Greetings, Aurifil thread lovers! As Master Educator and Aurifilosophy Program Coordinator, I’m thrilled to welcome back fellow Aurifilosopher Heidi Pridemore to Thread Matters.
One of the creative forces behind The Whimsical Workshop, Heidi is celebrated for her bold use of color, playful style, and designs that spark the imagination. Her work captivates makers of all skill levels, and her innovative approach makes her the perfect guide for exploring the creative potential of Aurifil threads.
In this feature, Heidi walks us through the tools and steps to create simple yet stunning Punch Needle projects using Aurifil Cotton 8wt and Cotton Floss. A huge thank-you to Heidi for bringing us this fresh and creative way to highlight the beauty of Aurifil’s heavier weight threads.
Is your shop, group or guild looking for insightful, inspiring and educational information on thread? Consider booking a virtual or in-person program with one of our skilled Aurifilosophers. Learn more about Aurifilosophy and find your favorite Aurifilosopher here.
Happy Stitching!
Karen L. Miller ~ Redbird Quilt Co
Punch needle has quickly become one of my favorite ways to put my beloved Aurifil threads to work in a whole new way. After 25 years designing and creating in the sewing and craft industry, and over a decade collaborating with Aurifil, I was looking for another creative outlet that blended my passion for thread with a fresh technique. Enter, punch needle!
For the past few years, I’ve been designing punch needle patterns and kits, teaching workshops both locally and on the road, and sharing how versatile this art form can be. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to expand your handcraft skills, this tutorial will walk you through the basics of punch needle using my simple shell templates along with sharing images of the steps necessary to turn your finished piece into a charming ornament. Working with these two heavier weight Aurifil threads makes fabulous punch needle creations!
If you’d like to explore more punch needle designs or stock up on the best tools—like the KnitPro Punch Needle and the Morgan Lap Stand—you’ll find everything you need at www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com.
Punch Needle Basics
You will need:
- Punch Needle Artwork
- 100% Cotton Fabric
- Punch Needle Tool
- Embroidery Hoop: Morgan 5” hoop or 5”/7” Lap Stand recommended*
- Scissors: For trimming floss or thread
- Aurifil Cotton 8wt thread or Aurifil Cotton Floss in assorted colors
- Shell Yeah Template, courtesy of The Whimsical Workshop
Note: When creating a punch needle design, you’re typically looking at and working from the flat side—that is, the side where the needle goes in and out of the fabric. It’s a personal choice if you’d like the flat side or the loop side to be the side you display. For both Aurifil 8wt and Aurifloss, you can work off the spool and do not need to cut the thread until finished.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Position the artwork: Position and trace the artwork onto the fabric.
Note: If you want the loop side to show as the right side of the piece, trace the mirror image on the wrong side of the fabric. If you want the flat side to show, trace the image as you want it to appear on the right side of the fabric. This is especially important for words— if you want the words to be shown with the loops up, you will need to trace and punch the words in the mirror image on the back side of the fabric.
2. Hoop the fabric: Place your marked fabric inside the embroidery hoop, centering the artwork in the middle of the hoop. Make sure the fabric is pulled taut, as this makes punching easier and more precise.
3. Thread the Punch Needle Tool: To thread the tool, insert the threader through the punch tool needle’s body, starting at the needle tip and pulling the threader through the tool body to the handle end of the tool. Slide the thread into the threader loop and pull the threader back through the body so the thread comes out the tip.
4. Thread the Eye of the Needle: Next, insert the threader through the eye of the needle from the rounded side to the concave (bevel) side as shown. Slide the thread into the threader loop and pull the threader through the eye of the needle. Leave a short tail at the tip of the needle. It can be trimmed at a later time.
Tip: Use a coffee mug to hold the spool of thread while working with each color.
5. Start Punching: Hold the punch needle tool like a pen, with the bevel (open side) facing forward. Begin by punching the needle into the fabric at your starting point. Push it all the way through until the handle touches the fabric.
6. Move the Needle: Gently pull the needle back out of the fabric just enough to move to your next stitch, without lifting it too high. Punch the needle down again a short distance from your previous hole. Keep the needle tip close to the surface of the fabric to ensure consistent loops.
7. Fill the Design: Continue punching stitches following your design. To fill larger areas, make rows of punched stitches close to each other. For outlines, punch along the edges of your design.
8. To Change Colors: Place your finger on the thread at the tip end of the tool and carefully pull the needle away from the fabric. Cut the thread, leaving a short tail. Remove the thread from the tool and rethread the tool and needle eye with the new color. Start punching again where you left off.
9. Finishing Your Work: Once the design is complete, cut off excess floss. Flip the piece over to the loop side and trim any loops that extend above the rest to make all the threads even across the top.
10. Secure the Loops (optional): Decide which side you would like to be the front, and if you want to secure the back of your project, you can apply fabric glue or iron-on fusible interfacing to keep the loops in place.
Tips for Success
- Practice on a scrap piece: Before starting a full project, practice on a small piece of fabric to get comfortable with the punching motion.
- Keep the fabric tight: Loose fabric will make your loops uneven and hard to control.
- Consistent loop size: Hold the needle close to the fabric to maintain even loops.
Turn Your Punch Needle Designs into Ornaments
You will need:
- (3) Punched Designs
- (3) 4” wooden circles
- (3) 6” pieces of 3/8 wide cord
- (3) 4” circles of fabric or felt
- Tacky Glue
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Use the wood disk as a guide to draw a circle around each punch needle piece with the Frixion pen. Cut ½” away from the drawn line to cut out each piece for the ornament front.
2. Use the wood disk to trace and cut a circle of fabric or felt for the ornament back.
3. Cut the fabric in ½” wedges up to the drawn line on the fabric, as shown.
4. Add glue to one half of the wood disk, then pull the fabric wedges around the edge of the wood disk and glue in place on the back. Once you have completed one half of the circle, complete the other half of the circle.
5. Refer to the front of the ornament and mark the top edge. Fold the cord in half to form a loop and glue the two ends to the back of the ornament so the loop extends up towards the top of the ornament.
6. Glue the fabric to the back of the ornament to complete.
Ready to give it a try? Punch needle is a fun, relaxing way to enjoy your Aurifil thread collection while making something beautiful and textured. If this project inspired you, you can find complete punch needle kits, the KnitPro tool, Morgan Lap Stand, and more via The Whimsical Workshop, linked below.
I also offer in-person classes locally, as well as lectures and workshops for groups and guilds across the country— perfect for anyone ready to bring this technique to their sewing circle. Grab some thread, hoop up your fabric, and let’s start punching!
Huge thanks to Heidi Pridemore of The Whimsical Workshop for sharing her fabulous and exciting use of our heavier weight threads. To stock up on threads to work on your own Punch Needle projects, visit ShopAurifil.com.