Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 8 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the chair except 8 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required

Ok, so you need to fill a space and a chair is too small and a sofa is too big, what’s the answer? This course is the answer! Our Love Seat is that perfect size. Imagine curling up on this; fire on, brew (or wine!) in hand – perfection. And also imagine the sense of satisfaction knowing that you made it from scratch. We provide the frame, which will be ready and waiting for you and lovingly made by our in-house expert frame-making team. You’ll benefit from expert tuition by our teaching team, who come with over 120 years of experience between them. As with all our courses, this course is totally suitable for beginners and covers a whole range of skills; from applying webbing, hessian, cutting and applying foam, how and why we use Dacron, measuring, cutting and applying fabric, button-making and deep-buttoning, forming pleats and finishing touches. We highly recommend this brand new course!

This course is available to book on any 8 weekdays and runs from 9.30-4.30. Please select the week you would like to commence the course from the dropdown box and we will be in touch to finalise your dates.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

Please note that 8 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 8 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 40 days
Includes: Everything except one or two of your own projects, fabric, fire retardant  if required, replacement seat cushions if needed
Cost: £2800 divided into 4 payments of £700

Want to start a new career in upholstery? Then why not study with the UKs leading modern upholstery school!

We have designed our unique 8 week Business Start Up Course for those who want to learn the comprehensive skills required to be able to go on and start a business. Our course is taught at our fully equipped Manchester workshop and is carefully structured to ensure that you will cover all the key skills needed to go on and tackle a range of complex upholstery projects.

This course is taught by our Creative Director Anthony Devine and takes the student through a set programme of practical work, starting with a basic drop in seat dining pad and progressing all the way through to a large wingback chair. Ministry of Upholstery is a modern upholstery school, so you will be coached through all modern upholstery skills required to complete everything from a dining chair to a Chesterfield sofa. Although the majority of the course focuses on modern upholstery methods, we also understand the importance of traditional upholstery and so to ensure that you cover all main techniques, you will complete one of our cocktail chairs using mainly traditional methods.

This unique course also allows for you to bring a selection of your own pieces for re-upholstery. Once you have gained the basic skills and feel confident, you will be encouraged to bring your own pieces. The free learning period comprises 10 days of the course. You can even start to bring customer jobs but this important part of the course allows you to start to think about your own your own style and the focus your business will take. You may even wish to design your own fabric and use this!

Finally, you will finish this course with 5 days in your own self-contained workshop, where you be encouraged to work autonomously and put everything you have learned into practice. This will be considered your assessment piece and upon completion of this you will be awarded the Ministry of Upholstery ‘Graduate’ seal of approval, which you can display on your social media and website to show to people that you have trained with us.

Throughout the course you will be encouraged to build up a photographic and video portfolio of your work, which will document the techniques used and skills gained. This record will provide an invaluable reference tool to enable you to go on to independent work. You will also take part in sessions regarding the less hands-on side of things such as how to cost a job, how to work out how much fabric a piece will require, setting up a workshop, fire retardancy regulations and routes to market. This course also includes a masterclass in fabric design by a surface pattern designer. You will be taught how to create pattern from photographs of everyday objects and how to pattern repeat to make this into a fabric. We can then get your designs printed onto velvet for use on one of your projects!

We work to a set programme to ensure that you complete all key skills within our skills matrix.  Throughout your course, you will complete a drop-in dining seat, small footstool, large deep-buttoned footstool, two wingback chairs and a cocktail chair. These frames are all included in the cost and are brand new frames made in-house by our expert frame-makers. Everything you require to upholster these jobs is also included in the cost of the course. You will only need to supply the fabric and any fire retardant interliner, should you require it. You will also be given a full induction in sewing and, as part of the course, you will make a buttoned scatter cushion and box seat cushion. You will be required to supply a small selection of projects of your own choosing for two weeks’ worth of tuition time and one piece for your 5 day assessment. These can be pieces that you source or we can provide you with a new frame at extra cost. The pieces that you make are all yours to keep. If you sell these you can more than cover the cost of the course!

Techniques and skills covered

• Full health & safety induction and introduction to tools and materials
• Shallow buttoning
• Deep buttoning
• Facings
• Borders
• Cutting and applying foam
• Scatter cushion
• Box cushion
• Pattern matching
• Fluting
• Costing jobs
• Pleating
• Tool selection
• Stripping
• Piping
• Arms
• Seats
• Applying ply grip
• Applying backtack strip
• Slip stitching
• Double piping
• Fabric costings
• Fire regulations
• Close nail studding
• Sprung seats
• Sewing
• Webbing
• Cutting
• Measuring fabric and fabric guide
• Use of machinery
• Workshop set up advice
• Information about setting up in business
• Fabric design and printing

Programme

Availability
This course can be taken on a totally flexible basis. The core hours are 9.30-4.30 Monday to Friday but you are not required to attend 5 days per week. You can even do this course on a day/ week basis if this suits you so please call us for a chat if you would like to discuss this in more detail, we’re always happy to help. Please note that there is no specified timeframe within which you have to complete the 8 week course as it is entirely flexible.

Booking is simple, to book a place you can pay your first instalment of £700 using the Buy button on this page and selecting the first week of attendance. When you want to book your second week, you simply call or email us and we will book you in.* If you wish to book odd days or discuss availability, then please email us on [email protected] or call us on 0161 222 4243.

*Please note that we have a maximum class size of 7 and classes are booked on a first come, first served basis. If you want to check availability for the whole course before you book then please contact us.

Payment

We appreciate that this course is a large amount of money to pay in one go so we have devised a payment scheme that allows you to pay for it in four smaller, more manageable instalments.

