Vibrant Punch Needle Décor: Adorn Your Home with Colorful Florals and Geometric Patterns

Graphic designer Lowry (Handmade Animal Dolls) draws on her cultural roots in this nifty assemblage of punch needle designs inspired by her upbringing in Monterrey, Mexico. Punch needle, she explains, “allows you to pierce through fabric, making a loop on the underside effortlessly.” It involves no complicated stitches, allows for mistakes to be easily fixed, and requires only a few tools: the needle, foundation cloth (usually either linen or “monk’s cloth”), a frame for stretching out the cloth, and fiber, from embroidery floss to yarn. She provides full-size templates for 20 projects; the simplest is the “Monarca” wall hanging, named for the monarch butterflies that migrate from Canada to Mexico. She also offers a pillow with the beautiful blue and white of the Talavera pottery style, associated with the cities of Atlixco, Cholula, Puebla, and Tecali de Herrera; and a rug, made from leftover yarn, that mimics the multicolored stripes of sarapes. Meanwhile, her “blooming” apron uses the floral designs of Mexico’s classic embroidered blouses. Smaller projects include coasters, patterned after carpetas, or straw table place mats; and a “margarita,” or daisy, lampshade. Crafters will enjoy this imaginative design compilation that doubles as an educational sampling of traditional Mexican motifs and designs. (July)