Must-Have Punch Needle Supplies + Free Checklist (Good Quality Only!)
When you’re first starting out, knowing what punch needle supplies you need is crazy overwhelming.
There are all kinds of different punch needles, foundation fabrics, yarns, and fibers. In the beginning, it’s best to keep it simple.
When I first started out, I ended up buying the wrong punch needles for the wrong foundation fabrics. Plus, I didn’t have a clue about which size or type of yarn I’d need.
For such a relaxing craft, it can be super stressful to get started!!
It took me a bit of trial and error to get things figured out, but once I found the right supplies I fell in love with punch needle! (And I’m confident you will, too!)
I don’t want you to have to go through all that mess, so I made you this list of the best punch needle supplies. Only high quality, frustration free supplies made the list!
But wait, there’s more! (Sorry, I just had to say that)
You can also get a free printable punch needle supply checklist so you can check off each thing as you get it. Don’t you just love a good list?!
You’ll find the sign up form to get yours at the bottom of this post!
Join the Modern Punch Needle with Yarn Facebook Group!
If you’re new to punch needle or if you’ve been punching for a while, connecting with other modern punch needle lovers is always a great idea!
Come check out our Facebook group, Modern Punch Needle with Yarn. It’s a friendly community where you can ask questions, get inspiration, and share your awesome work with other punch needle lovers! Come join the conversation today!
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Must-Have, High-Quality Punch Needle Supplies
Punch Needles
One of the most important punch needle supplies you need is, well, a punch needle!
If you’re new to the craft, you need to know that there are two different types of punch needle. Large rug punch needles and embroidery punch needles.
I’ll start with the large ones and then move on to the embroidery ones. Let’s go!
Large Punch Needles
Oxford Regular & Fine Punch Needles
The Oxford punch needles are some of the most popular you’ll find.
They’re made of good quality wood and stainless steel, plus they have a handy slot in the side for your yarn. No threading required!
The Oxfords come in two types, regular and fine.
The Oxford regular is for bulky yarn or two or more strands of worsted/aran weight yarn. It comes in three sizes, #8, #9, and #10. The higher the number, the shorter the stitch height.
The Oxford fine is for one strand of worsted weight/aran yarn or a few strands of finer weight yarn. It comes in five sizes, #8, #9, #10, #13, and #14.
Both types work best with Monk’s cloth or another similar type of fabric. Check out this post for more info about which fabric works with which punch needle!
Plastic Adjustable Punch Needle
This plastic adjustable punch needle isn’t near the quality of the Oxfords, but it works pretty well.
It’s made of plastic and has four adjustable loop height settings.
The punch needle works best with worsted weight or bulky yarn. It doesn’t handle quite as bulky of yarn as the Oxford regular, but it’s close.
I like to use this punch needle to make extra long loops. You can take it apart and just punch with the inner part to make the loops super long!
Wood Handled Adjustable Punch Needle
This wooden adjustable punch needle used to be one I recommended (it was my first punch needle, after all) but unfortunately it has gone down in quality.
However, there’s a newer version by a different brand (Lavor) that’s a very similar concept and apparently better quality.
You can see the newer Lavor adjustable punch needle here.
Embroidery Punch Needles
The Ultra Punch 3 Needle Set
The Ultra Punch is awesome and very popular.
It comes with three needle sizes (small, medium, and large) and has 12 stitch heights.
It’s shaped like a large pen or marker, so it’s really easy to hold and won’t make your hand cramp.
The Ultra Punch is a favorite among punch needle embroiderers, you can’t go wrong with it!
Lavor Punch Needle
This Lavor punch needle also comes with three needle sizes and you can adjust the stitch height.
To adjust it, you loosen the little screw on the side, move the needle to the length you want, and then tighten it.
It’s not quite as fool-proof as the Ultra Punch because of that, but it is a good little punch needle.
I have one of these as well as the Ultra Punch and I enjoy using them both.
The large Lavor needle can take larger yarn than the large Ultra Punch needle, and the tips of the Lavor needles are blunter, so I feel like its worth it to have both kinds.
