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Punch Needle Rug Hooking Basics

March 14, 2019 5 Comments

Yarn pictured was provided by Shepherd’s Lamb.

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

One of the trendiest yarn crafts around these days appears to be punch needle, a rug making & embroidery method. Using a special punch needle tool, makers create loops of yarn through canvas stretched on a frame or hoop. One loop at a time, it’s easy to create embroidery-like wall hangings and fluffy cushion covers without a huge amount of skill. That’s right – the learning curve for beginning punch needle is shallow, so this is a low-risk way to try your hands at another yarn craft!

A couple quick notes:

  • For the purposes of this tutorial, we’re focusing on the rug making version of punch needle.
  • This post is designed for first time punch needlers to help get you started on your first project.
  • Keep your eyes peeled for the next post in our punch needle series: basic punch needle project finishing. 

Basic Punch Needle Project Setup

Supplies
scissors
iron (optional)
canvas (shown: monk’s cloth)
masking tape OR a sewing machine with thread in a color contrasting with your canvas
embroidery hoop

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Begin by cutting a piece of canvas to a size that suits your project. For the sake of demonstration, the canvas pictured is about an inch-and-a-half wider than the widest point of my embroidery hoop. Before prepping the canvas any further, I like to iron my punch needle canvas to ensure the fabric is laying nice and straight before prepping any further. This is optional.

Canvas prep option 1: Sew along the raw edge to prevent fraying

Using a long zig zag stitch*, sew all the way around your canvas, parallel to the raw edge. If any of the edges of your canvas include a selvage edge, you don’t need to sew along that edge because it won’t fray.

*And if you have a serger at home, you’re in luck! You can easily use that to prepare your canvas edges instead of the zig zag stitch on a regular sewing machine. 

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Canvas prep option 2: Just use masking tape 

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

You can simply cover the raw edges of your punch needle canvas with masking or washi tape to prevent your canvas from fraying. (Personally, I prefer the sewn method because it’s softer. The masking tape edge feels a little crunchy in on my hands as I work, so it’s a sensory type thing.) Either option does the job just fine!

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Stretch your canvas

As much as serious punch needle artists and hobbyists have special frames for working their rug hooking projects, an embroidery hoop does the job well, especially if you’re just looking to try the technique on for size to see if it’s for you.

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

The last step before actually punching loops to create your project is to gently stretch your canvas over a frame and then secure that stretch in place. If you’re using an embroidery hoop, it’s just like setting up to work a cross-stitch or embroidery project. You stretch the canvas across one hoop before securing it with a second, tightening hoop.

How to Punch Needle

Supplies
punch needle tool (shown: Oxford #10 punch needle)
wool yarn (shown: Shepherd’s Lamb Churro Yarn)
scissors
prepped punch needle project canvas (be it monk’s cloth, burlap, aida cloth, etc.)

Thread your punch needle tool

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.
An Oxford Punch Needle tool, size #10.

Punch needle tools work almost like a sewing machine needle. There’s a hole near the pointy end. To thread it, you insert the tail end of a ball of yarn through the eye of the needle. In punch needle, the eye of that needle is at the end of a hollow channel that runs the length of the tool.

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Once threaded, ease the ball end of your yarn into the channel of your punch needle, as shown below. As you work your punch needle project, the yarn will run from the ball, through the punch needle tool, and into your project canvas, one loop at a time.

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

How to punch a loop with your punch needle tool

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.
I love a good gif.

Hold your punch needle as you would a writing utensil. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the tail end of your yarn to keep your tool threaded as you create the first loop. Insert the pointy end of the needle into your project canvas (which should already be prepped and framed, per the instructions above). Insert the tool until the tool’s handle hits your canvas, then draw it straight back up through the canvas. A loop will now be formed at the back of your work.

Being careful to avoid pulling your yarn from the tool, insert your punch needle tool into your canvas again, slightly away from your initial loop. When the tool handle hits the canvas, draw it back up, and voila! You’ve created a second loop that should be approximately the same size as the first.

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.
Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Which one is the right side?

Whichever one you want it to be, my friend! Some folks prefer the running stitch look of the working side of a punch needle project (the non-loop side). And some prefer the loops. You can also experiment with combining the two. For your first punch needle project, I recommend putting together a little sampler like the one pictured for this tutorial. That will allow you to play with your technique on something small, experimenting also with textures, shapes and what more vs. less dense loops look like. Just remember to pair the right yarn with the right tool and canvas, and you’ll be on your way to having fun with this rug making method!

Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for the next post in our punch needle series: basic punch needle project finishing!  

Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.
One side of my sampler for this tutorial. Less dense stitching is on the left, and very densely packed loops are on the right.
Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.
The other side of my sampler. Dense stitching is on the left, and less dense loops are on the right.
Also known as punch hooking, punch needle is an easy-to-learn technique for making your own rugs, tapestries and more! Get to know the basics with this quickstart tutorial.

Yarn pictured was provided by Shepherd’s Lamb.

Filed Under: Punch Needle, Yarn Crafts Tagged With: punch hooking, punch needle, punch rug, rug hooking, rug making

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Sindy Smith

    January 25, 2020 at 5:48 am

    Hi Heidi can you please explain to me how do I punch needle a large rug. I’m from South Africa and can’t find anything in our country regarding punch needle. I want to make a large punch needle rug for my dining room.
    Have a nice weekend.
    Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
    Take care.
    Sindy

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 28, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      I’ve never made a large punch needle rug. For something larger in scale like this, I would recommend looking at one of the many new books available on punch needle. With the trend as popular as it’s become, I’ve seen at least a half dozen books ranging from small projects for beginners to somewhat larger scale tapestries. I’d start with an online search for “punch needle books 2019” as that’s the publication year for many of these titles. Best of luck! -Heidi

      Reply
    • sheila

      July 10, 2020 at 1:17 pm

      I was looking at this because I used to make large hooked rug wall hangings I began with masking tape around the edges to give me something to hold onto when starting -hopefully that will help you.

      Reply
    • Michele

      April 30, 2023 at 10:04 pm

      Sindy, you can make your own frame with wood and screws from Lowes or Home Depot type stores. Also purchase carpet tack strip and secure that to the wood frame after you make it. That’s what I did and I can make 25″x25″ rugs. Go for it

      Reply
  2. Leela

    April 23, 2022 at 7:04 am

    Hello Heidi, your tutorial was a great help. I was confused at how to hold the punch needle . Your explanation was very clear.
    Thank you.

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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