Contouring is a technique you can use to add a shaped dimensional effect to your punchneedle work.
To contour, outline your design, then moved you needle loop size up one and do a 'second outline' in your filling color- Move your needle up one more and fill the rest of the design in- you can move the needle up yet again if you wish to do the middle of the design. You can increase the loop size until the center of the design is as tall as you want, just make sure you move up the same amount each time you adjust the loop size, so you will have a nice slow, gradual build up to the tallest loops.
The design will be rounded. It should look similar to a hill when you hold it at eye level and look at it from the side.
When using a larger size loop, keep the needle pretty much straight up and down as you stitch- don't try to angle it away from where you punched the last row- with a larger loop, the tendency for tangling increases.
SCULPTURING
Sculpturing is shaping an area with scissors after it has been punched using the loop size that is two sizes larger than the length you desire your finished work to be.
EXAMPLE- If you want the tallest area of your sculpting to be one half inch tall, then you need to punch it three fourths of an inch tall.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO SCULPT YOUR WORK-
1. Starting with the areas that will be trimmed the shortest, fill in one section with stitches that are closer together than normal. Punch two or three rows, turn the work over and cut the loops you just did open. Repeat until that section of work is done - it will look pretty messy, but don't worry. Mine always reminds me of the shag rugs of the 70's!!!
The next thing you want to do is trim yoru work into the shape you want- it should be like looking at a series of little hills- each section should be a seperate little hill.
REMEMBER- leave that pretend row unpunched between sections.
2. You can also punch around the outside of the design with a smaller size loop, gradually increasing the loop size as you go inwards on the various sections. As you finish each section, turn the work over and cut each loop open.
HINT FOR SCULPTING------
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