TEMPE, Ariz. — If you’re looking for something fun and unique to do on your next date night or outing with family and friends this holiday season, why not try an old craft that’s become new again — rug tufting.
The craft recently reemerged as a design trend, and is getting a lot of attention on social media.
At TuTugether art studio on Mill Avenue in Tempe, you can try it out for yourself. It’s the perfect place to craft your own memories with handcrafted treasures.
“It just kept popping up and so I was like let’s give it a whirl,” said Melinda Puma, who keeps seeing it on TikTok and Instagram.
So, Puma and her 8-year-old daughter Olivia decided to do just that. They planned a fun family outing.
“Some are doing it for themselves,” Puma said. “My niece has her own business, so she’ll be doing her logo, and then we’ve got a few of us that are making Christmas presents for a few people.”
Before they got started, they all picked out a design and got pointers from the pros, on how to operate the tufting gun.
“It was pretty easy,” Olivia Puma said. “To do circles and stuff, it’s pretty easy... it’s really fun.”
“It looks intimidating,” said Olivia Puma. “It’s pretty light and easy.”
Next, they collected the yarn they needed, and traced their design on the tufting cloth using technology.
By hooking a smartphone up to a projector, they were able to see the design they picked out on the cloth, to use it as a template. And then they’re off and running.
“We allow for a variety of designs,” said Ian Sanchez, TuTugether business spokesperson. “We have a variety of sizes, and we help and encourage you to do whatever you want with it.”
He said the possibilities of what you can create are endless.
“I’ve seen anime, I’ve seen movie posters being made out of rugs,” said Sanchez. “I’ve seen almost anything and everything.”
And if you’re indecisive, they have some samples already made up, to get your creative juices flowing.
“It’s a nice way to destress, have fun with people… we’ve been getting great reception of it,” he said.
So far Melinda Puma and her daughter highly recommend it.
“It definitely has been a good experience so far, and pretty easy to learn, so we’re excited to see how it turns out,” said Melinda Puma.
If you’re looking to unleash your inner artist and create a one-of-a-kind handmade craft item, you should put rug tufting on your to-do list.
But keep in mind, the smallest rug can take anywhere from three to four hours to complete. The more complex the rug is, the longer it’s going to take. So, if you plan to take a stab at it, be sure to plan ahead.
If you’re wondering how much the rug tufting costs - prices range from $75 to more than $300, depending on the size and level of complexity you choose.
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