How to Make a Girl Power Punch Needle Hoop

Using the inner ring of the 9” embroidery hoop, draw and cut a circular piece of the pink felt fabric and leave to the side for later. Cut approx. 32x32cm square of the hessian cream fat quarter fabric. Stretch the piece of fabric tightly and evenly onto the embroidery hoop.

Stick the heart template drawing onto the back of the fabric using masking tape. Trace the drawing using the erasable fabric marker. If the drawing is not visible enough through the fabric, draw it against a light source e.g., a window.

Start embroidering the letters first using the red yarn. To ensure there are no tails as you embroider, for each letter (or new colour/section of your design), gently pull the yarn tail through the needle and onto the back of the fabric. Ensure your flat stitches are punched evenly and tightly as this will be the front of your design.

Once you have finished punching a section, hold onto the yarn, cut and pull it gently through the punch needle onto the back side of the fabric. Continue this process until all letters have been embroidered.

Next, using the pink yarn, continue the punching process to fill up the heart.

Once you have finished punching the heart, stick the leopard print template on the right side of the fabric. Trace the pattern randomly and evenly around the heart on the back side of the fabric.

Cut all yarn tails on the back of your embroidery. Now you are going to punch flat stitches for the leopard print on the back side of the fabric, creating loops on the right side of the fabric. The flat stiches do not need to be neat as these will not be visible.

Trim down all the leopard print loops. This will make the print come to life around the heart by creating a 3D background effect. You can add more leopard spots in sections at this stage if it looks incomplete.

Now you are going to prepare the back of the hoop for the felt fabric. Trim down the extra fabric around the embroidery hoop. Create a running stitch with any of the yarns using a large eye sewing needle along the edge of the fabric. Once your last stitch meets the first, hold both ends and pull. This will gather the material towards the centre back of the hoop and out of the way. Knot together once gathered.

Lastly, glue your pre-cut felt circle onto the back of your work.