Two-day Chair Upholstery Course

Upholster your own chair in this practical hands-on course

Chair Repair School

5.0 (95)

2 x 7.5 hours

1 to 6 guests

$610

What you'll do

This course offers a wonderful introduction to the practical and traditional craft of upholstery. Experience the delight and satisfaction that creating something by hand brings to your life.

Learn new skills and have some fun during this two-day, bring-your-own-chair upholstery workshop. You will be taught the techniques required to restore a chair of your own during the course and acquire the confidence to tackle new projects on your own.

There will be the opportunity to restore the timber on your chair as well as fixing minor repairs on chair frames as well as tuition and guidance on various timber finishes.

Tuition is tailored to each individual project, however, demonstrations will be offered to the group for every technique covered during class: in this way, you will be introduced to a broader set of skills, above and beyond the techniques needed to complete your own project.

Class outline:

You will learn the correct and safe procedures on how to strip upholstered chairs.
You will learn the correct and safe way to use specialised professional upholstery tools.
You will learn about the upholstery techniques needed for your individual project.
You will have the opportunity to learn about additional upholstery techniques beyond those required for your own project.
You will acquire the confidence and skills to tackle new projects on your own.
Groups are kept small at six participants to maximise individual learning.

Fees include the use of tools on the day and SOME basic materials. Materials NOT included in the course fees are listed below.

Please note: Stuffings (foam or loose fibre), edge forming profiles, platform cloth (the cloth under cushions, over springs), springs, cushion inserts, backtack products and timber for repairs and timber finishing products are not included in the course fees and are charged on a per usage basis.

**Projects that include timber restorations will have limited access to the reupholstery element of the workshop due to time constraints.

Techniques covered may include:

How to rejuvenate the timber finish on your chair.
How to make minor repairs to a structurally un-sound chair.
Webbing a seat for traditional or modern furniture.
How to create a traditionally sprung a seat.
Cutting and shaping foam for a professional finish.
How to stuff and stitch a traditionally upholstered seat.
How to make upholstery buttons.
Making zippered box cushion covers.

See available dates, Request a private class or Gift

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Knowledge required

Perfect for beginners and those who have had no upholstery experience or those with some previous upholstery experience who wish to build on their skills.

What you'll get

14 hours of hands on practical learning workshop time working on your chair project.
Use of the professional tools in class.
Some basic materials used during class time.
If you need to take additional materials home to finish your project these will be charged for as per usage. -
There is also a charge for timber and timber finishes if your chair needs fixing or refinishing

What to bring

The chair that you wish to work on and the top fabric of your choice as well as any braid tape if your project needs it.
Please also bring an old blanket to work on, a notebook, pencil and some old gardening gloves.
Please wear closed shoes.
BYO lunch and snacks.

Choosing you chair:

The best choice of chair for the workshop timeframe and beginner's level is a chair with only a seat, upholstery is a slow craft. At most, your chair should have no more than two flat planes (a seat and a back), however, please be aware if you wish to have the best chance of finishing during the workshop timeframe we strongly suggest that your chair have only one upholstered element. Of course, you can bring chairs with two elements, but please be aware that it will be much harder to complete in one workshop. Arms and curves are much harder and take longer to achieve and are not suitable projects for this workshop timeframe and level.

Please contact us with an image of your chair (from a few different angles) or if you would like to discuss your chair project.

Session repeats

This class series runs over 2 consecutive days.

Location

2nd Orange Scout Group, Kite Street, Orange NSW; 3rd 4th Kensington Scout hall, 2C Strachan Street, Kingsford NSW and 1st Blackheath Scout Hall, Park Lane, Blackheath NSW (varies by date; click the date selector to see details)

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Your teacher

Chair Repair School

5.0 (95)

Chair Repair School is run by a collaboration between two makers who call themselves We Us and Stuff.  The pair: Fiona Edmeades artist and upholsterer (Reign of Chairs) and Steve Thomas woodworker (Creek Furniture), share an affinity for rejuvenation of old wares, the use of reclaimed materials and the process of the handmade.

Fiona trained as a traditional upholsterer and gained her City and Guilds Certificate in the craft, at the London College of Furniture in 1991. Fiona takes on commission upholstery jobs and teaches upholstery classes in Sydney and greater NSW.

In 2009 Fiona graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Art School. she also makes sculptural works using reclaimed metals and objects.

Steve has been collecting and recycling timber for decades. As Creek Furniture, he makes doors, windows and customised furniture pieces in a variety of reclaimed timber. His materials come from a myriad of sources: old workshop floors, farmhouse and shed demolitions to name but a few.

Steve delights’ in breathing new life into old timber, he teaches the timber element of the course and deals with any frame repairs on chairs, that are needed during the workshop. Steve also makes all the frames of the our footstools and bedheads used in various classes.

Steve and Fiona love to share their skills and they delight in helping others to learn new skills and seeing them experience the joy that can be had from making something by hand.