TBX Rug Tufting Starter Kit
Fabric | Frame | AK-I Tufting Gun
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Start making rugs with the Tufting Kit by Tuftbox. The kit is perfect for beginners and includes the three essentials you’ll need to get started:
- The AK-I Rug Tufting Machine a cut-pile tufting gun that effortlessly transforms yarn into fluffy fibre art.
- The Tuftbox Rug Tufting Frame a UK-made wooden tufting frame that clamps to any table.
- Primary Tufting Fabric - 1 x 4 meters of premium tufting cloth to make 4 projects on the Tuftbox frame.
Click the boxes below to find out more.
The AK-I cut-pile tufting gun is a powerful machine for anyone looking to transform yarn into fluffy rugs and fibre arts.
Since 2020 the AK-I has been the #1 bestselling tufting machine - tried, tested and loved by thousands of happy artists and crafters across the globe.
The 2024 AK-I is engineered by the manufacturer of the original AK-I, AK-II, AK-III and the Duo. With over two decades in the tufting industry, the experts behind the AK series continue to deliver unbeatable performance and reliability.
The Tuftbox Tufting Frame is perfectly sized for beginners and comes with two sturdy C-clamps so you can fasten it to any tabletop in your home.
Assembly is a breeze with our easy-to-follow instructions. The only thing you will need is a manual or electric screwdriver with a PZ2 (Pozidriv) head.
The frame is made by Tuftbox in the UK using sustainably-sourced premium redwood pine. Each wooden piece of the frame is planned and hand-sanded for a smooth finish.
The kit includes 1 x 4m of Primary Tufting Fabric. This fabric is a premium-grade woven polyester designed for use with tufting machines.
Our fabric is perfect for beginners as it is tear resistant, easy to re-use if you make a mistake and it is not affected by humidity which means it stays tightly stretched on your frame. You can learn more about primary fabrics, including how to stretch your fabric onto your frame, in our Tufting Fabric FAQs.
- The AK-I Cut Pile Tufting Machine
- The AK-I instruction manual a 14-page booklet covering everything you need to know, from how to tuft your first lines to how you can look after your gun
- A set of replacement parts and the tools you will need to adjust your machine
- A long threading tool to help you with threading your yarn into the needle of your machine
- Tufting Frame Instruction Booklet with diagrams to help you assemble your new frame
- 6 x Redwood Pine Wood Pieces Pre-cut and ready to assemble with carpet grippers already installed
- 2 x Wooden Dowels for your yarn feeding system
- 2 x Eyelet Screws for your yarn feeding system
- 12 x PZ2 Screws for assembling your frame
- 2 x 10cm (4”) Pony C-Clamps for attaching the frame to your table
- 1 x 4m Grey Primary Tufting Fabric
Below are the only other essential items you will need alongside the kit to get tufting right away!
- 1 x PZ2 Electric or Manual Screwdriver
- A sturdy table
- Yarn - choose from the Tuftbox 100% New Zealand Wool Yarn or the Red Heart Super Saver® 100% acrylic yarn - both specially curated to work flawlessly with your AK-I Cut-Pile Tufting Gun.
Every AK-I cut pile tufting gun sold by Tuftbox adheres to the high quality and safety standards expected for all UK machinery. The AK-I cut pile tufting gun is CE marked, affirming the machine conforms to both the UK and European standards for health, safety and environmental protection.
Tufting guns are complex electrical machinery that are capable of stitching hundreds of times in just a few seconds. To prevent accidents and injuries it is essential that every new tufter reads and follows our guide to safe tufting. This safety information is also included in the manual that comes with your machine.
We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional support - for free! You can get in touch with us anytime by emailing help@tuftbox.co.uk.
Tuftbox is a UK-based business, when you purchase a tufting kit from us you're protected by awesome consumer rights which are guaranteed by law. Find out more by checking out our Returns Policy.
Product Specifications
AK-I Tufting Machine
- Pile Length: Adjustable to 10-17mm
- Speed: Adjustable to 5-43 Stitches Per Second
- Voltage: 100-240V
- Frequency: 50/60Hz
- Weight: 1.4KG
- Model: AK-I 2023
- Compatibility: UK (Standard Type G Plug)
Primary Tufting Fabric
- Colour: Grey with white woven grid lines
- Composition: 100% polyester
- Weight: 266gsm
- Density: Even Weave 70/70 threads per 10cm (UK standard specification)
- Woven in Germany 🇩🇪
Rug Tufting Frame
- Total Frame Size: Width: 117 cm, Height 85.5 cm, Depth: 7 cm
- Workable Area (Maximum Rug Size): Width 61.5 cm, Height: 70.5 cm
- Minimum Required Fabric Size: Width: 86.5 cm, Height: 95.5 cm
- Minimum Table Width: 87 cm
- Maximum Table Depth: 8cm
- Made in the UK 🇬🇧
Got Questions?
What is rug tufting?
Tufting is a textile manufacturing technique where a thread is inserted through a primary fabric base. A tufting gun is a hand-operated electric power tool that works by feeding yarn through a needle that rapidly punches an upright stretched piece of fabric.
What can I make with a tufting gun?
You can make a wide variety of textured textile products with a tufting machine including carpets, rugs, tapestries, wall art, stool covers, mirror frames, cushions and even clothing!
What is cut-pile tufting?
A tufting machine uses a mechanical needle that pushes yarn through fabric:
- A loop-pile machine punches yarn through the cloth in a continuous cycle, leaving loops of yarn.
- A cut-pile machine pushes yarn through the fabric and cuts the yarn.
The result is two very different finishing styles - cut-pile rugs have a dense fluffy pile and loop-pile rugs have more of a knobbly texture.
The AK-I machine is a cut-pile tufting gun. Over 90% of tufters choose cut-pile tufting machines and for good reason! They are easy to master, they make fluffy tufts that both look and feel great and they are a more affordable option than machines that do both cut and loop pile tufting.
Check out our blog Cut Pile vs. Loop Pile to find out more about the benefits and potential downsides of both styles.
What do I need to start making rugs?
Our ultimate guide to tufting supplies is a handy breakdown of the essential materials you’ll need to start making rugs. The guide includes the best supplies available in the UK.
On a budget? We’ve got you! The guide also has wallet-friendly picks for all of the tools and materials you’ll need to get tufting.
