Tufting 101: Punch Needle Tufting

In this two-day class, students delve into the art of punch needle tufting. Create your own hand-punched creation! Guided by expert instructor Aliyah Salmon, you’ll learn the intricate technique of creating tufted textures and color studies with Ugly Rugly Yarn. 

As you experiment with colors and patterns, the classroom buzzes with creativity and collaboration, with students exchanging tips and techniques. Learn to stretch backing fabric over a frame, how to use the punch needle to create designs, learn to mix colors with yarn, and how to glue and finish the piece. Through the process, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of color theory and composition, transforming your visions into vibrant wall hangings!

Skills learned:

• Stretching your backing fabric over a frame
• Charting out your designs
• Punch needle tufting
• How to finish the piece
• Class includes:
• Wide variety of yarn colors
• Punch Needle
• Q-Snap Frame

About our instructor:

Aliyah Salmon’s practice explores the complex intersection of black femininity and the Afro Caribbean diaspora in contemporary America. Using textiles and collage, the work is created to challenge and subvert dominant narratives about blackness, and explore themes of isolation, childhood, and the subconscious.

Aliyah’s work often incorporates traditional textile techniques such as hand tufting with an Oxford punch needle and bead embroidery in combination with more contemporary materials and collage techniques. The artist embraces slow crafts to create dream-like compositions with tufted renderings of symbols, products, and items of significance in the Black/Caribbean community, and presents them as the short-hand for larger conversations about black femininity, hair presentability politics, and the diaspora.

The work aims to create a dialogue between the two identities, and seeks to challenge the notion of the black woman as a monolithic entity, and instead investigate the nuances of the black experience and of black women in America. The artist graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with her BFA in textile design in 2018 and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Is this class beginner friendly?

This class is ideal for beginners! These projects are designed to be a great first craft project, think of this as your practice project to learn the basic skills. We provide step-by-step instructions in a clear and easy-to-follow manner. The instructor focuses on fundamental techniques, so that you can learn the basic techniques before tackling larger projects that you’re really excited for!

When to show up?

Please arrive 5 minutes early to class. Students later than 15 minutes will forfeit their spot in the class.

Materials, tools, and machines:

• Punch Needle: The purchase of this class comes with the proper sized punch tool for this project.
• Tools: We will have all tools necessary to complete the project, you’re not required to buy or bring any tools.
• Fabrics, yarn, thread, or other materials: Most of our classes will provide all of the necessary materials for this class. We will typically provide a wide variety of options for you to choose from. If a class requires you to purchase your own supplies, the description will specify.

Please note: Our intention is for you to leave with a fully finished piece after completing the class. Our classes are paced with that in mind! Depending on your particular speed and skills, this cannot be guaranteed and our instructor may advise you to do work at home or advise you to arrange a time with UR Fancy Shop to complete in our studio so that you can finish your project.

Some classes require a minimum number of sign-ups to proceed, and in the event that a minimum number of sign ups is not met, we may opt to cancel, postpone, or reschedule the class. Should a class fall short of the required sign-ups, we will notify you 24–48 hours prior to the scheduled start time with options for rescheduling to the next class, waitlist, or obtaining store credit.