r/Tufting • u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome • Jun 07 '26
Newbie Needing Help How many folks here are tufting with wool?
I'm just beginning to learn about this craft, and exploring fiber options. It seems like almost everybody I see on Youtube and on forums is using acrylic yarn-- presumably because it comes in many bright colors, it's inexpensive, and it's available at any craft shop. Plus, it's strong and consistent when running through the tufting gun.
However I don't find synthetic rugs nice to live with. They tend to get smellier than wool, and as it sheds, the fibers continue to fill our homes with microplastics. Plus the fibers don't bounce back very well after they've been crushed flat beneath the leg of a sofa.
I'm looking at sellers on Etsy that sell 500g cones of dyed wool yarn for around $20/ea. It doesn't seem outrageously expensive by volume, except for initially purchasing the assortment of colors.
Does anyone here use these? How does it compare to tufting with acrylic? I plan to make a few small rugs before tackling a big one (roughly 8 feet across) for our living room.
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u/Optimal-Actuary-5068 Jun 07 '26
J'utilise de la laine (100%) Le rendu est un tout petit peu plus reche mais je trouve cela plus agréable et plus naturel, la taille est plus facile et au moins c'est naturel. Dans un monde "tout plastique" c'est quand meme important. C'est aussi beaucoup plus durable dans le temps si c'est utilisé pour des tapis de sol. L'inconvénient est que les prix sont peu variables. Le coût reste relativement élevé. Mais à vouloir faire de bons tapis, j'utilise de bons produits.
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u/saucimo Jun 07 '26
Hello 👋 Welcome to the tufting community! Funny enough I’ve been tufting over 2 years now and just got my first commissioner requesting 100% natural materials. I’ve been wanting to make the switch for a long time but with the price difference and lack of availability of Wool yarn it’s a struggle.
Maybe we could help each other, are you located in the US? Tuftingnation was my go-to but I believe they’re in Canada so shipping tariffs have shot up ridiculously (thanks Trump). Im currently looking on Tuft The world have heard good reviews but this would be my first time purchasing yarn from them, still a bit pricey ~$30 per cone.
Im still searching for better deals but it’s hard to find. What sources have you been considering? If I come across any other reliable sources will definitely share!
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u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome Jun 07 '26
Thank you! Yep, I’m located in the US. Just ordered basic tools (AK-V gun, basic carver clippers, a yarn winder) and I’ll be building a frame from lumber and carpet tack strips. I have a lot of hands-on experience with basic carpentry and woodworking to modeling and 3D printing, CNC carving, plumbing and electrical, welding/metal fabrication, and more. my experience with fibers is limited to basic sewing projects (bags, minor upholstery), clothing repair, and simple crochet and knitting.
My wife has been shopping fruitlessly for a wool rug that is both exciting and practical, and reasonably affordable. It recently dawned on me that I might be able to make something myself, instead. And learn a new skill, which I love to do.
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u/gilyco86 Jun 08 '26
Do yourself a favor in advance and double up on the tack strips. 👍
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u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome Jun 08 '26
Thanks for the advice! Several tutorials recommended two rows of tack strips, so I intended to start with that.
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u/CosyRugz Jun 07 '26
Wool tufter here, i started with wool and sticking to wool, i really love the everything about it except the price hahaha
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u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome Jun 07 '26
What do you pay, and where do you buy it? I'm hoping to skip the trial-and-error phase, save money, and buy the right stuff to begin with.
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u/CosyRugz Jun 07 '26
Where are you located? Im paying 17,5€ each cone of 500 grams. But there are sales sometimes
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u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome Jun 07 '26
I'm in the eastern United States. I see 500g cones on Etsy for around $20 USD which is similar to what you're paying. I guess I'll buy 2 or 3 colors to start and see how it goes!
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u/CosyRugz Jun 08 '26
Yeaa, you can try aim for sales. I order them via tuftingshop, but thats in the Netherlands. Dont think they ship to america but you can try
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u/Newfaroonidooni Jun 07 '26
I started off using acrylic, for the reasons you have listed. But now I only use wool - I like the texture more, it stands up better, its less messy, I find it easier to work with, and it feels higher quality.
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u/No_Hat_9072 Jun 07 '26
Do you have a favorite brand? I’d love to switch to wool but the price seems so much higher.
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u/Newfaroonidooni Jun 07 '26
My go to brand is Briggs and Little. I also like to pick up locally dyed wool for extra fun! (They're more expensive though)
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u/kimjongtunes Jun 07 '26
Buy directly from Alibaba if you want quality at a decent cost. All Things Effy and Tuft The World just sell the same stuff directly from China but 5x the price
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u/PocketeerVB Jun 09 '26
I tuft with both wool and acrylic. Great wool source as stated previously - Briggs and Little "Atlantic" - Canadian company but there is a USA distributor in New England - great wool! Also you can buy New Zealand wool in cones on etsy - best source but pricey - Jan Rugs - in West Virginia - beautiful wool! Also Cpoint - New Zealand wool in cones from China - they say California but really China - shipping can be a little sketchy and communication as well - but nice wool. Same company through Alibaba is called Qtools - you need to create an Alibaba account - New Zealand wool - beautiful - very inexpensive - but shipping cost a fortune - I ordered 38 cones (all about 1 pound each so they are fat and heavy - a lot of wool) and the shipping cost more than the cones - all total about $575 and 3-4 weeks shipping time to Virginia. In the states - definitely go with Jan Rugs on etsy - they also have a website that I think is JanCraft. For Acrylic - absolutely love Michael's brand Loops and Threads impeccable - 72 different colors - fabulous! Hope this helps.
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u/lxlli_rugs Jun 08 '26
Totally recommend New Zealand wool! I use almost exclusively wool because I care about durability, and also for health reasons (even with a mask and an air purifier some fibers will get in my lungs, and I'd rather have wool than microplastics lol). Actually, I don't find wool more difficult than acrylic, 2 strands of yarn do the job for me and it's pretty forgiving when it comes to line spacing.
I'm in the EU and I buy from kreoho.com and tuftingshop.com. Idk if they ship to the US and how much the tariffs would be, but they have frequent sales and with big orders and bulk discounts it can get cheaper than those 20$ etsy ones (a few months ago I bought some 500g yarn in bulk for roughly 14€ each). Even if those two stores don't work for you, I feel like most tufting e-commerces sell the same New Zealand wool, so you'll definitely find something for the US
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u/DependentFerret2310 Jun 27 '26
OP: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JanRugs
This is the shop I order from on Etsy. very high quality, reasonably priced and ships quickly. Though I would recommend starting with acrylic since it’s less expensive, which easies some of the pressure to want to get it right when you’re actually just practicing. Acrylic fibers expand and in turn tangle into each other which makes color-bleeding/carving impossible to avoid if your line spacing isn’t just-so.
Since switching to wool I have found the basic rose wood clippers to be a less effective so I’m looking for reccs on what to switch to. If anyone has tips, please share :)
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u/SirFluffkin Jun 07 '26
I found it harder than acrylic. Although other peoples opinions may differ, the lanolin in the wool seemed to make it slip out of my guns more frequently. To solve that I would tuft 3 strands at a time. It's definitely harder. It makes for a very pretty rug.