Punch Needle

This is just a quick hello! It's been a few days since I've posted, but I do have things to share! I finished my Twinkle Toes Socks and I also started my little sparkly pink evening bag, Girl's Night Out. Photos to come soon, I promise.

I also got sucked into something new. It's a totally new "craft" for me, and a coworker and I were chatting and she is the one who introduced me to it. I'd never even heard of it. But of course, I was intrigued and on Friday after work I went to the craft store and got myself a kit to make one. It's called "punch needle" (or something like that...click that last link for a little more information, and here's a wordy how-to page). All I needed to get started was this one kit, and the inexpensive little needle tool to go with it. I already had a cross stitch ring (or whatever those are called...you know, the things you use to stretch your fabric taut for stitching?) so I was good to go.

I tried it...and at first I failed. I got quite frustrated with it, and then Moose started helping, so I had to put it away.

But then I did a little more reading online about it, and it turns out that I had been threading my needle wrong, and that was what was messing me up. Apparently I neglected to read the second half of the instructions for threading the needle. whoops. At first I was all cocky, "sure, I can do this!"...heh. But no. Some string and canvas and a funky-looking needle sure put me in my place! lol.

Anyway, since I am lacking any photos of my own, here is a borrowed photo of the design I am doing:



Cute, no? It's a little hard to tell from the photo, but the design is made up of little tiny loops of thread that are sticking up from the canvas, and to work the design you "punch" through from the back to front with the funky (and not to mention dangerous-looking) little needle tool, creating the loops on the front. It's pretty simple in theory, though it sure did take a little getting used to.

So, once I figured out what I was doing wrong, I was back in business and cruised through half of it in a couple of hours. The thing is, Moose is way too helpy with this, since it's just a series of little loops going through the fabric, so if you tug on your thread, it all could come undone. Anyway, it's satisfyingly quick to do and I'm enjoying the little change of pace. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon though! I've definitely found that even though I've tried so many different crafts and still do them now and then, knitting is really my true passion in the craft world. :o)