How do I transfer my design to tufting cloth?

June 23, 2026

How do I get my design onto tufting cloth?

Once your cloth is stretched tightly on the frame, you'll want to draw or transfer your design onto the back of the cloth — the side facing you while you tuft. (The front, or pile side, faces away from you and toward the frame.) Here are the most common methods, from simplest to most advanced.

Method 1: Draw freehand

The simplest approach — just draw your design directly on the back of the stretched cloth with a permanent marker or acrylic paint pen. Bold, simple shapes work great for this method. The grid of the tufting cloth makes it relatively easy to keep lines straight or to divide the surface into sections.

Method 2: Trace from a printed design

Print your design on paper at the correct scale, tape it to a window or light table, then tape your tufting cloth on top and trace through it with a marker. This works well for designs with clean lines. Our Primary White Tufting Cloth is light enough to see through in this way.

Method 3: Use a projector

One of the most popular methods among serious tufters: project your digital design image onto the cloth using a phone or laptop projector, then trace the outline with marker. You can adjust the size and orientation in real time. This is especially useful for complex imagery, portraits, or organic shapes.

Method 4: Use chalk or water-soluble markers

If you want a line that won't be visible in the finished piece (or that you can adjust), use tailor's chalk or a water-soluble fabric marker. These wash out with water. Just make sure your adhesive and backing are applied after any washing.

Tips for transferring your design

• Work on the back of the cloth. The tufting machine operates from behind — tufts come out the front. Your design guide lives on the back.
• Scale your design to the tufting area, not the full cloth. You need a few inches of margin around all sides for securing the cloth to the frame tacks.
• Keep designs simple to start. Large color blocks are much easier to fill in evenly than intricate line-art. As your technique improves, you can tackle more detail.
• Check your design in reverse. The pile side (front) will be the mirror image of what you see on the back. For text or directional designs, flip your image before transferring.
• Use our free yarn calculator at priceyourcraft.com to upload your design image and estimate how much yarn you'll need in each color.

Resources

• Quick Start Video — includes a demonstration of getting started on cloth
• SOFaT Online Course — our comprehensive online tufting workshop
• In-person workshops in Philadelphia — learn hands-on with our instructors

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