Tufting 101

An overview of what goes on behind the tufting scenes

Yarn

I use wool yarn that’s usually worsted or DK weight (those names = how thick the yarn is). Every color is hand dyed in my studio in one-off batches. By dyeing the colors I am able to add more depth to my pieces that can’t be achieved with commercially dyed yarns.

Tufting Frame

My original tufting frame was… well, wonky. When moving studios I commissioned a new one that is one hunky babe, she’s got wheels, a space to put my dyed yarn and is just perfect.

I use backing cloth that’s made for tufting, and stretch it over the frame using carpet tacking.

Design

Often the designs for the tufts are sketched out very loosely in watercolors- I go off script a lot, but they help me get the colors in my head. That can happen before or after I start dyeing the yarn depending on the mood in the studio that day. If I'm working with an odd shape, I create a paper pattern to make sure I'm tufting in the right direction.

Action!

FINALLY, it’s time to start tufting- video is always more fun than photos for this process, enjoy!

This is my tufting gun, and I love her.