Enquire about Classes

About the Classes

Each student receives individual tuition in my working upholstery studio. With a maximum of three students per class, you’ll enjoy plenty of one-to-one guidance tailored to your project, while also learning from others’ work and experiences.
Whether you’re completely new or refining your skills, I’ll guide you through every stage of the process — no prior experience required.

Choosing Your Project

Select a project that suits your skill level:

• Beginners often start with simple pieces such as a footstool or a dining chair with an upholstered seat.
• Intermediate students progress to items with sprung seats or upholstered backs.
• Advanced challenges include Parker Knoll wing chairs, tub chairs, or deep buttoned projects.

Some pieces may take longer than six weeks; I can advise on suitable projects before the course begins.

Workshop & Facilities

Classes take place in a compact but fully equipped commercial workshop with:

• Your own bench space and hand tools
• Power tools, compressor, and staple guns
• Button press, industrial sewing machine, and overlocker

Please note: projects cannot be stored between sessions, so they must be small enough to fit in your car boot. There’s plenty of parking, and chairs can be wheeled down to the workshop — no heavy lifting needed.

What you’ll learn – relevant to your own project:

The safe and correct use of tools and the working environment.

How to strip a chair, assess its condition and renovate the frame.

Build the foundation from frame up, springing, stuffing and stitching techniques. Patterning and tailoring, fabric cutting, placing and pattern matching.

Trimming and final detailing.

Materials

All traditional and modern upholstery materials are available here, with most items in stock.
Your materials are recorded on a personal cost sheet and settled at the end of each six‑week block.

You’re welcome to choose from my extensive fabric sample books or bring your own (as long as it’s suitable for upholstery).

A Little Comfort

Tea, coffee, and biscuits are always on hand to keep the creativity flowing.

If you’re ready to dive into the wonderfully addictive world of upholstery, get in touch to reserve your space.