Jean Drevdahl Orchard practices a “High Fiber Diet”, just not in the way doctors intended! Jean started sewing and embroidering at age seven and went on to master drawn thread, pulled thread, miniature punch needle embroidery, and Hardanger. Soon, she was teaching these techniques locally, nationally, and internationally. Jean’s fiber skills were recognized when she was one of 50 in the US to design and stitch an ornament for the White House Christmas tree.

When Jean discovered Punch Needle Rug Hooking it had a gripping effect. She became an Oxford Certified Instructor in 2022, has been teaching punch needle virtually and in person since 2020, and is building a supportive and encouraging community of punchers. Having her Ph.D. in Public Health and a Master’s of Science in Teaching made it natural for Jean to teach the technical side of these arts in a simple, step-by-step, and easy to understand way. Nothing fulfills her more than encouraging her students, seeing their joy as they grasp the concepts and complete their projects.