How to choose a punch needle

Punch needle embroidery allows you to create home decor and wall art using fine threads, bulky knitting yarn, ribbons, and even fabric strips. In each case, you need the right punch needle for the job. It can be a DIY tool or a manufactured one, each with its own specific features.

What you need to know about needles

A punch needle is a hollow, pointed tube with a handle through which the working thread is threaded. If you want to buy a needle for embroidering pillows, pictures, or bags—that is, for working with fine to medium-weight threads—it is best to order a tool with interchangeable needles.

As seen in the photo, the length to which the metal shaft extends is adjustable. This affects the size of the stitch (loop).

Different threads require thinner or thicker needles, which are easily swapped in a manufactured tool. In this case, the thread is inserted in the traditional way: it is pulled through the tip of the needle and the handle using a needle threader, then brought out the other side.

If you want to make rugs using ribbon yarn or DIY jersey strips, you will need a heavy-duty punch needle with a thick tip.

It is very simple and convenient to use: the thread is passed through the hole in the needle and then through the slit in the handle, requiring no additional tools or accessories.

DIY punch needle

Such a tool can be made from a knitting needle. It should be hollow, size 2.5–5 mm, depending on the thickness of the thread being used. The needle is cut at the base and at the tip (at an angle), sanded down, drilled with a hole, and fitted with a handle made from household materials.

Such a needle embroiders just as well as a store-bought one and allows you to create loop stitches and satin stitch embroidery.

Safety note: if you make or modify a punch needle yourself, protect your hands and eyes when cutting, drilling, or sharpening metal parts.