My Amazon Punch Needle Shopping List

Dude. You should see all the punch needle stuff I’ve purchased in the trial and error of finding the materials that I like best.

I’ve bought all the different kinds of Monk’s cloth from Michaels, Joann’s, and Amazon. (I’ll be talking about the differences in upcoming posts.)

So not everything I use is from Amazon, and many of these things you can pick up at your local craft store. But if you want to just do a quick Amazon haul and have it all magically show up in a day or 2, I’ve put together a shopping list for you. You can shop the full list here, or read more about individual products and why I chose them for you.

Yarn

You can use any yarn for punch needling, it just has to be the right thickness to go with the punch needle you’re using AND the fabric that you’re punching. So if you get a thicker yarn, you need a bigger needle, and the monk’s cloth with bigger holes. This only works for a super chunky and not very detailed design. It will give more of a rug look and looks best on larger projects or an abstract piece.

If you want to make smaller projects like mug rugs (coasters) or keychains, you’ll love working with the yarn that I selected here. It’s nice for getting started because the skeins are small and you really don’t need a lot of one color. When I first started, I went to the craft store and bought a ton of yarn in different colors. One ball of yarn was like $6-$8 so you can imagine how much I spent… and then a few days later I wanted more colors. So I really like the idea of buying more colors in smaller amounts for a great price like this product on Amazon.

Monk’s Cloth h

It took a while for me to realize that people were using all kinds of fabric for punch needling, and it really seems like it just comes down to preference. Most of the beginner kits and videos I’ve seen suggest Monk’s cloth. The reason it’s so common for punch needling is because of how forgiving it is. Plus, it’s really easy to see where to punch because of it’s grid-like nature.

This is the monk’s cloth I prefer.

The nice thing about working with this fabric is that if you mess up, you can easily pull out your stitches and simply scratch the cloth with your punch needle or your fingernail and it’s ready to punch again.

I have been experimenting a little with linen and muslin, but haven’t really found the perfect product yet. I will update here if I do!

Embroidery Hoops & Stretcher Frame

If you have embroidery hoops, you’re all good! Otherwise you can buy a set like this one for 6 bucks. If you want to keep your project in the hoop and display it, you might want to get something more aesthetically pleasing like these ones.

If you want to get real serious, you’re going to want a stretcher frame. I saw someone using it on Instagram and I was like, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT THING!?”

These things are so freaking cool. Here are the reasons to get a stretcher frame:

You can make larger projects
Your work doesn’t have to fit in a circle
You can make multiple smaller projects on one big piece of fabric (welcome to mug rug city!)
You can set it on a table and punch straight down without having to hold your frame (or embroidery hoop)
You can stretch your fabric really tight!

If you think you want a stretcher frame, listen carefully…

I know this is supposed to be an Amazon list post, but I am going to go outside for this one so that you can compare both options.

Okay, so here’s the thing. I bought this one on Amazon and it was awesome.
It’s just shy of 16″ square. It’s honestly a nice size. But the gripper tape is sharp AF so you’re going to want a cover for it. Unfortunately, all of the options for this size are absolutely gawd awful hideous. Like- so bad I don’t even want to put them on my blog, but I will because I love you, and you don’t want your wrists to get all poked by the edges of this thing!

Hey- maybe you’re way craftier than me and can make your own cover!

But the price point is definitely a factor, and it works well. So if you’re a function, not so much form kind of girlie, then this is the kit for you.

But I’m a freak, and I thought I needed an even bigger one. Plus there’s no way I was about to let that fleece cover situation show up on my Instagram. Go ahead- judge away!

So I returned the Amazon one and bought this larger one from Punchneedleworld.com and the nice soft cream cover. Ahhhhh that’s so much better.

As you can see, the price is significantly more, but I will say this is so worth it! Sometimes I do feel like the size is a little big- but I am so excited to have it for my upcoming project of making Christmas stockings! I just use an embroidery hoop if I want to punch needle while sitting on the couch or to take on vacation.

If you go with this guy, make sure that you have a big table to use!

Punch Needles

I’m recommending a kit that has a bunch of punch needles in it because I know that you’re going to wish you had more than just one needle once you get addicted like me. Full disclaimer- I have not ordered this exact kit. I piecemeal’d one together and it ended up being SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.

I would get started and wish I had a shorter one, or a bigger one, or a different handle, etc. So I think that grabbing a collection like this will come in handy.

I looked closely at it and read the reviews. I have most of the punch needles that it shows in the kit, and I’ve used them all for different reasons. Once you have your fabric and yarn, you’ll be able to test different punch needles until you find the perfect trifecta.

Then, there’s the Walfront plastic adjustable one. This little guy is a fan favorite amongst those making mug rugs. Pretty much everyone I’ve seen making serious volume of coasters on social media and etsy are using this punch needle. I have been using it with muslin cloth and still having some issues… but it’s promising. So basically, jury’s still out.

I’m not expecting it to last forever- honestly waiting for it to break any minute now, but hopefully I am pleasantly surprised! The wooden handle ones do seem to be more durable… we will see.

Finishing Tools

This little hot glue gun has a lot of bite for it’s size! It’s super hot and I love the pointy precision tip. It’s perfect for gluing the fabric on the back of my mug rugs and then attaching them to felt. I had no idea you could have a crappy hot glue gun until I tried using the janky one I had deep in an old craft box. It was terrible- and it was causing me to fray my fabric and end up with a huge mess. Oh and here’s the glue sticks that go with it. Make sure you get the mini sticks.

Felt for Backing of Coasters

I’ve tried different colors, but I realized I like white felt because it blends in better with the color of the fabric. So if you have a tiny part that isn’t perfect sticking out on the sides, it doesn’t look so noticeable. when I used black or dark gray felt, it just called attention to the imperfections in my work, and it kinda looked like a really cute and weird ice cream sandwich. Not really what I was going for, ya know?

I will continue to add to this Amazon list, so don’t be surprised if there are a few things I didn’t mention on there. I’ll do my best to update this list if I find better products.

Thanks for reading, happy punching!
✌️ Frannie