[ad_1]
Finding a new hobby that you actually enjoy can feel a bit like striking gold in quarantine: All of a sudden those long, endless hours hold creative potential instead of restless boredom. That’s how I felt when I recently discovered punch needle.
After scrolling beautiful how-to videos on TikTok and watching a stream of cool women on my Instagram feed posting their own creations, I ordered a punch needle starter kit to see what all the hype was about, and was instantly converted. Despite its buzzy status, punch needle has actually been around since the 1800s, and there’s good reason for its undying popularity. Here’s why:
It offers instant gratification
Short attention span? Right this way. “It’s not something like weaving or embroidery that takes a little bit longer. There is a real immediacy to it—you see your piece coming together right away,” says Arounna Khounnoraj, owner of Toronto-based Bookhou studio and author of Master the Art of Punch Needling: Accessories for You and Your Home. “[Before COVID] I would teach workshops and within three hours the students would accomplish something great.”
Unlike so many other crafts that demand a serious investment of time and often painstakingly detailed attention, punch needle projects can take as little as a few hours to accomplish, depending on the size and complexity of your piece. “The act of doing it is just as calming as weaving and crochet, but the output, for me, is more exciting,” says writer and fellow punch needle convert Siofan Davies.
In a time when every day at home feels the same, it’s refreshing to see progress and the fruits of your labour so quickly.
The possibilities are endless
You can basically punch needle whatever your heart desires. “I love how you can write words, create graphics and images and experiment,” says Davies. You can also adorn rugs, pillowcases, patches or anything else that could benefit from a textural treatment.
A quick scroll through Instagram will show you there is no right or wrong when it comes to punch needle design: artists like Khounnoraj and modern punch needle pioneer Amy Oxford tend toward nature-inspired, folk-art-style pieces, while Calgary-based artist Simone Saunders is using the medium for social justice messaging, particularly around the Black Lives Matter movement. (Saunders uses a tufting gun for large scale pieces, which is essentially a punch needle on a power drill.)
On TikTok, you’ll see a new wave of Gen Z crafters creating pieces inspired by ’90s skateboard culture that combine bright pops of colour and elements of graphic design (think: Vans). The sheer volume and variety in the craft is a testament to how liberating the punch needle can be—and the best part is that you, too, can pick up a punch needle and join them.
Punch needle forgives and forgets
When pursuing any creative endeavour, there’s nothing worse than realizing you’ve made a mistake you can’t undo. That’s certainly not the case with punch needle: “If you make a mistake, you can pull areas out and it’s not so detrimental,” explains Khounnoraj. “It’s a very forgiving craft—I think that was the thing that really drew me to it.” The ability to easily swap out colours, stitches or patterns that don’t suit your creative vision is freeing and encourages experimentation. Plus, ripping out stitches you don’t like is really satisfying.
It’s low cost, low commitment
The barrier to entry to start punch needling is pretty low, and it’s relatively inexpensive. There are endless YouTube tutorials that explain the simple process every step of the way; a beginner’s punch needle itself typically rings in around $10; and you can find monks cloth (the recommended cloth for punch needle) to punch into for around $3 per square foot. Plus, you can repurpose old embroidery hoops or thrifted picture frames as your backing and even use up those old yarn ends you have lying around. “I find when people first start they tend to have yarn from other projects,” says Khounnoraj. “I always encourage them to use those yarns first as a practice before going out and buying different types of yarns.”
Multi-tasking is easy
While I wish I could say I punch needle in solitude in a tranquil, silent, sun-drenched studio space, the reality is that I usually do it on the couch while binging Bridgerton and jumping up to stir a pot of soup on the stove every so often. And with punch needle, that’s perfectly okay! Stopping and starting won’t undo any of your progress, and its tightly bunched, whimsical stitching means that every stitch doesn’t need to be exactly perfect or uniform. Plus, you can easily undo any mistakes you may have distractedly made while watching certain *ahem* steamy scenes between Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke. Behold, the perfect craft!
SHOP THE STORY
Shop Now
Shop Now
Shop Now
Shop Now
Shop Now
This article contains affiliate links, which means The Kit may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by advertising. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.
[ad_2]