Calendar Poodle SAL

Monday, August 13, 2018

Punch Needle

Hi friends! Well the project I worked on last week was punch needle.😊 Yes, I have not done punch needle since I was barely a teenager in middle school! Back then we did it with yarn and burlap. This was quite different. More detailed work. Let me show you.
Yes! I punched my precious Mabel.😘 I had wanted to start punch needle SIX years ago!! I never did it. I had the punch needle, the weavers cloth, the pattern and the floss all waiting! And now that I am ready, I pulled it all out and decided my tastes changed.

You know who's patterns I really, really love? Michelle Palmer.😍 Oh my goodness! If you are not familiar with her work, go HERE  to look at her amazing artwork!!

Well, I would love to punch up one of Michelle's patterns, but I needed a little something to practice on first. So what to do? I looked high and low for a poodle and could not find one, so I drew one for myself and punched her up! Ta da! What do you think of my precious girl?🐩 That is supposed to be a pearl necklace.
I was asked by a friend on Instagram how I finished her off. Well let me tell you, the finishing process on this was way less fun than the punching was! I KNOW this is because of the shape of my piece. If this was a square or rectangle it would have been a piece of cake to finish, but it was NOT! I wanted to finish it as Michelle Palmer explains how to on her blog with a piece that she did that is a heart shape. By the time I clipped the weavers cloth and ironed all the tiny edges in, I was NOT going to sew those tiny edges to the felt. She used wool. I just glued the weavers cloth edges to the felt backing. Some people completely glue their backs from what I read and see online. I have even read this on punch needle shop blogs, so it must be okay?!

Anyhow, I stuck a large pearl head pin into the back of this piece and she is on display in the bathroom poodle display board now. You will notice the birthday cards. Those are for Brian and Murphy! The August birthday boys.😉
I am curious to know which of you my friends are now also doing punch needle? If you are thinking of doing punch needle, but are nervous to do it, just give it a try, really! It is easy, honest! I can prove it. Just ask Brian, my husband. That's right, my husband!! I watched Brenda Gervais' punch needle tutorial and Brian watched it with me. He said, "Hey, that looks like fun. I might try that. That does not look hard." And so we got a second punch needle, Brian used one of my locking lip type plastic embroidery hoops that held the weavers cloth drum tight (I did too, since we both did very small projects this time) and away he punched! He wanted to do something very simple. He drew a smiley face.😊
Notice the pink "nose"? He said he is always going to add some kind of pink to his punch needle pieces in honor of me. Well now. I am not sure how that is always going to work out. I tried explaining that to him, but he insists! Can you believe it?! A punch needling husband!🤩

Now I am stitching up a LK pattern for Brian for his birthday actually. He told me he liked the pattern, and it is not one I would have normally purchased, so I will stitch it and it will be an August display pattern for him!

I want to thank so many of you for commenting on my last post about my new friendship with Coralie. It was so interesting to read about pen pals that many of you have had over the years. I look forward to the new writing adventure Coralie and I will have.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”  1Corinthians 2:9

Stitching and praying,
Vickie
Freshly groomed Murphy

31 comments:

Manuela said...

Hello Vickie,
your pinch needle poodle looks great.
The littel smilie from Brain is very cute. Good Job from him.
Have a nice new week. Manuela

Mii Stitch said...

Congrats on your latest poodle finish! :)

Judy said...

I just ordered a punch needle and hoop and design - it will be my first. But where do you find weaver's cloth?
Judy hjfisher@comporium.net

Brigitte said...

Mabel looks so great, you were doing a great job. And why not gluing the finished piece to the felt instead of sewing it. I think these textile glues are wonderful and I also use them whenever I can.
How exciting that Brian also tried to do some punch needle. And he was doing a great job, too.
I love your poodle display board.

Margaret said...

I love it! Yay you! Yay Brian! So nice to have a husband who is punch needling too -- and I love that he is planning to put some pink in every piece he does in your honor. Such a sweetheart! Love your Mabel piece -- she looks great where she is displayed! I follow someone who goes by the name of bookhou -- she makes beautiful items. She started punch needling a year or so ago -- rug punch needling. Her work is wonderful, and she has tempted me greatly to try it out. Maybe I will sometime.

Mary said...

RJ, had told me about Michelle Palmer a while ago, I love her artwork!! I think she lives in the Finger Lake area of NY if I'm not mistaken.
Years ago I bought a punch needle set and it's somewhere in this house, I have to look for it, I see more and more people doing it and it looks to go much faster than cross stitch.

Your poodles is just adorable!!! You have an eye for design too!

Robin in Virginia said...

Vickie, your punch needle of Mabel is stunning. I love Michelle Palmer's artwork. Nope, haven't done any punch needle. Good for Brian and his punch needle finish! Enjoy your day!

MartinaM said...

