2021 International Punch

Needle Rug Hooking Day

Pattern Materials Needed:
-Paper Pattern (included in this

International Punch Needle Rug Hooking document)

Day is a wonderful way to celebrate this -Punch Needle (ex. #10 Oxford
much-loved craft and to participate in
Regular Needle)
the rich world of the fiber arts. The
2021 theme for the day is HOPE, -Rug hooking monk’s cloth, 12
represented by the ever-resilient crocus count (not sold in box stores)
blooming in the snow. Please enjoy this
complimentary pattern. -Bulky weight rug yarn or doubled
–Rebecca Martin up worsted weight.
Second Story Headline
StoryTeller Wool Artist and Educator
Certified Oxford Punch Needle Instructor -Small scissors
-Tape
 Threading your Needle
Hold the punch needle in your non-
dominate hand with the channel facing
you.

Thread your yarn through the eye of the

needle and notch the yarn into the channel
near the bottom end of the needle.

Pull on the side of the yarn that is through

the eye of the needle, and the yarn will pop
into the channel.

Make sure the yarn is moving freely in the

channel of the needle. Then pull the yarn
back so that you leave about 1/4 inch of
yarn sticking out of the eye of the needle.

See our YouTube channel for video

instruction of this step and more with our
5-minute mini class.

GETTING STARTED

Print the design and tape it to a window. Tape rug hooking

monk’s cloth over the design and trace with a permanent
marker.

Stretch your pattern on a gripper frame or use a hoop, like

a Morgan Hoop, which aids in getting the monk’s cloth nice
and tight.

Find an area on the cloth to practice. Do not worry, the

monk’s cloth can handle it. Practice anywhere and then
pull it out when you are ready to start your design.

Hold the needle like a pen – then move it into a more

vertical position.

Punch all the way down into the monk’s cloth. The wooden
handle will stop you when it hits the monk’s cloth.

Pull up just past the top of the monk’s cloth. If you pull
too high your stitch will come out.

Keep your needle hovering/grazing the monk’s cloth.

Punch every 2 HOLES for border/detail stitches (6 per

inch), every 3 HOLES for fill stitches (4 per inch).
Make sure the channel of the needle is facing in the
direction you are punching.

How did that go? Flip the frame/hoop over and look at your stitches. Are any of the
stitches tiny? You might not have punched down all the way down or the yarn might have
gotten stuck under your arm or the frame. Make sure to keep the yarn where you can see it!
Common Questions Let us get started on the design!

I do not understand When working on a punch needle project the

how the stitches stay recommended order goes like this:
in place.
1. Border of the piece (6 stitches per inch)
2. Outlines of main details (6 stitches per
Tension! Tension and the inch)
fact that all your tails will 3. Main details (4 stitches per inch)
4. Background (4 stitches per inch)
be trimmed and pushed
through to the front. No Start on the inner row of the border, in the center of
the design. It is tempting to want to start in a
glue needed – glue eats
corner, but that will give you a tail in the corner and
yarn, do not be tempted. not a full loop. Do not try to punch on the drawn
line, you cannot see the monk’s cloth holes very
Help – I keep counting well, go one line inside the drawn line.
holes. Isn’t this
supposed to be Punch every other hole. You can use your stitch
relaxing and easy? gauge to check your stitches, there should be 6-ish
appearing in the cut-out square.
Do not worry, you will
You made it around the border with punching every
gain muscle memory for
other hole. Great job!
the stitches before you
know it. 6 stitches per
Now it is time to move to the next row. The row
next to your punched row will be compressed and
inch for border/details harder to see. That is a sign that you should not
and 4 stitches for filling in punch in that row, move one more row out and start
your next border row. You have not cut your yarn,
and backgrounds. you are just moving the needle over and continuing.
Try to offset your stitches. If you punch directly
My “right side” looks above your other stitches they will stack up like
so messy! Is this funny looking teeth. Staggered stitches look best.
normal?
Turning corners – When you turn corners or change
This is normal. At the directions make sure you turn your needle when it is
end of the project, you down in the monk’s cloth. When you reach a corner
and it does not work to only skip one hole, skip two
will be nudging those if necessary, to make the turn.
loops where you want
them to go and steaming
the piece does wonders
for it.

Switching Colors: Pull your needle up, as it clears the monk’s cloth place your
finger on the yarn to hold it in place as you draw the needle higher, this exposes
the yarn where you can snip it with scissors. Leave about ¼ inch tail. Take your
closed scissors and poke that tail back through the hole it is occupying. You will
trim all the tails at the end. See our YouTube channel for a video on this process.
 3 Things to Remember
Now it is time to start work on the design
Punch all the way down to Outline each petal and leaf using 6 stitches per inch.
the monk’s cloth.
Nex You are creating a fence when you do this. This keeps
the background color from coming into your design.
Face the channel of the
needle in the direction you Next, start filling in the areas you outlined. Remember
are going. – 4 stitches per inch for filling in areas and
backgrounds. Avoid stitching in rows, follow the
contours of the petals and leaves.
Turn the needle when it is
down in the monk’s cloth. Less is more – just because you see a tiny area left, do
not pack it with lots of stitches. Maintain your 4
Make sure the monk’s cloth is stitches per inch for filling in areas. If you put in too
nice and tight on your gripper many stitches it overwhelms the grid of the monk’s
frame or hoop. The best cloth and the work can dome upwards.
hoops are the ones with a
channel and groove, like the Do not jump over punched areas to a new area. Stop,
trim, poke ends through, start again in a new area. All
ones made by Morgan.
those tails blend right in, do not worry.

FINISHING YOUR PIECE

This is an often overlooked, but very important step. Make sure all your tails are poked
through to the front of your work. Flip your work over and tug slightly on the ends and
trim them flush to the piece.

Next is your clean up phase, push and nudge your yarn loops where you want them to
go. Go along your curves and push the background yarn away from the detail lines to
help make them look crisper.

Take the work off the frame/hoop. Your piece should roll up like a taco when it is off
the frame. This is a great sign that you used enough yarn.
1. Lay your work face up on an ironing board.
2. Place a very wet dish towel over it.
3. Press with a hot iron for 10 seconds at a time.
4. Be careful handling your piece - ouch – yarn can get hot!

After you steam your work, it is time for a final clean up. You might have discovered a
few tails that need to be trimmed or some other areas that can be nudged into better
alignment.

Next step is your final pressing with the iron -

5. Lay work upside down and trim off the excess
monk’s cloth, leaving 2 inches.
6. Cut across each corner about an inch from the piece,
Press the monk’s cloth back onto the piece
7. Press sides back onto the piece
(you are creating a mitered corner)
8. Steam and press.
9. Stitch the folded monk’s cloth down.
[Link] your work!

Final Step: We would LOVE to see a photo of your work. Please feel free to post it on
social media and use the International Punch Needle Rug Hooking Day hashtag
#IPNRHD

Questions? We are here to help. Please email questions to