GET A FEEL FOR IT

Before you launch into a complicated project, practise your punching techniques on smaller pieces that make for a strong display en masse!

With monk’s cloth taut in a hoop, make long tufts, tassels or loops by holding the yarn loop while you pull out the needle. For a sleek low pile (like the beige and yellow punching on the far right hoop), punch from the right side of the cloth instead of the wrong side. Try creating tufting by trimming loops once your piece is completed. If hanging your practice pieces, trim excess cloth, then use hot glue to attach it to back of hoop. Neaten with a circle of felt, also glued in place.

Practice makes perfect! Achieve a variety of punched looks with just a few easy techniques

BETTER TIP The best advice for using a punch needle is to hold it in the same way as you would a pencil.