3D Punch Needle Embroidery: Vanilla Sprinkle Donut with Youmeng Liu

Discover the sculptural possibilities of punch needle embroidery in this five-day course with textile artist Youmeng Liu. Working from a playful vanilla sprinkle donut design, students will learn how to transform a flat embroidered surface into a tactile, three-dimensional textile artwork. Using Youmeng’s specially developed punch needle tools and sculptural embroidery techniques, students will build the donut layers and learn how to trim, shape and refine the loops to create a soft, dimensional surface.

The course will introduce the fundamentals of punch needle embroidery before progressing into techniques for creating different heights, curved forms and contrasting textures. Students will also create the white vanilla icing and colourful embroidered sprinkles that give the finished piece its distinctive character. Designed to be accessible to complete beginners, the course focuses on building confidence with the technique while introducing students to a more sculptural approach to embroidery. By the end of the course, each student will have completed their own three-dimensional embroidered donut artwork and gained the skills and understanding needed to continue exploring 3D punch needle embroidery independently.