Why Is Tufting Cloth Coming Through the Front of My Rug?

October 03, 2026

Seeing bits of white or grey cloth fibers on the pile side of your rug? One of two things is happening: the machine's scissors are catching and cutting the cloth, or small bits of cloth are getting tufted in. The cause is usually your technique, your cloth setup or your machine's alignment. Here's how to work out which one and fix it.

Start With Your Technique

Press firmly against the cloth (most common cause)

If the machine isn't pressed firmly against the cloth, the scissors touch the cloth surface on every stroke and cut off small pieces. The same problem also makes yarn build up on the back.

Fix: Press the foot of your machine firmly and evenly against the cloth as you tuft. Don't hover. The foot should stay in full contact the whole time. Your quick-start guide has tips on posture and grip.

Hold the machine at about 90 degrees

Hold the machine at roughly 90 degrees to the cloth. If you tuft at a steep angle, the foot can drag the cloth and pull it forward.

Slow down

If you tuft too fast, the needle doesn't have time to push the yarn all the way through the cloth and form a loop on the other side. Slow down and keep a steady forward pressure.

Our quick start video has more tips on technique.

Check Your Cloth and Pile Height

Make sure the cloth is tight on the frame

Sagging cloth can make the needle push the cloth through instead of piercing it cleanly. Stretch your cloth tight on the frame.

Make sure the pile height isn't set too low

If the pile height is too low, the yarn isn't pushed far enough through the cloth to make loops of the right length. Read our pile height adjustment article to learn how to set it correctly.

Check Your Machine's Alignment

If the steps above don't solve it, there's probably a small alignment problem or a bent part. Turn the machine off and unplug it before you check any of the following.

Foot and needle misalignment

The foot and needle have to work together. If the needle position has drifted slightly, often after a pile height adjustment, the needle hits the cloth at the wrong point in its stroke. To check the alignment:

1. Slowly turn the white gear by hand. On the DUO, turn the pink gear.
2. Watch the needle as it moves through its full stroke.
3. The needle should pass cleanly through the center of the hole in the foot without touching the sides.
4. If it doesn't, follow your pile height adjustment guide to realign it. The video collection that came with your machine covers this in detail.

Needle tip sitting in front of the foot

Do this check if the machine cuts or tears the cloth even when you're pressing firmly, especially if it gets worse on diagonal lines.

Turn the machine by hand until the needle is pulled all the way back to its lowest position. The tip of the needle should sit behind the edge of the foot. If it sticks out past the foot, it can tear the cloth. To fix this, move the foot out a little.

Bent scissors, needle or foot

• Scissors: Turn the machine by hand until the scissors are forward, then look closely for any bends. Scissors that don't go into the cloth straight can cut it.
• Needle and foot: Look for a bent needle or a bent foot. These parts can sometimes get damaged in shipping.

Usually only very small adjustments are needed.

Cleaning Up and Getting Help

You can pull out any visible cloth bits from the pile before you apply adhesive. Fixing the cause will stop it from happening again, though.

Still having trouble? Contact us at support@tufttheworld.com. Please include photos and a short video of you tufting.

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