Ok, don’t laugh. I attempted punch needle on my own and this is all I could come up with. Ha! Here’s my experience plus some lessons learned.

I purchased a supply kit from Jenny Lemons. It came with yarn and monks cloth. I also purchased a #10 Oxford punch needle. I thought I could use a basic embroidery hoop for this project – it worked, but the monks cloth kept slipping. Lesson 1: I must learn to stretch monks cloth like an artist canvas so the monks cloth will stay in place as I punch.

Lesson 2: It helps if you have a pattern in mind. I didn’t. I just punched! The punching itself is pretty satisfying and the technique can be easily mastered with practice. The Oxford punch comes with helpful tips, too, so take a look at the manual. Given my yarn color combo I was going for something Earth-y / planet-y. Perhaps it was achieved, but next time I would definitely pick a pattern or draw a design on the monks cloth before starting.

Once I finished my design, I trimmed the monks cloth, hot glued the edges down, and hot glued on a felt backing.

What do you think? Have you experimented with punch needle? Share below!