PUNCHWORK, MAT
c. 1930Unusual to see a round doyley/mat worked in punch work, Stem stitch diamond outline in the centre, and beyond this half flowers in blue and yellow on each side in punch work, and machine satin stitch leaves, all outlined in black stem stitch. A band of punch work around the edge.
Punch work is also known as punch needle embroidery, needle punching, needle punch work, punch needle work is a technique involving the punching and looping of a thread or ribbon in a particular design through the back of a ground cloth.
Punch needle embroidery, a member of the rug hooking family. With embroidery, the needle and floss penetrate the fabric in a variety of shapes and textures. With punch needle, the tool pierces the fabric on one side (straight stitches) and leaves a loop on the other.
Punch needle punches the loops down into the work, whereas rug hooking uses a different tool to pull the loops up through the work. To produce this work, a piece of loosely woven cloth, with a design drawn on the reverse, is placed in a tensioning frame of some kind (such as an embroidery hoop). With the help of a punch needle, a series of loops is made on the obverse side of the cloth, using the fingers to hold the loops initially in place. When the design is finished, the cloth is removed from the frame and turned over. The series of loops (the pile) gives the design a carpet-like appearance. Sometimes the loops are left whole, on other occasions they are cut.
Details
Details
Embroiderers' Guild of WA Textile Museum
Embroiderers' Guild of WA Textile Museum
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