I’ve done one of the michaels punch needle embroidery kits and it feels like the opposite of this experience. It used the exact same fabric but since it’s embroidery floss and a smaller punch needle, it was okay. It also had more than enough yarn. The hoop was also too small. I’m a beginner so I can’t speak to the quality of the punch needle itself though. Thanks for the thorough review!
Oooh thanks for sharing! Punch needle embroidery is overall more forgiving and more accessible than punch needle rug hooking, since you can use a wider variety of fabrics and thread/floss :) I definitely think the fabric included in the Michaels kit is better suited for a thinner punch needle + thread/floss-it's wild to me that the fabric is the same for both types of kits LOL
I recently started punch needle and as most people do i got a small kit from Amazon. It is Christmas themed coasters and it had the same needle as the one you have there (blue) and the monks cloth really frayed a lot! As far as i can tell, the darming needle is to sew around the image to finish it before cutting it to size (again, coasters). What you say about quality is so true. The needle i got with the kit sunk in about half way through the first coaster and wouldn't go in again without coming loose as i punched. Also, my project did not look neat or even clear like the pictures did. And my edges were not defined so it all ran together. Absolutely going to save my money this new year to buy quality tools and products because i want to make good projects and now that I'm following you, i want to learn a lot and make lots of really cool stuff! Thank you for this review!❤
Thank you for sharing! It makes sense to include the darning needle for sewing coasters-perhaps they included the same tools with every kit, regardless if they were necessary or not.
So true. I just bought the Creatology llama punch needle kit for 8+ at Michaels today. So annoying. The directions bite. I really don't understand why they put such cheap materials together. Thank you for your demonstration and explanation. I want to get started though so I am not going to give up.
I would love to try punching needles. Is there a quality kit you would recommend for beginners? I am a crocheter, and I know that the quality of the tools can really impact one's experience. I don't want to spend a ton of money on just trying it out. Thanks very much.
Personally, I will always vouch for a punch needle kit from The Oxford Company or an Oxford Certified Punch Needle Instructor near you! You'll get some quality tools and materials to get you started with punch needle, curated for you by an actual puncher (and not some big corporation) :)
Hi new subscriber here! 👋 I think the fabric in the first kit is aida or whatever it's called that cross stitchers use. Whether that would have any bearing in the difficulty piercing it I have no clue, because I didn't know what this craft was an hour ago. Since you don't want to send people to buy mass produced garbage could you link to a couple of good quality kits from reputable companies?
I think you’re right-it never occurred to me that the fabric in the Michaels kit could be Aida cloth! 🤯 We steer new punchers away from Aida because the weave is too tight for smooth punching (which now also connects the dots of why it felt so firm compared to the monk’s cloth I use). Thank you for your insights!! :) I mentioned this in another comment, but I will always vouch for punch needle kits from The Oxford Company or an Oxford Certified Punch Needle Instructor near you! These kits have quality tools and materials, curated for you by actual punchers ^-^
I’ve done one of the michaels punch needle embroidery kits and it feels like the opposite of this experience. It used the exact same fabric but since it’s embroidery floss and a smaller punch needle, it was okay. It also had more than enough yarn. The hoop was also too small. I’m a beginner so I can’t speak to the quality of the punch needle itself though. Thanks for the thorough review!
Oooh thanks for sharing!
Punch needle embroidery is overall more forgiving and more accessible than punch needle rug hooking, since you can use a wider variety of fabrics and thread/floss :)
I definitely think the fabric included in the Michaels kit is better suited for a thinner punch needle + thread/floss-it's wild to me that the fabric is the same for both types of kits LOL
I recently started punch needle and as most people do i got a small kit from Amazon. It is Christmas themed coasters and it had the same needle as the one you have there (blue) and the monks cloth really frayed a lot! As far as i can tell, the darming needle is to sew around the image to finish it before cutting it to size (again, coasters). What you say about quality is so true. The needle i got with the kit sunk in about half way through the first coaster and wouldn't go in again without coming loose as i punched. Also, my project did not look neat or even clear like the pictures did. And my edges were not defined so it all ran together. Absolutely going to save my money this new year to buy quality tools and products because i want to make good projects and now that I'm following you, i want to learn a lot and make lots of really cool stuff! Thank you for this review!❤
Thank you for sharing! It makes sense to include the darning needle for sewing coasters-perhaps they included the same tools with every kit, regardless if they were necessary or not.
So true. I just bought the Creatology llama punch needle kit for 8+ at Michaels today. So annoying. The directions bite. I really don't understand why they put such cheap materials together. Thank you for your demonstration and explanation. I want to get started though so I am not going to give up.
The cheap materials sadly make for a pretty miserable experience 🥲 definitely retry with some better materials-I think you’ll have a much better time!
I would love to try punching needles. Is there a quality kit you would recommend for beginners? I am a crocheter, and I know that the quality of the tools can really impact one's experience. I don't want to spend a ton of money on just trying it out. Thanks very much.
Personally, I will always vouch for a punch needle kit from The Oxford Company or an Oxford Certified Punch Needle Instructor near you!
You'll get some quality tools and materials to get you started with punch needle, curated for you by an actual puncher (and not some big corporation) :)
I love trying new crafts and often start with a kit but I have found it’s a bit of a lucky dip as to wether you get a good one or not.
so true!
Hi new subscriber here! 👋 I think the fabric in the first kit is aida or whatever it's called that cross stitchers use. Whether that would have any bearing in the difficulty piercing it I have no clue, because I didn't know what this craft was an hour ago.
Since you don't want to send people to buy mass produced garbage could you link to a couple of good quality kits from reputable companies?
I think you’re right-it never occurred to me that the fabric in the Michaels kit could be Aida cloth! 🤯 We steer new punchers away from Aida because the weave is too tight for smooth punching (which now also connects the dots of why it felt so firm compared to the monk’s cloth I use). Thank you for your insights!! :)
I mentioned this in another comment, but I will always vouch for punch needle kits from The Oxford Company or an Oxford Certified Punch Needle Instructor near you! These kits have quality tools and materials, curated for you by actual punchers ^-^
agreed. the fabric is exactly what's used in cross stitching. good to know for someone interested in punch needling that aida fabric is not advised