CTR Punch Needles
(Currently Unavailable) The CTR punch needles come in three types: 1 strand (works with one strand of embroidery floss, shown in photo above), 3 strand (works with two or three strands of embroidery floss), and 6 strand (works with four, five, or six strands of embroidery floss).
They’re made in the USA and are really good quality.
These punch needles are really small, but you can use a pencil grip to make it easier to hold.
Yarn & Floss
When it comes to embroidery floss, DMC 6-strand is the best embroidery thread for punch needle embroidery. It’s great quality and comes in so many gorgeous shades.
Another popular option (but a bit more expensive) is Valdani floss. It also comes in beautiful colors and variegated options.
As for yarn, the best yarn for punch needle is typically 100% wool, although you can use any fiber that you like. Wool yarn will hold up better for things like rugs, trivets, and anything that will take much abuse.
For more decorative items like wall hangings and throw pillows, you can use cotton, acrylic, and other fibers or blends.
Big bulky wool yarn works great for large punch needles, and you can also double up worsted weight and finer yarns with the Oxford Regular.
This bulky Rug Yarn is one of my favorite options for thick wool yarn.
My all time favorite place to get worsted weight (and pretty much every other yarn you can imagine) is Knit Picks. They have great prices and so many wonderful colors to choose from. They’re my go to when I need yarn for punch needle, crochet, and any other yarn crafts.
Their Wool of the Andes is a beautiful worsted weight 100% wool yarn that comes in loads of different colors and is very affordable. It’s one of my favorite yarns to use with the Oxford Fine punch needle.
Embroidery Hoops & Frames
Ok, we covered punch needles. Now it’s time to move onto embroidery hoops and frames!
You can’t use just any old embroidery hoop for punch needle. The fabric has to be held drum tight.
Here are my favorite options for punch needle hoops & frames.
Morgan No-Slip Hoops
Morgan No-Slip Hoops are great for punch needle because they hold your foundation fabric in super tight.
They have a locking-lip design and a super heavy duty wing-nut to tighten it all down.
These hoops come in several sizes and they’re one of my all-time favs.
Wooden Embroidery Hoops (for display only)
Wooden embroidery hoops are lovely and I recommend them for displaying your finished punch needle pieces.
You don’t want to use these to punch your design. I have tried in the past and it’s just a frustrating situation. They can’t hold your fabric tight and it’ll just slip out over and over again!
What I do is punch my design in a Morgan No-Slip and then transfer it over to a wooden hoop for display.
Gripper Strip Frame
Gripper Frames make punch needle a breeze!
You don’t have to worry about your fabric getting loose in your frame AT ALL with one of these awesome contraptions.
You can buy an assembled version, or if you want you can DIY it!
Check out this tutorial where I’ll show you how to make your own gripper frame. The one shown above is my DIY version (and I love it!)
Q-Snap Frame
Q-Snap Frames are made of PVC and hold the fabric with C-shaped clamps that snap down onto the frame.
One handy thing about these frame is they can be completely taken apart, so they’re a great option to take on the go.
These frame work best with thicker fabric like Monk’s cloth. Weaver’s cloth and other thin fabrics don’t stay tight enough without wrapping the frame in fabric strips, yarn or tape.
Foundation Fabric
The type of foundation fabric you use will depend on which punch needle you’re using and what your finished product will be.
In a nutshell, monk’s cloth is best for large punch needle, and weaver’s cloth is best for punch needle embroidery.
There are some other suitable fabrics as well, and you can read a whole post all about the best foundation fabrics, plus there’s a free printable cheat sheet showing which fabric goes with which punch needle.
In Summary
I hope this list of punch needle supplies gets you started off right in your punch needling quest.
It’s such a fun and relaxing hobby! Having the proper tools makes it way more enjoyable and takes away the frustration.
In just an hour or two, you can create a beautiful piece of art for your home. Quick wins are awesome when you’re short on time!
What’s your favorite punch needle must-have? Let us know in the comments!
Related Punch Needle Posts
- 8 Essential Punch Needle Tips You Need to Know (+ Free Printable Patterns!)
