Upholstery

Learn the art and craft of fine upholstery, working with your own furniture. Practice stripping, spring tie-off, covering, cushions and the use of materials and tools including sewing machines. The class follows an open workshop format; instructors give individual guidance based on student needs. Students often stay for multiple semesters, enjoying the camaraderie of the shop and progressing to more ambitious projects over time.

Read Apartment Therapy’s review of this class... and blogs by UrbanSherp, Second Coat Design, The Great Wide Open and Salvage Love. (See Second Coat’s photos, above.) Salvage Love also posted a beautiful photo narrative showing Janine's work restoring a Mid-century Modern bench. Also great: Emily Mahlman's video of Paul DeVito, Jr. spitting tacks.

BEGINNERS PLEASE NOTE: You will be most satisfied if you start small with a dining room chair, footstool or ottoman. An armchair or wing-back chair will take more than one semester to complete. Even smaller pieces may take more than one semester.

INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: You may prepare for class by stripping your furniture at home. Beginners may wish to strip with supervision of the instructor.

This very popular class fills up quickly. We process registrations on a first–come, first–served basis, and we try to post “FULL” notices as soon as our office staff catches up with registrations that come in outside of office hours. It’s a good idea to include a note in the Comments box of the on–line registration form letting us know which alternate sections you can accept as a second choice.

If classes are full, email to put yourself on a waiting list. New sections open each semester. Add yourself to our email list to receive notice when our new schedules go up on line.

You may also be interested in our Basic Upholstery Workshop, which will give you the skills you need for a head-start on any professional-level upholstering project.

In summer, we offer a Summer Upholstery Intensive – the same as our regular Upholstery class, but all in one week. Leave your work out in the shop and immerse yourself.