Punch Needle Workshop, Saturday, March 23, 12-4 pm

Punch needle is a variation of rug tufting and latch hook, and was invented in Toledo, Ohio in 1881. Using a hollow wooden "needle" threaded with yarn, small loops are "punched" through a cloth to create the textile. In this course, participants will create a textile which we will then mount on stretcher bars to display as a wall hanging. Other applications and uses will be discussed as well.

Participants will go home with a completed 8x8 inch punch needle piece ready-to-display, as well as base materials to create a second piece: punch needle, frame, monk's cloth, and stretcher bars. 

Michelle Beaulieu-Morgan is a textile artist who works primarily in embroidery, punch needle, and tufting (IG: @mutuallyassureddeconstruction). She is a self-described maximalist who is motivated by color, texture, the uses of narrative, queer history, and the absurd. She lives in New Haven, CT, where she is active in the arts and makerspace communities. Her work has been exhibited across the United States. You can find out more about her at www.mutuallyassureddeconstruction.com