While most collectors are worried about corner whitening, Nicole, from ND Rugs, is busy carving them out of yarn. By scaling up 2.5-inch cards into massive textile masterpieces, she has created a unique niche where “opening packs” meets high-level craftsmanship. We sat down to discuss the viral “Would You Trade?” series, the nightmare of tufting tiny hands, and why a certain Psychic-type legendary is the focus of her personal collection.
1. Translating a piece of flat, 2.5-inch cardboard into a massive rug is mind-blowing. How did you originally get into rug tufting, and what made you decide to start doing Pokémon cards specifically?
Back in 2021, I was looking for a hobby to try. Nothing had ever really stuck with me before, but when I discovered rug tufting I found myself getting more and more invested in it. The same thing happened with Pokémon cards – I got into opening packs again and never seemed to get bored of it. Eventually I realised I could combine both hobbies and that’s when I started reimagining Pokémon cards as rugs.
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2. Your “Rug Carving ASMR” videos show just how much detail goes into the final product. What is the most challenging part of recreating TCG artwork—is it getting the text right, matching the colors, or something else entirely?
There are a lot of things to consider when making a rug – the number of colours used, the level of detail, and the overall size, just to name a few. I think every rug maker has their own challenges, but for me the hardest part is definitely the text. The thin and precise lines required for lettering take a lot of patience and careful carving to make them look clean and tidy in yarn form.
3. Your “Would You Trade?” videos, where you trade a finished rug for the actual card, are such a fun concept. What has been the most memorable or surprising trade you’ve made so far? And which card is next on your list?
Thank you! When I attended my first card show, I quickly saw how big trading is within the TCG community. That’s when I realised I could create something a little different by incorporating a rug into the trade. Honestly, every trade so far has been memorable. I’m not naturally someone who finds it easy to put myself out there on camera, but the response to the videos and the support from the community has made it completely worth it. As for what’s next, I’m not entirely sure yet – but the dream trade would definitely be a Moonbreon!
4. You clearly love opening packs yourself—we saw you ripping packs in Amsterdam! Outside of making rugs, what does your personal Pokémon card collection look like? Do you chase specific artists, sets, or Pokémon?
I absolutely love opening packs, and I also join in with live rips on TikTok and streams on Whatnot. The set that really got me back into collecting was Brilliant Stars. Recently I had a big wave of nostalgia from my childhood and rediscovered that Mewtwo is my favourite Pokémon. Because of that, I’ve started a dedicated Mewtwo binder that I’m slowly adding to whenever I find new cards.
5. If you had unlimited time and unlimited yarn, what is your ultimate “dream card” that you would want to turn into a life-sized rug?
That’s a really difficult one because the possibilities are endless! Off the top of my head, I’d probably say the Umbreon SIR from Prismatic Evolutions. It would be an amazing card to recreate, although it would also be extremely challenging to translate into a rug because of the level of detail.
The Rapid-Fire Round
Roughly how many days/weeks does a full-sized Pokémon card rug take to make? 1.5 – 2 weeks.
Hardest Pokémon to tuft? Any with small hands!
Favorite Pokémon set to open? Destined Rivals or Ascended Heroes.
If you had to be a Pokémon gym leader, what type would you use? Psychic.
6. How can people follow your journey?
You can follow the process and see my latest trades on TikTok and Instagram at @nd.rugs.
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