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Razzle and Dazzle threads add bling to your punchneedle embroidery

Razzle and Dazzle threads add bling to your punchneedle embroidery

by Christine Baker

Yesterday on QUILTsocial I showed you how to do bobbin work using Dazzle thread from WonderFil. I loved how the bobbin work turned out using the shimmery Dazzle thread AND how I could put my free-motion quilting skills to use to embroider a beautiful butterfly design on the crazy quilt base.

Today we’re going “sewing machine free” and I’m going to try out these threads for one of my favorite hand stitching techniques – punchneedle embroidery.

A selection of Razzle and Dazzle thread packs from WonderFil Specialty threads.

WonderFil threads

I’ve done A LOT of punchneedle embroidery but I almost exclusively use embroidery thread. I’ve designed many patterns, had lots of projects in different magazines and have written my own pattern book called“Fresh and Fun Punchneedle”. 

I’ve had quite a few punchneedle projects in A Needle Pulling Thread magazine too – a few of them are available as pattern downloads on their website:

Christine Baker Archives – ANPTmag

Polka Dot Dog punchneedle pattern.

Seven years ago, I added a series of videos to YouTube which explain how to prepare your fabric design, how to thread the punchneedle and how to do the basic punchneedle stitch. I’ll add links to each of these videos throughout today’s post.

Supplies

To do punchneedle embroidery you only need a few supplies. This makes it a great technique for summer stitching on a trip, at your cottage or on your back deck! Basically you need:

That’s it! No machine, no electricity!

Video 1 Punchneedle Supplies – YouTube

In this video Christine Baker – Fairfield Road Designs – reviews the supplies needed to do punchneedle embroidery. Visit Christine’s website at www.fairfield…

Transferring your design

Once you have your design chosen, you need to transfer it to your weaver’s cloth. The cloth is quite easy to see through, so I just put it over top of my design and trace it with a fine tip marker or mechanical pencil.

The punchneedle design is drawn on weaver's cloth then mounted in a hoop. Shown here with a Cameo punchneedle which will be threaded with Razzle thread from WonderFil.

Design drawn on weaver’s cloth

Video 2 Punchneedle Embroidery – Preparing the Fabric – YouTube

In this video, Christine Baker shows you how to prepare your weaver’s cloth to do punchneedle embroidery. See all of Christine’s patterns and punchneedle sup…

Threading the punchneedle

There’s virtually NO WAY to thread a punchneedle without using a threader! So make sure you have a spare, because if you lose or break it, you’ll be out of business! But luckily, using the threader is super easy – just check out my video:

Video 3 Punchneedle embroidery – Threading the needle – YouTube

Christine Baker of Fairfield Road Designs shows you how to thread a Cameo Ultra-Punch punchneedle

Here’s my punchneedle, all threaded and ready to stitch!

The Cameo punchneedle is threaded with Dazzle thread from WonderFil Specialty threads.

Punchneedle threaded with Dazzle thread

Helpful hint: Since we’re using the Dazzle thread on a spool, it helps to put the spool in a mug to keep it from rolling away while you’re stitching.

Since we are using the Dazzle thread on a spool, it helps to put the spool in a mug to keep it from rolling away during stitching.

The thread in a mug

Stitching

The puchneedle stitch is very simple and with a little practice, easy for almost anyone to master! Watch my little video to see how you go about stitching with the punchneedle.

Video 4 Punchneedle embroidery stitching – YouTube

In this video, Christine Baker demonstrates how to do the punchneedle embroidery stitch with the Cameo Ultrapunch punchneedle.

Here’s what the first stitches look like from the BACK of the punchneedle embroidery. Remember, you’re working from the back, so don’t get too discouraged if it doesn’t look all that great at first.

The first punchneedle stitches done with the Dazzle thread from WonderFil Specialty threads. Look at those sparkles! Even from the back of the fabric.

The first punchneedle stitches – look at those sparkles! Even from the back of the fabric.

Here’s the front, with just the outline of one flower finished. I LOVE how the Dazzle thread looks! That little glimmer of metallic thread is so different from what I typically use to do my punchneedle stitching. I can’t wait to see what the embroidery piece looks like when I’m all done!

The front of the punchneedle piece shows how the Dazzle thread from WonderFil gives the stitches some shimmer.

The front of the punchneedle piece

The back of the punchneedle piece shows how the lines of stitching are placed a needle’s width apart. On the front of the piece, the threads fluff out and take up more room, so you can’t tell that the lines aren’t right beside eachother.

The back of the punchneedle piece shows how the lines of stitching done with the Dazzle thread from WonderFil are placed a needle's width apart.

The back of the piece

Here’s my collection of Razzle and Dazzle threads!! My friend Jean Boyd made me this wonderful sewing bag a couple of years ago for our quilting group’s Christmas exchange. I just love how I can see all of the colors that I have through the clear pockets!

A beautiful collection of Razzle and Dazzle threads from WonderFil is kept organized in a handmade sewing bag.

My collection of Razzle and Dazzle threads

So, I’m going to sit out here on my back deck and keep on stitching. Another great thing about punchneedle is that it doesn’t take long to stitch a small piece, so tomorrow I’ll have the embroidery done and I’ll show you a couple of different ways that I incorporate my punchneedle pieces into quilted projects.

This is part 4 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 3: Razzle and Dazzle threads make bobbin work spectacular

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