- 13 Awesome All-in-One Punch Needle Kits!
- Which Fabric Goes with Which Punch Needle? (+ Free Cheat Sheet!)
Has anyone used the knit picks tuff puff yarn and would the Oxford #10 regular needle be used?
hi there! I am on a mission to create amazing projects with pumch needle! I bought a kit off Amazon and did very well. but I am wanting to do Mt own designs with yarn I have here at my house. I am at a loss as to which punch needle to get. most of my yarn says #4. what needle works with that type of yarn? thank you for any info. I did read this must have punch needle post but I’m still so lost! any help is appreciated
I am just starting punch needle. I purchased the ultra punch, fabric, hoop & embroidery floss. However, I am frustrated because I was ready to punch and it wouldn’t work. I purchased monks cloth from my local fabric store & the weave is too loose for the ultra punch 🤦🏻♀️. I didn’t know there were different types of monks cloth. That is all the store sold. I guess I need to buy something called weavers cloth? Could you explain the type of fabrics I can use? I am also interested in trying wool with my ultra punch needle but I do not know what type of yarn to buy that will fit through my ultra punch needle. Your feedback is appreciated.
Hi Susan! I totally understand your frustration, the same thing happened to me when I first tried punch needle! I have a whole post dedicated to the different types of punch needle fabric right here, and yes you are correct, you’ll want to pick up some weaver’s cloth. I have links to some good shops to get weaver’s cloth in the this post if you’re not sure where to get it. As for using wool yarn with your Ultra Punch, only very fine yarn will work with it. For larger yarn, you’ll need a rug punch needle (and the Oxford punch needles mentioned in the post above are a great choice.) Monk’s cloth is used with larger rug punch needles and yarn, but the Monk’s cloth sold at most craft stores isn’t the right kind, confusingly enough. There are two kinds of Monk’s cloth, one with 12 holes per inch (the correct one) and one with 7 holes per inch (the wrong one usually found at the craft store.) If you check out the post I linked to, it’ll help a lot (and there’s even a printable cheat sheet to help keep it straight!) Good luck!!
Hi my name is Letty I do punch embroidery. I have a question , what kind of interfacing or brand do I use to embroidery on sweat shirts, jackets,T-shirt’s? Thanks😁😁
Hi! I used Pellon woven interfacing for the sweatshirt I made- you can see that tutorial here. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I am sitting here trying to decide what to purchase so that I can try punch needle embroidery. I am purchasing the Ultra Punch Needle, 1 yard of weavers cloth, a 7″ No slip Morgan hoop, and DMC thread. Thank you for helping me know what to order.
I do have a question about crochet thread. Can I use it with the Ultra Punch Needle? Is this type thread OK for punch needle embroidery?
Thanks for your advice and help.
I really like your videos.
Sandi Leonard
Hi Sandy!
I’m so glad it was helpful! It sounds like you have a great list of supplies there, you’ll be in good shape! Yes, you can use crochet thread with the Ultra Punch. It definitely works with the large needle and I think it should work with the medium needle too. Thanks for stopping by, your comment was so nice! I’m glad to help.
I’m just starting to try this new craft. I love it so far, but have so many questions! Hoping you might reply to this one… Different samples that are pictured on this website seem to show the finished side as what would be considered the back (not looped); others show the looped side as the finished side. Is this accurate? I like the detail in the “stitching” that you see on the “back.” When I’ve played with this as the front side that would be exposed (on a pillow, for instance), it seems that the yarn comes right out if one of the “stitches” is pulled.
That’s a great question! Many people actually prefer the stitched (or back) side to the looped side. The tension created by the stitches packed together holds the yarn or thread in surprisingly securely.
For a pillow, although I have seen some examples online with the stitched side facing out, I would be worried one of my kids or my dog would ruin it in no time.
You might be able to put a coat of Aleene’s OK To Wash It on the looped side to make it more secure, but that seems like it would just be a mess.
My recommendation would be to only use the stitched side as the front for decorative items that won’t get a lot of abuse.
You’ve inspired me to do a little experiment and see how much abuse a punch needle pillow can take.
I hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by!