Finishing: Shearing and Carving

Tufting builds the shape; finishing gives it its character.

**Shearing.** The first pass levels the whole surface with electric shears held flat and moved slowly in one direction. I go over the piece two or three times, taking off very little each pass. Cutting deep once always leaves a scoop you cannot undo.

**Carving.** Then I switch to small curved scissors and cut a narrow bevel along the edge of every shape. This tiny shadow line is why a tufted design reads clearly instead of blurring into the background.

**Edges.** Outer edges are trimmed at a slight angle so the piece looks solid from the side, then bound or hemmed with cotton tape.

**The final clean.** A lint roller and a vacuum on low remove loose fibre. A piece keeps shedding a little for the first week — that is normal, and it stops.

Take your time here. This is the stage where a good rug becomes a beautiful one.