Punchy

From the comments:
OMG, it's you! I've been wondering who in the heck is doing punchneedle.

Chelle, I hate to disappoint you, but it's not me. You are looking at the sum total of my punchneedle experience. I know I've seen some punchneedle on the blogs. Kali's done some. I know I've seen it on someone else's blog, but it's eluding me right now. But a google search of "punchneedle blog" turned up 28,700 hits. Unfortunately, one of them was mine... Nevertheless, there's someone out there doing it. (It only took me three days to find this little bit of punchneedle that I had done. So how much longer do you think it will take to find the needle?)

Punch Something

I told you recently that I had purchased a couple of punchneedle books to refresh my skills and figure out how to finish this type of project. I was reading my new books this past weekend (where did the time go?), and thought, oooh I should punch something.

I went upstairs to look for my punchneedle patterns. One. I found one--the one I bought last March at camp, but I can't find the punchneedle I also bought on that trip. I kept looking. And now I realize I can't find at least five patterns. I do have three, though. All I'd like to do is start one. So could you come over and dig through the "craft" room and find the punchneedle and the missing patterns? (Yes, it's clear something needs to be done--and soon, the contractor is coming to hang the ceiling fan!--but I get so disheartened looking at the mess. Where's Clean Sweep when you need them?)

On to the book review.

New Punchneedle Embroidery: Basics and Finishing Techniques (Charlotte Dudney) I was sold by the last two words of that title. I've always wondered wtf to do with finished punchneedle pieces, okay the one I have done--didn't stop me from buying new patterns, nevertheless. This book delivers. The book includes a short history of the technique, almost twenty pages on the basics--from the supplies to troubleshooting, and 18 patterns. They include a variety of animals, a seasonal series, a really cute bowl of flowers, and a tulip pattern that would be adorable as a rug for a doll house. The finishing section is great. It shows how to make an eyeglass case (a small bag really), a fabric frame, mounting for a preset opening (like a box), mounting on foam core board, finishing with cording (where was this when I needed it?!), a whipstitched edge (looks like a little rug), archival framing, and applique. None of the techniques use glue, which I always worry about with my work (except the perforated paper ornaments, I'll glue those). Nearly all techniques would also work for finishing cross-stitch. Love the book!

Punchneedle Creations (Pamela Gurney) Amazon suckered me with this one; it was a coupled with the other. I figured for a few dollars more, but I'm not head over heels with these designs. The best thing about this book is that it shows you the many, many fibers you can use to punch including, but not limited to, silk ribbon and yarn. Who'd have thought it? There are 14 pages on the technique, and if you've ever done this you know that is a thorough examination of the process! The book includes a secion on sculpting, shaping, fluffing (no, not that kind), and getting the shaggy look. Twenty one patterns are included: some are pretty, but there is also a pattern for a dog where the fibers have been combed so it looks like fur. It totally freaks me out--and I like dogs!

Both books contain sections on troubleshooting, but the Dudney book has it set up as a Q&A, which is a little easier to navigate. Gurney's reads more like the thought process she must go through when she is trying to fix someone else's mistake. Maybe that would work for you.

Card Sharks

I didn't get a whole lot ironed last night. Because I went to a stamping class, the Sunbeam and I just had a quickie. We'll have a more lasting session tonight.

Of course you want to see the cards we made. This was a "techniques" class so we learned/reviewed techniques that take a bit longer than can be done in the stamp-a-stack classes. We played with watercolor crayons (center), a sanding block (left), and watched chalk get it on with Versamark (right). The unholy results are displayed below. You might not be able to tell what difference the sanding block made. At first I thought it was a lot of work for not much payoff. But once we stamped on it, the linen-look of the cardstock came out. It may be my favorite!

Speaking of stamping and unholy alliances, I recently read--don't ask me where--about a way to wed stamping and embroidery, specifically punchneedle. Using a simple stamp, stamp onto the weavers cloth, and voila!, you're ready to punch. I've been thinking about trying it out. I have this pumpkin stamp...