Things to do · Arts and crafts
Make a rug with a tufting gun
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An electric tufting gun lets you turn a drawing into a rug in a single session, with the yarn standing up from a cloth stretched on a frame. Beginners' workshops supply the gun, frame, cloth and yarn, and you end up with a small rug or wall hanging of your own design.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650An afternoonIndoorsWith othersUK and US
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What a session is like
Tufted rugs have cut threads that stand up from a base cloth. On a beginners' course you stretch the backing cloth on a frame, sketch your design onto it, thread the tufting gun and fill in the design, then trim the pile. Tiernan Alexander of Tuft the World told Next Avenue that you can learn it in an afternoon.
The back then has to be glued and covered. At some studios you do this yourself; at others the team finishes the piece and you collect it later. Cheeky Studio in London finishes rugs for collection or delivery, typically within five to seven days. Craft Alliance glues and backs students' rugs for collection a week later, and MakeHaven in Connecticut adds a short evening session for the backing.
The gun is noisy and the yarn sheds fibres. Tuft the World recommends earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones, and a mask or an air purifier while you tuft. The machines can be heavy, so take breaks to stretch if your wrists, feet or back start to ache.
Buying your own kit is a bigger step. The basics are a tufting machine, cloth, a frame and yarn, and one rug maker told Next Avenue that the start-up costs are higher than for other textile crafts.
Where to learn, and what it costs
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Cheeky Studio, Hackney Wick, London | Three hours; a rug of 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 in), finished by the studio | £150 |
| Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh (past run) | Beginners' experience day with artist Molly Kent, 10am to 4.30pm; three places; equipment and materials included; contemporary rug sample | £165 |
| Tuft the World, Philadelphia | Drink and Tuft: Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 5pm to 9pm; piece of 18 x 18 in (46 x 46 cm); up to 10 people; supplies, snacks and drinks included | $100 |
| MakeHaven, New Haven, Connecticut (past run) | Sunday day session plus a Monday evening for the backing; a gun and frame for your sole use; yarn and cloth included; 18 and over | $157, or $134 for members |
| Craft Alliance (past run) | Three-hour class; gun use, stretching the cloth, design and trimming; all materials included; 16 and over | $69, or $59 for members, plus a $25 studio fee |
MakeHaven offers a need-based price reduction on application. Dovecot asks anyone allergic to latex to get in touch, because liquid latex is used to finish the piece.
How to start
- Book a beginners' tufting workshop at a craft studio or makerspace; most include the gun, frame, cloth and yarn.
- Have a design in mind. First pieces are small, around 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 in) at one London studio.
- Wear comfortable non-slip shoes and clothes you don't mind getting fluff on, and ask whether ear protection is provided.
Where to go
- Cheeky Studio: rug tufting workshop, Hackney Wick (London) UK
- Dovecot Studios: rug tufting (Edinburgh) UK
- Tuft the World: Drink and Tuft beginner workshop (Philadelphia) US
- MakeHaven: hand-tufted rug beginner workshop (New Haven, Connecticut) US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Questions people ask
Is rug tufting hard to learn?
Not to get started. Workshops are aimed at beginners, and Tiernan Alexander of Tuft the World told Next Avenue that you can learn it in an afternoon.
Is a tufting gun loud?
Yes, loud enough that Tuft the World recommends tufting with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.
How much is a rug tufting workshop?
Listed prices range from $100 at Tuft the World in Philadelphia to £150 at Cheeky Studio in London and £165 for a past full-day session at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. Materials are included at all three.
Do I take my rug home on the day?
It depends on the studio. Tuft the World participants take their work home after the class; Cheeky Studio finishes the rug and has it ready in five to seven days.
Where this comes from: Craft Courses, Cheeky Studio regular rug tufting workshop; Dovecot Studios, Rug tufting; Dovecot Studios shop, Rug Tufting Experience Day; Tuft the World, Drink and Tuft: Beginner tufting workshop; MakeHaven, Create Your Own Hand-Tufted Rug: Beginner Workshop; Craft Alliance, Making a Tufted Rug; Tuft the World, Safety precautions while tufting; Next Avenue, Rug tufting: an old craft that's new again. Opened 13 November 2026.
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