When I first heard about tufting—the art of making rugs using a specialized gun that punches yarn through fabric—I was instantly intrigued. After weeks of watching mesmerizing Reels videos of people creating colorful rugs, I decided to take the plunge and headed over to Go Tufting NYC in Long Island City, Queens.
Finding the Studio
Nestled in a creative hub off Hunters Point Ave, Go Tufting NYC is a bright, welcoming space that immediately puts you in a creative mindset. The industrial-chic studio, with its large windows, houses various art tables and tufting stations where beginners and experienced artists work on their creations.
Getting Started
Upon arrival, I was greeted by my instructor who walked me through the studio space and the basics of tufting. The first step was selecting my design, which she projected onto my canvas. After settling on a simple Hello Kitty design, it was time to pick my yarn. The studio’s yarn wall is a rainbow paradise, featuring an array of colors to choose from.
The Tufting Process
The actual tufting process is both challenging and rewarding. First, my design was projected onto a stretched monk’s cloth canvas, making the sketching step a breeze. Then came the exciting part—learning to use the tufting gun. It’s essentially a power tool that pushes yarn through the fabric, creating loops or cut piles depending on your settings.
The gun is surprisingly powerful, and it took me a few practice runs on a separate array of the fabric, away from my intended design, to get comfortable with the pressure and motion needed. My instructor taught me the importance of maintaining consistent pressure and speed, and how to navigate curves and straight lines.
It truly is an art form, and as I state in my video, therapeutic af.
Learning Curves and Victories
I won’t lie—there were moments of frustration. My first few lines were wobbly, and I accidentally created a few holes in the fabric (thankfully, these are easily fixed). But there’s something incredibly satisfying about watching your design come to life, one line of yarn at a time. The methodical nature of tufting is almost meditative, and I found myself getting into a rhythm after the first hour.
Finishing Touches
After completing the tufting, there were a few other finishing steps. I trimmed uneven areas with an electric razor, making sure all the yarn was level. Then came the messy part —applying hot glue to the back of the rug to secure everything in place. Finally, I cut my creation out of the frame and added the backing fabric.
Voila! My Hello Kitty rug was complete! Even though this activity took about six hours to complete, it was truly worth it and I would definitely return to make another rug.