Faustine - Punch Needle Friends

From a young age, my mother and grandmother introduced me to creative hobbies, and my desire to learn several techniques has grown with me over the years. One day, my mum and I decided to share our creations which reflect our mother and daughter bond. We thus created our brand: De Mer en Fil.

Two years ago, the punch needle took a more central role in my creations. This technique combines both drawing and yarn; the perfect combo for me. Its ease of use allows you to clear your head and have a good time without thinking too much. I enjoy the slow, meditative flow of punch needle, and it is easy to unpick if you find you have made a mistake.

In this book, you will learn the punch needle basics through the twenty featured projects. The first project is the easiest, and each builds on the last, so by the end of the book you will have discovered the key to letting your imagination run wild in your own designs. A word of warning: punch needle is a very compelling craft and you may soon find yourself addicted!

From threading your needle to framing your project, below is a guide to the most useful tools and materials you will need.

There are several kinds of punch needle available. They differ either by the way the yarn will be threaded into the needle (through the slit or with a copper thread), the size of the yarn that will be used (fine or thick), or by the length of the loop (short or long). Always ensure you have the correct thickness of yarn for the punch needle you are using. To make the projects in this book, you will need a needle for super bulky weight yarns (small loop) and a needle for lightweight yarns.

Punch needle for light yarns is used for yarns that are knitted with size 26 (34mm) needles and allows you to create loops of in (3mm). In the projects, this size of needle is used for eyelashes and whiskers. The punch needle shown is an Oxford no.14 regular punch needle.

Punch needle for super bulky yarns (small loop) is used for yarns that are knitted with size 1013 (69mm) needles and allows you to create loops of in (5mm). The punch needle shown is an Oxford no.10 regular punch needle.

Punch needle for super bulky yarns (large loop) is used for yarns that are knitted with size 1015 (610mm) needles and allows you to create loops of in (1cm). The punch needle shown is an Oxford no.8 regular punch needle.

Punch needle with adjustable handle is used for yarns that are knitted with size 1015 (610mm) needles and allows you to create loops measuring in (310mm).

The choice of yarn is important because it must both be compatible with the fabric, but also with the needle. If the diameter of the yarn is too large, the yarn will jam in the needle. If the diameter of the thread is too small, the thread is no longer retained by the weft of the fabric that has been pierced by too large a needle.

To make the projects in this book, we used super bulky yarn that is knitted with size 1013 (69mm) needles. As a general guide to yarn quantities, we use approximately half a ball of yarn for the background and a total of one ball for all the facial elements, made up of different colors. For the background, we often use a double strand of finer yarn as the color palette is more varied than that of super bulky yarns. The eyelashes and whiskers are worked with light yarn that is knitted with size 26 (34mm) needles. See for information on the best punch needles to use with these yarns.

Some yarn recommendations of varying compositions, including cotton, are given below. Other materials are also compatible, such as trapilho, silk, jersey, or recycled fabric. As long as you can thread your needle with it, you can use it. The possibilities are endless.

DMC Knitty 10 This is a thick, 100-percent acrylic yarn that knits with size 15 (10mm) needles. It is ideal for punch needles for super bulky yarn or a punch needle with adjustable handle (see ).

Alison & Mae XL This yarn is made with 100-percent acrylic, and is knitted with size 10.5 (7mm) needles. It is ideal for punch needles for super bulky yarn or a punch needle with adjustable handle (see ).

Phil Rapido This yarn is made up of 5 percent acrylic, 25 percent wool, and 50 percent polyamide, and knits with size 10.5 (7mm) needles. It is ideal for punch needles for bulky yarn or a punch needle with adjustable handle (see ).

DMC Natura XL This is a 100-percent cotton ball that is knitted with size 10 (6mm) needles. It is ideal for punch needles for super bulky yarn or a punch needle with adjustable handle (see ).

Phil Looping This is an 80-percent acrylic and 20-percent wool blend that knits with size 10 (6mm) needles. This wool is rather fine for punch needle, but we find threading a double strand of yarn with a punch needle for bulky yarn works well.

Monk's cloth is a 100-percent cotton canvas, and is compatible with punch needles. It has a very wide and flexible weft, and has white borders every 2in (5cm) as a guide.