Punch needle embroidery is a technique usually used to create homewares such as cushion covers and wall hangings, but this unique collection includes designs and instructions is for 20 adorable and original punch needle toys.

These punch needle plushies are part toy, part cushion, due to the simple outline shapes. Designer and author, Caro Bello, has created a fun collection of 20 distinctive animals including Bruno the Beaver, Enrique the Elephant, and Felipe the Fox. Each of the characters has their own style and Caro uses a variety of traditional and modern punch needle stitches to create their very individual outfits.

Enrique, for example, is wearing a pair of bright yellow underpants as he likes to relax while he works from home. Gaspar Giraffe is an undercover spy who wears a hidden camera beneath his bowtie and Helena Hen looks harmless in her folk-chic shawl but is actually an underground activist working for the chick rights movement.

The toys are made flat and then joined and stuffed to bring them to life. There are step-by-step instructions and photography explaining how to get started with punch needle embroidery. Caro explains everything from which tools and materials to choose, through to techniques for how to do the different stitches (both traditional and modern) that are used in the projects and how to transfer the embroidery designs onto the fabric. There is also general advice about how to hold the needle correctly, choosing colours and techniques for fixing errors. Caro explains the four golden rules of needle punch embroidery to ensure that you get the best results from your stitching. And there is advice about special finishing techniques to create different looks including tufting, brushing and pompom, as well as the best techniques to sew and fill the toys when you've finished the embroidery.

The toys are cleverly designed with details on the front and back and the templates have been included at full-size, so you don't need to worry about enlarging them. There is a clear 'embroidery placement' diagram for each of the toys showing which stitches are used on each animal.