How to stretch the tufting cloth properly?

Stretching the tufting cloth might not sound like a big deal, but it really is.

There are some things to know about stretching the cloth!  First of all you want to have a proper frame and a good quality cloth.

You want your cloth to be a bit larger than the external dimensions of your frame so you will be able to grab it properly and stretch it.

For frames up to 2 meters we add about 10 cm on each side. Once you have your cloth cut to size put it loosely on the frame and make sure there is enough cloth on every side.

Then you start stretching from the center of the bar to the outside, starting on the top and bottom bar.
When you move from the center outwards, make sure to always pull as hard as you can.

If you have our polyester tufting cloth or any other marked tufting cloth you will now be able to use the lines to make sure your stretching evenly. Make sure the lines are as straight as possible and when you push against the cloth and move your hand around, the tension should be as even as possible.

The stretching will help you to move the gun exactely where you want it to go. If cloth is uneven, the changing tension of the cloth will pull your tufting gun in the direction of the uneven stretch.

A video tutorial will be added soon.