Punch Needle by Arounna Khounnoraj
Reviewed by Meri
Published in May 2019 by Quadrille.
160 pages. £14.99
ISBN: 978-1787132788
Arounna Khounnoraj's long-awaited book is finally being published almost simultaneously with this issue.
Arounna is a textile artist based in Toronto, part of the husband-and-wife maker duo called bookhou. She is the person behind the sudden "boom" in punch needle rug hooking, particularly on Instagram.
Rug hooking is an old craft, widely practiced in western countries, especially the United States, but it takes a lot of practice an experience. Punch needle, however, is very intuitive and accessible to almost anyone. Arounna wrote in the introduction of this
book, "how did I manage to miss punch needle altogether"?
She discovered this craft through a conversation with a friend, trying to find a way to transfer her imagery onto rugs. Her playful approach, as well as her love of simple, modern design, mades this craft relevant and attractive to a wid craft audience across the globe, a lucky stroke for us. In rug hooking, the flat stitch side is considered the "back" and rarely shown; Arounna uses this side effectively to create more textured, three-dimensional pieces.
In this book, she covers the basics; a guide to choosing the right tools and materials for your goals, and a step-by-step of how to get started. However, the reason for getting this book is the wide variety of projects Arounna suggests. The process of finishing each project is explained with easy-to-understand graphics. Tastefully styled and beautifully photographed, this book will surely inspire you to pick up this craft if you haven't tried it yet. What will your next punch needle project be?
© Catherine Frawley