A Guide to Rug Tufting
Rug tufting videos took social media by storm during the COVID-19 pandemic. On TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube alike, there were videos of artists creating elaborate rugs out of beloved media or bold ideas that they were able to display in their own homes to show off their personal style. They were able to accomplish these bold looks by using just a few simple materials: a rug tufting gun or punch needle, rug backing materials, and yarn but they came together to create something new and unique. Anybody can get started in this new hobby and enjoy their own creations as well as what other creatives around the world have been able to make with the same materials.
Essential Rug Tufting Supplies
It only takes a couple of easy-to-acquire materials to create functional art pieces of any shape and size that you can display in your home to show off your style and creativity.
Rug Tufting: A TikTok Design Trend
TikTok made it cool to make fluffy rugs to display in your home. If you don't know much about this DIY design hobby there are several artists who can show you just how cool and elaborate these projects can be.
Meet the Makers Behind the Tufted Rug Renaissance
Handmade rugs have gotten popular on social media as a way to channel that restless quarantine energy, but while TikTok may have brought it to a wider population, artists have been doing it for years to bridge the gap between manufacturing and consumers.
Is it Expensive to Start Tufting?
Believe it or not, it's not an expensive hobby compared to some other hobbies! It may not be as affordable as painting, but you can pick up everything you need with just a few hundred dollars and the supplies will last awhile!
Rug tufting is a great hobby, but it's also a way to make beautiful decorative objects for your home or as gifts for your friends and family.
Hand-tufted rugs can be durable as well as beautiful as long as you use the right materials. There are different kinds of materials available to you depending on your budget for this hobby such as vintage tools, making your own, or automatic tools.
Maximalism is in, and there's no better proof of that than with rug tufting. People can make rugs for their space as elaborate as they please with some of their favorite characters, designs, and more. Display them in their home for all to see.
How Rug Tufting Became a Trend
Check out some TikTok videos about different artists who have made their name through rug tufting by explaining how they do it, why they've chosen to express themselves in this medium, and why it's become so popular in recent years.
Making your own tufted rug doesn't have to be difficult, especially if you have your own tufting tool which is designed specifically to work with long strips of rug yarn or cut material so you can finish your rug faster.
This article from the Craft Council details how it's no surprise that rug tufting has gone viral on social media: it's satisfying to watch and there's nothing the internet loves more than art that is oddly satisfying! It goes beyond just the satisfaction though, it's creative and bold in ways that home décor hasn't been in a while and these artists are showing exactly why that's perfect for right now.
This page goes over the basic instructions you need to make a rug including the materials, supplies, what a tufting gun looks like, and how to use it. There are even some example projects from students so you can find ideas to motivate you to make your own tufted rug!
If you've decided to get started in rug tufting after getting invested in the social media trend, here are a few tips to make the process of getting started just a little easier so you can start making projects you love right from the start without having to keep stopping and starting over.
This beginner-friendly tutorial for rug tufting makes it easier than ever to learn how to make your own tufted rugs at home so you can have unique home décor that fits your style better than any store.
Getting Started With Your Tufting Gun
The AK-III Tufting gun is just one of the popular tufting guns on the market. If you've just purchased one to get started with your new hobby, but you're not sure how to use it, Tuftipedia has created a detailed walk-through taken straight from the manual.
It can be hard to get started with a design, but this pattern maker helps you break down the process so you know exactly how much yarn to get for your project and where it's going to be used.
