Rug tufting studio adds to Lansing’s craft scene

Pursuing entrepreneurship takes bravery and determination. For some, it’s a dream they never achieve.

Tara Montgomery was always drawn to the idea of running her own business. A self-described creative who enjoys decorating cakes and taught herself to draw, she could see herself working in a variety of areas. 

“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do,” she said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to push her fears aside and take her dreams of entrepreneurship seriously. 

“Basically, I just jumped in, not knowing anything,” she said. 

Now, four years cancer free, Montgomery’s dream is alive and well. 

At her studio, TUF Creations, which recently relocated to Kalamazoo Street downtown, she helps people turn visions into one-of-a-kind rugs. 

Rug tufting is the process of punching yarn in and out of a canvas. At TUF Creations, tufting guns, which are heavier than they look, are used to make things easier. 

Customers trace an image of their choosing on a tufting cloth. Yarn is fed through the tufting gun, and customers use the gun to punch the yarn through the cloth. Montgomery described the process as similar to latch hooking, only less tedious. 

Tufting has become trendy on social media over the past few years. Montgomery saw a video and was immediately inspired. 

“I just needed to know how to do it,” she said.

While tufting is typically used to create rugs, Montgomery said the possibilities are endless. 

“You can make purses, you can make pillows. It can go further than just something on your floor. It’s really a work of art.”

For many customers, it’s their first time tufting, but Montgomery said novices catch on easily. 

The studio offers a variety of sizes, from as small as 15-by-15 inches to as large as 30-by-30 inches. Pricing ranges from $65 to $180 and is all inclusive. 

TUF adds to downtown Lansing’s growing craft scene, which already has ceramics, painting and woodworking studios. 

“It’s really for people who are willing to try something different than painting,” Montgomery said. 

For Montgomery, owning and operating a business is more than accomplishing her dream. As a Lansing native, she wanted to bring a fresh activity to the developing downtown area. 

“They’re building so much down here, and I really wanted to be a part of it,” she said.

As far as trends go, she believes rug tufting will remain popular. TUF has had customers from around the state, including Jackson, Flint and Grand Rapids. 

“I’m always shocked when I hear where everybody’s from,” she said.