How can I build my own frame?
Creating your own tufting frame is a cost-efficient option for tufters looking for a larger or custom-sized frame. Check out this video for a quick visual on the process!
In addition to the following materials, available at most hardware stores, you’ll also need a drill and a hammer.
Materials for a 72” x 72” tufting frame:
- 5 pieces of lumber, 2" x 3" x 96"
- Approximately 24 feet carpet tack*
- 2.5" long screws for frame construction
- 1.25" long screws for leg braces
- Wood glue and nails, or staple gun
*There’s a range of carpet tack varieties and pack quantities on the market. For this frame, we recommend buying two packs of three, 4-foot strips. Some carpet tack comes with nails pre-installed (in which case we also recommend adding wood glue). We don’t recommend carpet tack varieties with a peel-off adhesive back.
1. For the frame: Cut the ends of four pieces of your lumber at 45 degree Miter angles.
2. For the frame legs: Divide the fifth board into two 24”, two 16”, and two 8” cuts. The 8” pieces should also have 45 degree cuts at both ends.
3. Lay out the pieces of your frame on a flat surface. Use a T-square and hand drill to screw together the four corners of the frame using eight 2.5” long screws.
4. Create two T-shaped leg braces using the six smaller cuts of lumber and 1.25” screws. Attach these to the base of the frame and stand the frame upright.
5. Using a handsaw and gloves, cut carpet tack into four strips, approx. 70 - 72.” Depending on how much tack you have, it’s also fine to use smaller increments. If the tack doesn’t cover every part of the frame edge, we recommend that the gaps between strips are less than three inches long.
6. How you attach the carpet tack will depend on the kind you’ve purchased. We recommend using either staples, or both wood glue and nails to attach the tack strips to the side of the frame you want to tuft on. Tacks should face out (toward you) and pointing away from the center of the frame in order to tautly secure your cloth.
Making a yarn feeder is an additional step, and can be done many different ways. Similar to the yarn feeder we include with the Tuft the World Tufting Frame, we recommend creating two extensions off to one side of your frame, one near the bottom and one near the top. One or more upright dowels secured to the bottom extension will hold your yarn cone(s) in place, while one or more screw eyes in the top extension will help feed the yarn into your tufting machine.
But what size frame should I build? And how much fabric will fit?
We recommend building your frame based on the size of tufting cloth you plan to use most often. This will allow you to maximize your fabric and prevent waste.
This chart is based on the measurements of our Primary Tufting Cloth.
Cloth size | Example frame sizes | Number of tufted pieces from the cloth based on the frame size |
1 yard 36” x 157” (91cm x 4 m) | 30” x 30” (76cm x 76cm) | 4 |
48” x 30” (122cm x 76cm) | 3 | |
2 yards 72” x 157” (182cm x 4m) | 66” x 30” (167cm x 76cm) | 4 |
66” x 44” (167cm x 111cm) | 3 | |
3 yards 108” x 157” (274cm x 4m) | 96” x 44” (244cm x 111cm) | 3 |
96” x 72” (244cm x 183cm) | 2 |
