Carolyn’s Winter Warmer project: personalise and embellish a plain, uninteresting garment using the Needle Punch Tool

Difficulty level Beginner
Time to Complete Evening
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Picture: Carolyn’s Winter Warmer Project

​In our Winter Warmer project, our sewing expert Carolyn shows you how to enhance, personalise and embellish a plain, uninteresting garment on the new Bernina 5 series using the needle punch tool, free motion and blanket stitch.

You will need:

  • Bernina sewing machine*
  • Needle punch tool with the correct special needle plate for your model
  • An unwanted jumper to embellish
  • Wool felt, Thread
  • Paper to print a template on
  • Scissors
* Most Bernina machines are compatible with the Needle Punch Tool, for details see below.

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Instructions

  1. Find a simple design (Clip Art) you would like on your chosen garment.
  2. Print onto paper and cut out each section of the image individually to create pattern pieces. This may need to be done several times if the image has sections which overlap.
  3. Using the pattern pieces cut out the material e.g. felt, to be used for decoration.

The main steps 4-8 can be followed by watching our demonstration video:

  1. Set the sewing machine for use with the Punch Tool: remove the hook, lower the feed dogs, insert the needle and attach the guard.
  2. Iron the garment and lay a single layer over the needle plate.
  3. Place the cut material pieces, to be attached, into position and hold in place.
  4. Using a “free motion” action, stitch around the edge of the material to baste it to the garment.
  5. Continue in the same way to completely bond the material and garment together, ensuring several back and forth motions over the entire surface. The more they are “punched” the firmer the result will be. Fabrics of a more substantial nature may need to be turned over and also punched on the reverse.
  6. Add further pieces in the same manner until the design is complete.
  7. The attached design may be further decorated by the addition of free motion embroidery, blanket stitch, buttons, bows and beads etc.

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Bild: 125 years Kleid

Did you enjoy our Winter Warmer project?

Then make sure to check our website regularly, we will be bringing you monthly projects!

Next is our Valentine's project where we show you how to personalise a bathrobe for your loved one using the new 5 Series, Toolbox software & free-motion embroidery.

Picture: Carolyn’s Winter Warmer Project

Needle Punch Tools compatibility

There are two version of the Needle Punch Tool depending on which model you have. For machines with the new BERNINA Hook or a rotary hook use item no. 0336787000 and for machines using teh traditiona Bernina CB hook use item no. 0315717104. You will also require a special needleplate that fits your particular model, the only current models that are not compatible are the 720 and 1008S. Click here to visit the online shop needle punch section.