A professional who operates machine to tuft designs on articles, such as rugs and bedspreads. Responsibilities include:

• Places yarn packages on spindles and draws ends through machine guides, tensions, and needle eyes.
• Depresses pedal to activate tufting mechanism and guides material under tufting needles, following design specifications.
• Observes tufting to detect defects, such as broken yarn and needles.
• Rethreads machine or replaces damaged needles.
• Rethreads machine needle with specified color of yarn to tuft multicolor design.
• Workers who tend machines that tuft continuous lengths of cloth are classified under tufting-machine operator.