Hi Vickie,
That sounds like a lot of fun, I have never worked with such a needle, and your Mabel has succeeded you well. Congratulations also to Brian, his smiley looks fantastic. Now you have a common hobby.
Hugs, Martina

Cathy said...

Punchneedle is really gaining popularity, isn't it? I remember doing this with a burlap pattern and yarn, but you had to have a large frame.
Your Mabel design is so cute! Great job!

Terri Patillo said...

That's just too cute!

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Oh she is just perfect! You inspire me to pull out my punch needle stuff. Thank you for the link, I love her patterns, too. So awesome that your Husband did the punch needle. Thank you for the kind words you said about the sweet little poodle you designed and I stitched up. I am having a lot of fun with your sweet poodle designs of the month....now you might need to come up with a punch needle design of the month, too. :)

Linda said...

Congrats on the fantastic finish Vickie. It looks great.

Linda

Andrea said...

A lovely design you have finished. The piece Brian finished is great too. Punchneedle … no not for me … I have enough crafty hobbies for now. :)

Lili said...

Lovely piece, Vickie! Love the finished punch too!

There are a special glue by Clover, it secure the back of the punchneedle. To be honest I don't use it. Since all of my punchneedle pieces are assembled with wool or woolfelt.

Take a look at the PunchNeedle and Primitive Stitcher Magazine, you can find some great projects, Michelle Palmer design some for the magazine too.

I also use a Morgan lap stand hoop.

That pink nose is so funny! Nice work, Brian!

butterfly said...

Vickie your punch needle work looks wonderful well done .

Enjoy your day .

marly said...

Very nice Vickie. I like the short tight loops. Have not tried it yet, may never, but do have everything I need. Thanks for the links too.

Barb said...

I am so impressed that Brian tried it! I have never done punch needle but I do love the way it looks. Maybe I do need to be brave and give it a try! Your poodle is so cute!

gracie said...

Yes, Micelle is very talented. I worked with her daughter. I also enjoy Needle Punch.... I will say the hoop makes all the difference though. Love the poodle and it looks great.

Vicki said...

Your poodle and Brian's happy face are terrific! I've never tried punch needle although I'm intrigued by it.

Carolien said...

Oh, Murphy looks sooo cute with his summer lok :)
I have never made anything punchneedly, sorry it's not my taste really ...

Have a great day, dear Vickie, and waves across the ocean!
Hugs, Carolien

Beth said...

Well done on your Mabel punch - your shadow box looks great.

RJ said...

Vickie you did such an awesome job with your punch needle. I made two rugs many, many, many years ago. I made a toy soldier for Mike's room as a baby and an airplane for George's study. They were pretty big but did go quicker than cross stitching. I have been seeing more and more designers coming out with punch needle designs and now I'm tempted too. There is one by LHN of a cow that is so adorable.

Now I love Michelle Palmer. Is there a place she sells the drawings on fabric? I would love to buy some. RJ

Ele said...

you really did a great job with punch needle Vickie, your Mabel is lovely!

diamondc said...

Hi Vickie: Kris’s say hi to Murphy sending hugs and kisses.
I have done punch needle but not for many years, it really is an easy craft with the proper fabric.
The design you made is adorable, Brians face is so sweet, even with the pink nose.

Catherine

Von said...

Wow! Just love your punch needle Mabel!

rosey175 said...

Ooo a punchneedle creation! It looks like fun and I have a little set (I hope it's complete; it was a thrift store find) but haven't braved it yet. Cute about the pink everywhere AND the crafty husband~ :D/

Astrids dragon said...

Awe, great job, she's precious! So great that Brian joined in, his face is sweet! I have the needles too, but have yet to make anything. I'll have to checkout her video.

Halland House Gifts said...

I'm loving the punch needling you and your husband are doing. I'd love to try it, but I have WAY too many items in line first--and none of them are little. Have a great one. Judy :-)

moreofhim said...

I love your poodle, of course! lol You did a great job and Brian's piece is wonderful, too. I love that he thinks of you and adds the pink. That is so sweet! I do have a needle punch kit but haven't tried it yet. It did it decades ago when I was in junior high but don't remember much about it. I do think it looks like fun so I'll have to get my kit out - you've inspired me.

Blessings - Julie

Carol said...

What a great job you did, Vickie!! I have always wanted to try punch needle--are there a lot of supplies involved? Do you just use regular DMC? I really don't want another hobby that involves a lot of supplies at my age :)

Brian's Smiley Face is too cute--especially with that pink nose :)

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

The punch needle Mabel is great! It's not a craft I had even heard of until last year when bloggers started doing it again. I have never seen a design to my taste but I liked the work you shared in that link. It looks more delicate and like needlepainting than the crude or primitive designs I have seen in other places.
I guess I'll stick to rock painting as a second hobby LOL