What do I need to start tufting? A quick overview.

February 19, 2026

Table of Contents: Tufting Essentials

Source: Excerpts from "What do I need to start tufting? A quick overview."

I. Essential Equipment

• Tufting Machine: This section introduces the two main categories of tufting machines (low-pile and high-pile) and recommends the DUO machine for beginners. It also provides links to learn more about different machine types.
• Tufting Cloth: This section emphasizes the importance of using a suitable fabric for tufting and recommends the Primary White Tufting Cloth. It includes a link for exploring various tufting fabric options.
• Yarn: This section discusses yarn requirements, suggesting the use of rug-making yarns like Reflect Wool or Eco-Cotton. It also links to resources for choosing and loading yarn into the machine.
• Tufting Frame: This section highlights the necessity of a frame to hold the tufting cloth taut and recommends the Instant Tufting Frame or building a DIY frame. It links to resources with frame information and a DIY frame tutorial.

II. Finishing Materials & Tools

• Adhesive: This section explains the need for adhesive in securing the tufts and provides a link to learn about adhesive types and recommendations.
• Backing Cloth: This section introduces backing cloths for finishing tufted pieces and mentions options like Final Backing Cloth, Felt Backing Cloth, or Action Bac. It includes a link to learn more about backing cloths and their applications.
• Shaping & Finishing Tools: This section covers optional shaping tools for cut-pile tufts, including clippers, scissors, and sheep shears with a Shearing Guide. It clarifies that shears need to be purchased separately.

Tufting Machine. There are several models of tufting machines to choose from, depending on your skill level and preference, but generally machines fall into one of two categories: low-pile and high-pile. For beginning tufters, we recommend the DUO, our new machine that performs both cut-pile or only loop-pile.  The DUO is available in low pile, medium pile and high pile. Learn more about machine types here. 

Tufting Cloth. Tufting requires a specific fabric surface to tuft into. Like other fabrics, tufting cloth is available by the yard, and should include enough allowance to adequately secure it in place on the frame. Our Primary White Tufting Cloth is the industry standard, designed specifically for use with tufting machines. Learn more about the range of potential tufting fabrics here. 

Yarn. You’ll need a fair amount to tuft, but the exact amount will depend on the size of your project (examples here), whether or not you’re using a low or high-pile machine, and how many yarn strands you’re tufting with at a time (we recommend two, for a plusher density). You can tuft using most types of natural fiber yarns, but high quality rug-making yarns, like our Reflect Wool and Eco-Cotton, will work best with your tufting machine and be the most durable. Learn more about how to choose tufting yarns here. See how to feed yarn into your machine here. 

Tufting Frame. This is essential to holding the tufting cloth taut while you work. Our Instant Tufting Frame is easy to assemble at home and designed to clamp to the edge of a standard tabletop. You can also make your own tufting frame for about $25. Learn more about frames here, including a video showing how to build your own here.  

Adhesive. Once you tuft a rug, you will need to glue the back of the piece as part of the finishing process. Read more about adhesives types, and our recommendations, here. 

Backing Cloth. After the adhesive is dry, you’ll need to finish (or “back”) your rug with another cloth (we sell Final Backing Cloth, Felt Backing Cloth, or Action Bac). There are several ways to do this depending on your piece’s function (wall piece, floor rug, garment?). Learn more about backing cloths here. 

Shaping and Finishing Tools. Shaping is an optional finishing step. Cut pile tufts can be shaped with clippers or scissors, or trimmed to an even pile by combining a sheep shear with our Shearing Guide (*shears are not included with our shearing guide and must be purchased separately from an alternative supplier)

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