fall out,” and you will have a lovely, clean pattern when finished.
    • When creating a single line in a design, whether for an outline or just a stand-alone line, I recommend punching the loops closer together than you would typically so that the line is more dense and shows more clearly on the pattern's front side.

    PUNCH NEEDLE: Where to Start

    Where to start punching? Typically, I start in the pattern's center and work my way outward. I start with the outline of a design and then fill in the design.

    You want to work your needle organically around the contour of a design so it looks more natural. You are only creating lines or rows if you do so intentionally for design purposes.

    When working on a large open area on the pattern, I like to break it up into smaller sections and fill in these open areas.

    PUNCH NEEDLE: Setting Loop Lengths

    How to change the loop length: Setting the loop length on the Ultra Punch Needle is relatively easy. A setting on the handle allows you to move the needle up or down to create different loop lengths. The handle has 12 settings for different loop lengths, achieved by adjusting the length of the needle punched into the fabric. For example, the #1 setting creates the shortest loop, whereas the #12 makes a long one.

    How can the loop length be determined? An excellent way is to assume that half the length of the needle exposed from the handle will be the length of the thread loop.

    Why are there different length settings? These different length settings create various effects or textures in your design.

    I typically punch with a loop length set to #1 for several reasons: it reduces the amount of thread needed to create a design and makes it less likely that something will snag on a loop. However, I also like changing my loop lengths to create unique dimensions and effects in my designs.

    This is a fun area to experiment with as you get more comfortable using your punch needle. I will discuss it in the next issue of The Essential Punch Needle Guide.

    "I hope this second issue of The Essential Punch Needle Guide - Punch Needle 101 has answered some of your questions and sparked your curiosity to explore the creative possibilities of punch needle embroidery. Stay tuned for future newsletters, where I will delve into more punching techniques, share expert tips, and offer inspiring project ideas to help you elevate your crafting journey!”

    The Essential Punch Needle Guide- Copyright 2024 - Kelly Kanyok / Orphaned Wool -All Rights Reserved.

    This publication may not be reproduced or distributed without the Author's prior written permission. 

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