How to Make a Love is Love Pride Punch Needle Hoop

Using the inner ring of the 9” embroidery hoop, draw and cut a circular piece of the red felt fabric and leave to the side for later. Cut approx. 32x32cm square of the needlecraft fabric. (Optional) add masking tape on edges of the fabric to avoid fraying as you work.

Again, using the same inner ring, draw a circle in the centre of the needlecraft fabric.

Next, trace the heart and rainbow stripes from the template provided using the clover iron-on transfer pencil and tracing paper. Pin the tracing paper with the drawing facing down and aligned onto the circle drawing on the fabric. Press with an iron (no steam setting) to transfer the drawing.

Using the large eye yarn needle and any of the yarns, trace the transferred heart drawing with a running stitch. This will reveal the heart on the front side of the fabric to map out where the words 'LOVE IS LOVE' is going to be.

Using a separate tracing paper, trace the heart and 'LOVE IS LOVE' from the same template in pencil first. Turn the tracing paper to the reverse side and go over 'LOVE IS LOVE' with the clover iron-on transfer pencil. Align the pencil heart drawing on top of the running stitch heart on the fabric (with the red clover pencil tracing facing down). Pin down and transfer the letters by ironing.

Stretch the piece of fabric tightly and evenly onto the embroidery hoop. Use the transferred drawing to guide where to place the hoop.

Separate each of the yarn balls into two balls so that you have two ends to work with of each colour (or purchase two balls of each colour to save time). Thread the punch needle using two ends of the red and set it to size 'B' using the instructions provided. Start embroidering the rainbow stripes. To ensure there are no tails as you embroider, at the start of each rainbow stripe of the 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.

Once you have finished punching a stripe 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 rainbow stripes have been embroidered.

Next, remove the embroidery hoop, turn your fabric to the pile side, and re-attach the hoop. This will be the front of your design. Trim any loops or yarn ends that are too long. Using the large eye yarn needle and red yarn, embroider 'LOVE IS LOVE' using a back stitch. Ensure stitches are the same length throughout for a neat finish.

From the assorted mini pom poms pack, pick out a selection of the red, yellow, green, blue, and purple colours. Glue them evenly around the inner edge of the hollow heart using the fabric glue.

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 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.