Upon booking your first week, which you can do online, you are required to pay the first instalment of £700. Before you attend your 6^th day you are required to pay the next instalment of £700. The same again before you attend your 11^th and 16^th days. This allows you to stagger the payments according to your attendance rate. If you attend once per week for example, then you’ll only make a payment every 5^th week!

Although this course is about focusing on skills and not completed projects, we estimate the total value of the products you will make throughout the duration of the course will exceed £4000!

Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 6 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the sofa except 8 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required

This is one of four sofa courses that we now offer. If you’re a lover of the mid-century style, those curves and tapered legs, then this is the course for you! We also offer this style as a five-day chair course too so you can actually make your whole suit with us!

As with all our frames, this is made in-house from the finest hardwood, built to last by our expert frame-makers! The design is sleek and modern. The course will begin with a full induction to all the tools of the trade. You will then begin to build your dream sofa layer by layer! This course will include a focus on creating that beautiful tailored look using our twin needle sewing machine for that professional finish. Don’t worry if you’ve never used a sewing machine before, our top of the range Tysew machines do all the hard work for you and you can even set the speed at which you feel comfortable working.

This course is available to book on any 6 weekdays and runs from 9.30-4.30. Please select the week you would like to commence the course from the dropdown box and we will be in touch to finalise your dates.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

Please note that 6 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in6  days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 5 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the chaise except 5 metres of fabric

Sometimes only a chaise will do! When that’s the case, then this is the course. This is our modern take on a traditional chaise. It’s elegant and sleek but also contemporary, basically it will suit any interior.

We make the frame in our very own frame studio, so you rest assured that it’s the best quality wood and built to last.

This course will cover all the basics of upholstery; an expert induction and introduction to all the tools of the trade, plus how to master the all-important compressed air staple gun. You’ll learn how to web up your frame, the materials used to build the shape and structure of the chaise, you’ll master the sewing machine, creating that beautiful tailored look using our twin needle sewing machine for that professional finish. Don’t worry if you’ve never used a sewing machine before, our top of the range Tysew machines do all the hard work for you and you can even set the speed at which you feel comfortable working.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

Please note that 5 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 5 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30
Duration: 7 days, weekdays only
Includes: Everything you need to make the wingback chair except your fabric and fire retardant interliner if required

If you want to get stuck straight into a meaty project without the hassle and time of having to strip an existing project, then the Queen Anne wingback chair is a large project that covers many techniques from webbing, building up a seat, sewing piping, shallow buttoning and also an opportunity to paint or wax your own Queen Anne legs. Over 7 days* you will construct the whole piece from bare frame to completion and all you need to bring with you is the fabric. At the end of the 7 days you will walk away with one of these stunning armchairs for your home.

For this project you will require 6 metres of fabric, unless you have chosen a patterned or striped or checked fabric, in which case please contact us for guidance.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

*Please note that 7 days is the average completion time for this project. We do not guarantee that you will complete in this time, as everyone works at different speeds. If you need an extra day this will be chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30
Duration: 4 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the cocktail chair except 2-3 metres of fabric (fabric guide will be sent upon booking)

If you have got the mid-century bug but can’t find a suitable frame then this 4 day* course offers the complete package so all you need is your fabric and away you go! These cocktail chairs are incredibly sought after so you can be the envy of your friends with your unique version, which you’ll be able to say you created yourself. In this course you will start with a brand new frame, which are constructed in-house in our frame studio from solid hardwood. It’s suitable for beginners to upholstery and those of you that may have tried your hand at some basic skills. The cocktail chair is constructed using a mix of traditional and modern upholstery techniques so this course serves as an excellent introduction to the craft and you will see immediate results as there is no need to strip the chair before you can crack on.

For this project you will require 2-3 metres of fabric, dependant on whether you have chosen a plain or patterned fabric and dependant on fabric placement. A fabric guide will be sent to you upon booking but if you have any fabric queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

*Please note that 4 days is the average completion time for this project. We do not guarantee that you will complete in this time, as everyone works at different speeds. If you need an extra day this will be chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 8 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the sofa except 12 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required

We think this sofa is the perfect sofa for modern day living with its sleek, elegant and stylish lines. Why go out and buy a mass-produced sofa, when you can come to us and make your own for less! You can be assured that the frame is built to last because our expert frame-makers produce them in-house from solid beech. This course includes a box seat cushion making masterclass, but don’t worry if you’ve never used a sewing machine before, our top of the range Tysew machines make light work of it and you can even set the speed at which you feel comfortable working!

This course is available to book on any 8 weekdays and runs from 9.30-4.30. Please select the week you would like to commence the course from the dropdown box and we will be in touch to finalise your dates.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

Please note that 8 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 8 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £80/ day.

Times: 9.30-4.30 weekdays only
Duration: 8 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the sofa except 12 metres of fabric

We love this compact and stylish two-seater sofa. Keep the fabric neutral or go bright for a ‘pop’ of colour – the choice is yours! You will cover a wide range of skills on this course, learning about the preparation of the sofa from bare frame to completion. Plenty of deep buttoning to get your teeth into and a box seat cushion making masterclass to boot! Don’t worry if you’ve never used a sewing machine before, our top of the range Tysew machines make light work of it and you can even set the speed at which you feel comfortable working!

This course is available to book on any 8 weekdays and runs from 9.30-4.30. Please select the week you would like to commence the course from the dropdown box and we will be in touch to finalise your dates.

Availability

All of our daytime courses are flexible, which means that they can be taken on any weekdays to suit you and spread over one or even several weeks. If you wish to take all your dates in one week, then please select that week from the dropdown box. If, however, you wish to spread the course over more than one week, then please do contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If dates do not appear in the dropdown box, it does not necessarily mean that we do not have those dates available, it is always worth giving us a shout.

Please note that 8 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 8 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £80/ day.