Zelda, Mario, DK punchneedle

[Deraj828]

So I just discovered punchneedle embroidery, which has shown up a couple other times on this forum. Would that there were more resources available for it, but I got a couple things done. It's good times!

First was this crest. Forgive the colors, I just used whatever I had lying around.


Then I tried a scene from donkey Kong Country Returns, one of the sunset levels so I didn't have to worry about shading his fur and doing the face and everything. And frankly, I think the sunset levels look awesome anyway!

Incidentally, if anybody's got tips for using thread to make a sunset that isn't so reminiscent of an egg, I'm open to suggestions.
And yes, the black is screwy. I didn't realize my needle was breaking at the time.

Some super glue on the needle enabled me to work on this scene from Mario 3. Once I figure out somewhere to get blue #8 perle cotton or some 3-strand floss, or just give in and sell my soul to the 6-strand DMC some more, I'll put a background in there.


I only saw two other people who'd posted punchneedle work on this forum, but does anybody know anything about this stuff? All the info I can find online is for very beginning tips and instructions. Obviously I am a beginner, but there doesn't seem to be anybody who can answer questions, nor anybody who sells the stuff or knows anything about it.

[rogueprincess20]

Those are awesome. I tried punch needle once and I think with the right tools it would be more enjoyable. I always ended up pulling my work out if I wasnt careful and gave uo easily.

If you have any questions I can ask my mom if she knows, she used to do punch needle a lot and used regular fabric like cotton.

[peas_and_love]

I don't know anything about it I'm afraid but it looks good. How's it done?

[Deraj828]

Sorry for the late reply, I've been pretty absent minded lately. It's done about like http://youtu.be/bEF30bhHfSc
Basically there's a big hollow needle you hold like a pencil, with the thread coming through the whole needle, and you just punch through the fabric, pull back, punch through again, and keep on keepin' on. I love it since you don't have to pull the thread all the way through on every stitch, so you can work with super long threads and minimize time spent threading the needle. Not that separating out all eight meters of floss is great fun...

I'm toying with the idea of using a tighter mesh, maybe aida, and trying a one punch=one pixel setup, as opposed to the usual "draw a picture and just kinda go at it" strategy one finds for punchneedle stuff. I imagine it could be made to work, which would make sprites much easier to do, but frankly I have no idea what I'm doing! But I've got nothing but time, so you may be seeing more of this.

[msstitcher]

Ahh, Just found this - I have never seen punchneedle embroidery before - this is so so brilliant. I now have to go and google how to do this.

[arkani]

those look great! out of curiosity, how much thread does is seem to use, as opposed to cross stitch?

I must try this!

[lcockitt]

It uses up a bit more thread than cross stitch - for example, the Arcanine on the bag used up pretty much a whole skein of black Anchor thread, and similar amounts of the orange and cream! Like cross stitch, you can use 1 strand, or 2, or more, so that's a factor as well. I think there are some tools where you can change how large the loops in the fabric are as well, which will have an affect on how much thread is used.

[Shazbang]

Wow! I just watched that video and it loos really interesting! I'd never heard of it before!
I doubt there will be much available in Australia for it but I'll keep an eye out! I'm always up for trying new things!

[Ishtar]

I doubt there will be much available in Australia for it but I'll keep an eye out! I'm always up for trying new things!

Spotlight carries for pretty sure. Lindcraft I am not sure.

If you go to ANY of the craft shows I promise you will find one somewhere there. There are places locally online that will sell as well.

Let me know if you can't find I may be able to help