Punchneedle embroidery is a creative needle art in which thread is literally punched through cloth with a special needle. The design is transferred onto the back of the fabric, which is stretched tightly in a hoop. Using a threaded punch needle, a small running stitched is work on the back of the fabric to outline or fill in the design. This stitch forms a loop on the front of the fabric. Different lengths of loops are created with different sizes of needles. The basic technique can be learned very quickly. The tools and techniques are similar to those used to make rugs with bulky wool yarn only they've been miniaturized. The craft has been described as "embroidery on steroids." Traditionally it is used to create folk art designs, but needle arts designers are starting to create more contemporary designs, and the crafters are jumping on board. This book is a fresh take on punchneedle embroidery, a very vast, very flexible technique to apply color and texture to cloth. Punchneedle designs can be turned into patches to embellish everything from jeans to bags. They can become cards, pins, or journal covers. They can be fused or sewn into all kinds of craft projects.
