The Homeday Blog

Punch Needle Animals with Mollie Makes Magazine

by Lesley Hill

Back in August, an editor at the U.K. magazine Mollie Makes emailed me to ask if I would be interested in designing and making a trio of punch needle animal stuffies for their December 2019 cover. I’ll admit I was intimidated- the deadline was tight considering my kids were still home with me for summer break, and I had more than a bit of performance anxiety (what if they’re just “meh” about the final product?). In the end I said yes, and I’m so thrilled with how this project turned out!

Making a quilt coat with the tamarack jacket pattern

by Lesley Hill

I love the look and feel of cozy and colourful quilts scattered around my house, but sometimes I just want to take my quilts out into the world. Since it’s not quite socially-acceptable to show up at work wrapped in a giant throw quilt, I did the next best thing- a quilted jacket!

Chatelaine Magazine Punch Needle Article

by Lesley Hill

This month I was featured in an article by Chatelaine Magazine on bringing punch needle into your home décor. The article touches on the current trend of punch needle, its history, and profiles a number of talented punch needle artists selling patterns, supplies, and finished work. Writer Iris Benaroia interviewed me for the article and included a great little write-up of me and my work. I love the quote she included of me describing punch needle as “the least frustrating craft I’ve ever tried”. Perfectly summed up!

Free Pattern: Punch Needle Grapefruit

by Lesley Hill

Today I’m sharing a free pattern with you: my punch needle grapefruit! This is one of the first things I made with my punch needle and is a great project for beginners.

When you’re done punching your grapefruit you could turn it into a stuffie like I did (‘cause who doesn’t need a plush grapefruit to snuggle with?) or fill in the background and turn it into a wall-hanging.

Punch Needle Tutorial: How to make a Plush Stuffie

by Lesley Hill

My friend Danielle (who also makes the sweetest art illustrations for kids), came to one of my punch needle workshops this spring. She had never needle punched before, but brought her own sketch and made this adorable little fox. After Danielle was finishing punching her fox on a stretcher bar frame, she asked me to help her turn her project into a little pillow. I though I’d share the process in a blog post, because people can’t get enough of these plush punch needle projects!

New in the Shop: Starter Punch Needle Kits

by Lesley Hill

Starter punch needle kits are now in the shop! I realize this probably should have been the first kit I offered, but hey- better late than never, right? I put this kit together because the right materials are so important to the success of your punch needle project (hello tension!), and gathering all these supplies often means buying from many different places.

Entryway Inspiration: Decorating with Quilts

by Lesley Hill

When we purchased our 130-year-old fixer-upper for a bargain five years ago, we went giddy with renovations. New kitchen, updated bathrooms, refinished floors, painted walls- almost every room got a fresh start. But then we ran out of steam (and, um, money). Five years later, our long and narrow front hall is still painted primer white, has no trim or mouldings, and is generally a dumping ground for stuff that doesn’t really belong anywhere else.

Toronto Star Article: Punch Needle Crafting

by Lesley Hill

For as long as I can remember my grandparents read the Toronto Star every day from cover-to-cover. So I was pretty thrilled to see my name in print in the Star's Life section this past weekend. Debra Norton wrote a great piece on the resurgence of punch needle and the social media origins of this craft trend.

New in the Shop: Punch Needle Bunny Pattern & Kit

by Lesley Hill

I’m excited to share that my punch needle bunny pattern and kit are now available in the shop! Perfect for beginners, this bunny is super-simple to make and gives you the opportunity to practice making flat stitches, loop stitches (for that sweet, fluffy-bunny face) and adding small details like the nose, cheeks and eyes. This bunny looks adorable in a nursery or kid’s room, and makes a thoughtful gift for a crafty new mom.

Punch Needle Tutorial: Using an Embroidery Hoop Frame to Make a Wall Hanging

by Lesley Hill

Choosing the right frame and preparing your foundation material is key when you’re planning your punch needle project. There are no knots with punch needle, so the tension of the yarn and cloth is what keeps your stitches from unravelling. A key part of achieving this tension is making sure your foundation material is stretched very tightly across a frame while you punch your project.

Punch Needle Frequently Asked Questions

by Lesley Hill

Punch needle embroidery is fast, easy-to-learn and completely addictive. But because it's a relatively new craft (or a least enjoying a resurgence thanks to social media), there isn't a lot of resources out there. To get you started, I've compiled a list of the punch needle questions I most commonly receive online and at my in-person workshops.

Learn to Punch Needle: My Favourite Resources for Beginners

by Lesley Hill

In case you couldn’t tell from my Instagram account, 2018 was the year that I fell in love with punch needle. It started with a spring class with Toronto textile queen Arounna Khounnoraj of Bookhou and quickly become an obsession as I found myself needle punching in my car during my lunch breaks at work (yup: proud, crafty introvert here).

+Welcome!