"painting" with thread ...

Well, I am certainly hooked on my latest hobby - punch needle!!!

Learning as I go, and having so much fun …

I mentioned in a previous post that the hardest part was finding a shop that carried the needle punch.

I found a few shops in the U.S.A. but they either didn't ship to Canada or the price of shipping was almost as much as the punch needle.

Determination paid off :-D and I found a shop where I ordered the needle punch and weavers cloth.

Unfortunately, while the punch needle was available but the weavers cloth was not, so I am still (eagerly) waiting on that to arrive (and I can begin some bigger projects).

Wanting to start right away, I looked through my sewing/fabric  basket and found some fabric I thought would work … I already had some DMC floss from older sampler projects, and started with a simple heart shape & created a little brown sparrow making up the design as I punched. 

A visit to a few fabric shops for more  DMC floss, felt for backing my projects, gripper hoops in a couple of sizes and a frame (the fabric has to be drum tight) and I was ready to start more projects! 

A heart shaped trivet was next - once again, I just created a heart shape and drew a bird sitting on a nest with eggs and branches and leaves in pencil directly on the fabric. 

a sweet little squirrel ornament was next making up the pattern as I went …

my first project using up the (very)  random odds and ends of DMC floss that I had on hand :-D

lamb with a house pattern was next...

I hadn't planned on using it as a covering for a chip board box I had, but it happened to fit perfectly.

I will paint the sides of the box, add some pretty trim  and tuck a little ornament inside as an Easter gift.

I want to recreate this idea again, but next time have just the lamb as I felt the house and green grass took away from the sweet lamb design … 

close up of all the tiny stitches

going to a baby shower in a few weeks &

I'm giving mum to be a play pen, but I always like to add a little handmade treasure

so I made this little bunny & moon hanger for babies room (it's a boy) 

*love you to the moon and back*

lambs will be finished this afternoon and I think I'll add it to the front of a wicker basket I have.

I'm thinking the basket will look nice holding napkins for our Easter table...

And then … well, I have lots of ideas floating around … I am pretty sure everyone is getting a punch needle "something" next Christmas :-D