You can create a beautiful bath mat for your bathroom in just a few hours using a punch needle.

Use the instructions below to create your own colorful and abstract bath mat design and get your copy of Modern Rug Hooking by Rose for more beautiful punch needle projects for the home.

Tools and Materials

• 23-by-29-inch wood frame or stretcher bars
• 25-by-31-inch piece foundation cloth
• 30 oz rug yarn (or fiber equivalent); here, Pearlman used a variety of yarn from Seal Harbor Rug Co.

Step 1: Prep the frame and foundation cloth

• Assemble the rectangular frame and stretch your foundation cloth tightly.
• Draw the design on the foundation cloth, following my image or coming up with a design of your own.

Step 2: Sketch out your design

The template above uses the following materials:

Foundation Cloth: Traditional linen

Fiber: Seal Harbor Rug Yarn in the following colors and quantities:

(A)        SY13, 4 ounces

(B)        SBN5, 2 1/2 ounces

(C)        SG23, 3 ounces

(D)        SG3, 3 ounces

(E)        SP23, 4 ounces

(F)        SR9, 2 ounces

(G)       SBN4, 3 ounces

(H)       SG11, 3 ounces

(I)         SB3, 2 ounces

(J)         SR14, 2 ounces

(K)        SBN16, 1 1/2 ounces

Draw the design you want on the foundation cloth lightly, using a pencil. You can closely follow the shapes and colors in the template above, or freehand a style of your own.

Step 3: Start Punching

• Punch your design. Begin by punching the outline of one shape first with two rows of a tight 6 stitches per inch. Then fill in the center with a looser 4 stitches per inch. Switch colors and punch other shapes in the same manner.
• Clean up the loops on the reverse side and remove your work from the frame.

Step 4: Clean It Up

• Steam the punched fabric with a hot iron and wet dish cloth to flatten.
• Cut off any excess foundation cloth, leaving a 2-inch border on all sides.
• Hem the foundation cloth to the stitch side of the rug.

Get your copy of Modern Rug Hooking for more details.

Get your copy of Modern Rug Hooking and learn how to punch needle unique and beautiful textiles and projects for your home, including a basket, bolster, crib pockets, reversible rug, and more!