~ New Ornament Patterns are LIsted & my Basic Punch Needle Instructions ~

Howdy Friends & Folk!

I have listed my new little Punch Needle Folk Ornaments

 in our Etsy shop for your amusement!

 

clockwise: Kitten in a Mitten, Jolly in the Holly, Mouse in a House &

Fox in a Sock.

 

these are available as Printed/Mailed and PDF/Download.

 

I am also including this here for those who have never seen it :

 

*** Notforgotten Farm’s
BASIC PUNCH NEEDLE INSTRUCTIONS -

Please read through these instructions and tips before you begin your project -

these are just my basic guidelines for how I punch, other designers may/may not punch the same way :) 

Trace your design onto your Weavers Cloth using pencil -
I prefer pencil to pen, as it is erasable and will not bleed or mark my threads like pen ink. 

Place your traced design onto your gripper frame or in your lip lock hoop and make sure the weavers cloth is very tight...it is important to have the cloth drum tight to make punching easier for you. 

Refer often to the color photo on the cover of your pattern for placement, while you read the directions on the pattern page for that specific pattern design. 

I use a MEDIUM tip punch needle exclusively - the Cameo Ultra Punch Needle is my favorite, and I keep it set on the lowest or #1 setting unless otherwise specified on pattern.

I use all 6 strands of DMC floss when called for, I DO NOT SEPARATE my DMC thread!

When I use DMC thread, I unwrap the skein and then wind the thread onto small wooden spools for easier manageability - since I don’t separate these, there is no need for me to cut a certain length, I just punch from the spool what I need :) 

I use size #8 Valdani pearl cotton which I double,
by taking one end from the outer wrap on the ball and one end from the center of the ball, to which I will then thread my needle with both ends. 

Punch your needle down to the COLLAR of your handle, to ensure proper loop height, then lift up and lightly drag your needle-tip across the fabric surface. Now punch down your next loop approximately the width of your needle away from your previous loop and continue to do this, making uniform punches.

**DO NOT LIFT YOUR NEEDLE OUT OF THE WEAVERS CLOTH TOO HIGH

**DO NOT DRAG YOUR NEEDLE TOO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR PREVIOUS LOOP 

Punch all small details first, then punch your background. Punch in any direction you feel comfortable, but most right handers punch from right to left. Punching in different directions lends movement to your work, especially backgrounds and when using variegated threads. 

Clip your ends low on your working surface as you go,
... so as not to accidentally push a thread tail to the front of your project. 

Once you have filled in your project completely, turn it over to check for any spaces on the front and go back and fill in if necessary...then remove your project from frame/hoop, and trim away any excess tails, snags or pulled loops from the front of your project. 

If you wish to press your work with an iron, do so very gently as to not crush your loops. I like to place a damp tea towel on top of my finished project {face up} and gently steam it with a hot iron. 

There are many ways to finish off your punched project: 

I like to make small pillows that I stuff with wool/fabric scraps, or a mixture of lavender and organic sawdust.
Place your preferred backing fabric face up on your work surface, then place your finished punched project on top of that FACE DOWN. I like to stitch right up to the last punched row {if this is a square pillow you’re making}
I hand or machine stitch all the way around the project, trim away the excess weavers/backing to within 1/4”. I will then cut a small slit in the backing fabric in the center, and then turn i=t right sides around. Then I stuff and cover the slit with a small patch of fabric, either coordinating or to match the backing fabric used. 

Framing your punch needle is a nice way too, and you can usually find inexpensive frames at thrift shops and big box stores - don’t forget that you can paint the frame to your liking too! A little sandpaper and paint can really liven up a not-so-pretty frame into something wonderful :) 

I love to make ornament too - here’s how I do this:
After punching is complete, I will trim away the weavers cloth to about 1 inch from the last punched row, according to the shape of the project...then, using the very outline shape of the template for the pattern, I will trace that onto cereal cardboard. I use glue sticks to glue the cardboard to the back of my punched project, making sure that the edges of the cardboard match up with the last punched row of my project all the way around. Next I snip the weavers cloth {the 1/4” around} and turn back the edges of the weavers to the cardboard...use the glue stick again to keep edges glued down. Turn your project over, REMEMBER it’s ok if you see some of the weavers cloth on the edges from the front! we’ll cover that up using a Sepia colored Pigma Pen with a Brush Tip!

Now take your backing fabric {I prefer cotton fabric in Reproduction prints} and lay it face down on your work surface...then lay your punched project on cardboard face up on that - using pencil or chalk, trace the outline of your project’s shape onto the cloth and cut out just outside the drawn line. Use your glue stick on the cardboard back of your punched project to glue your backing fabric on...
Use your cotton thread, pearl cotton or sewing thread and a very sharp needle to whip-stitch all the way around your project, stitching THROUGH the front, cardboard and backing fabric {like you’re stitching together a little sandwich}. Once finished whipping, poke a hole at the top of your project using a large eye needle and I like to use rusty wire as a hanger - you can bend the end of the wire closest to the project to keep it from coming out, and then you can curl the top of the wire into a swirly-shaped loop :) 

Individual results will ALWAYS vary from person to person...
Remember, Practice Makes Perfect 
{or at least Primitively Perfect!}

be happy, get punchy!!!!!!

~ Lori ~

*** there is a permanent page link of this over there on your right, under my 'links' list so you can refer to this whenever you need to if you so choose ~

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori