Welcome to our Manchester Workshop
Do you really want to attend a course with Ministry of Upholstery but you can’t get to our Manchester workshop? Now you can receive the same professional level of tuition right in your own home.
Brought to you from the UK’s leading modern upholstery school and delivered by TV upholstery expert Anthony Devine, we offer short online sessions, short courses and our unique Foundation Certificate Online. You can read about all of those here. Please note that the online course and the Grand Make result in the same product, choose the online course for a pre-recorded version, which you can follow at your own leisure or choose the Grand Make to join us live via Zoom!
UK Domestic Upholstery Fire Regulations
Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £15.00View ProductTimes: 11.00GMT
Duration: Approx. 90 minutes
Cost: £15
Date: 23rd June 2022If you’re thinking about, or are already selling any type of upholstered furniture, then you must ensure that your pieces both meet fire safety regulations and are labelled correctly. Not only this but you should be keeping records. It is a criminal offence to supply goods to the public which are not safe. The regulations apply to newly made furniture and the re-upholstery of furniture manufactured after 1st January 1950. This session will cover your responsibilities in terms of compliance for domestic furniture in the UK only.*
*The guidance and advice in this session is given in good faith. However, Ministry of Upholstery cannot be held responsible for any action resulting from the contents of this session.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR JOINING INFORMATION
Contained within your booking confirmation will be a PDF containing the joining information. We will not resend this information.
This session is free to all newly signed up and existing Ministry of Upholstery Business, Foundation and Online Foundation students and you will automatically receive joining information.
- Free
Upholstery Techniques Online
Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £125.00 per moduleView ProductTimes: 11.00GMT
Days: Tuesdays
Duration: Each module is comprised of 8 online sessions
Cost: £125/Module
Date: Commences 8th September 2022 (see below for full details)Your complete guide to the three main disciplines required for successful upholstery, allowing you to build your confidence and banish imposter syndrome. This is a unique, completely accessible online techniques-based course.
Why Ministry of Upholstery?
Ministry of Upholstery are leading the way with relevant, industry-based upholstery. We have taught in-person courses at our Manchester school for over 10 years and now we are successfully pioneering the way with online upholstery training. This unique Upholstery Skills course allows you the opportunity to be trained professionally by the UK’s leading industry upholstery school, without having to come to us in Manchester.
What is a techniques course and who is it for?
Imagine you can see a chair and see the techniques involved. Not only that but you possess all the skills required to complete these techniques. Well, If you could do that then you could upholster anything! That’s what this course aims to achieve. Not only that but we will also delve into the business side of upholstery, so that you get the complete package and can not only make items, but also sell them after and most importantly, make a profit!
This course is ideally suited to anyone who has undertaken some upholstery training, been practicing upholstery as a hobby, is self-trained or is running an existing business and wants to ensure they are ‘getting it right’. It’s ideal if you want to:
- Turn your hobby into a business
- Fill any learning gaps
- Understand routes to market
- Grow in confidence and banish ‘imposter syndrome’
- Grow and develop your existing skillset
- Ensure compliance
The Three Skillsets
In the upholstery industry there are three defined stages with three separate skillsets, which will be undertaken by different people. These are cutting, sewing and the ‘upholstery’. It’s not until you work for yourself, that you need to master all three of these disciplines and yet people still don’t give them equal respect and attention. To become successful, you need to understand and be able to conquer all three of these areas. That’s why we are not only going to cover each of these in great detail, but also we are going to take it one step further and show you not only how to make the furniture but also how to sell it.
How to use the course
Really this is up to you but here are a few suggested ways you might want to take advantage of this course:
Watch it each week and use it to fill in gaps from previous learning or self-tuition
Pick a project (we will supply suggestions in advance) and use the knowledge gained each week to slowly put the pieces of the jigsaw together until the piece is finished
Follow along and practice each skill in isolation by using a set of ‘skills boards’ – essentially boards on which you will practice the individual skill. You can use off-cuts of fabric with no pressure to get it right first time and keep additional learning costs down.
Carry on running an already established business and use the sessions to give you the confidence to know you are ‘doing it right’, banish imposter syndrome and gain confidence.
Start a completely new chapter in your life without having to compromise on anything else. The accessibility of our course means you can tune in as and when it suits you, building up your skills week by week until you are ready to go for it!
How is it delivered?
The course will consist of 5 Modules and each week we will break each of these modules down into a comprehensive step-by-step guide. Each module will run in 8-week blocks (with one or two weeks off every 6 weeks). It will go live each Thursday at 11.00GMT, with the recording following the next day. You will have unlimited access to these recordings for the duration of the entire course. Each week Anthony Devine will dive into the modules, explaining the how, why, when and what! He will combine easy to understand theory with live demonstrations, giving you the understanding and allowing you to build your confidence slowly each week, so that by the end of the course, you will be able to tackle a whole range or upholstery projects confidently and not only that, but value your skill and your time and make a profitable business.
You will have access to an exclusive Facebook group so you can share your journey and questions as you progress. Upon successful completion you will be awarded our Upholstery Skills certificate.
Why train with Ministry of Upholstery?
Over the last 18 months we have grown our online offering from 15-minute classroom sessions, introduced during lockdown, to a full 25 week foundation certificate. We have seen the success of these students and now have a proven formula of delivering concise, clear and easy to follow online tutorials, which then get sent out as recordings. The benefit of this is that the learning is live and personal and relevant to your needs, but also accessible as and when you need it. Our fully equipped recording studio has state of the art equipment to allow us to show our teaching from up to 5 different angles and we are now ready to use all of our tried and tested methods in order to give you the skills to tackle any upholstery project with confidence.
Module 1 – Frames | Foam | Prepping
- Getting to know your frame, differentiating your inside arm from your spring rail, the inside back from the outside back.
- Understanding foam and the different densities, thicknesses, firmness and when and where to use them – let’s bust that jargon and break it down so it’s easy to understand and most importantly, manageable from a cost and storage point of view.
- Where to source foam and how to buy it, when is it better to buy cut to size versus cutting it yourself?
- How should I attach foam? Should I staple? Should I glue? Or should I do both?
- The different foam stapling techniques and where they apply
- How to troubleshoot foam-related issues such as it popping off
- Rules surrounding re-using old foam
- FAQs
Module 2 – Cutting | Tailoring
- Understanding a fabric roll, what to look out for, discovering and reporting flaws
- Marking out on fabric, what to use and how
- Fabric measuring; working out how much you need for a job
- Which way should fabric run
- Should you pattern match
- Understanding fabric pattern repeats and implications of different sizes of repeats
- What is the Martindale test and how is it relevant to my fabric choice
- Understanding suitability of fabrics
- How do I care for my fabric
- Which fabrics are more environmentally friendly and what are my options
- Fire Regulations
- Talking with fabric reps from fabric companies
- Dye sublimation printing and how you can use this technology to your advantage
- Understanding tailoring
- Making patterns
- Making pattern matching patterns
- Prepping fabric for being sewn, including seam allowances and notch cuts
- Cutting fabric for fluting
- Cutting fabric in the correct direction
- Cutting fabric for pattern matching
- FAQs
Module 3 – Sewing
- Setting up and using your sewing machine
- Setting up your sewing area
- Confidence with your sewing machine
- Choosing the correct thread/ needles/ zip/ piping cord
- Choosing the right feet, what you need and don’t need and where to source them
- Having the correct chair
- Basics of sewing
- Understanding piping
- Understanding a pattern matched border with piping
- Scatter cushion
- Window seat
- Bolster
- Square buttoning
- Invisible square buttoning
- Piping
- Fluting
- Tub chair inside back
Module 4 – Upholstery
This module will take everything you have learnt so far, in order to be in a great place to produce top quality pieces with confidence. You’ve mastered all other disciplines you’re now ready to upholster.
- Choosing the correct tools
- Choosing and sourcing the right fabric
- Staple guns
- Compressors
- Latest products
- Webbing options, what are they and where should they be used
- What other options are there to webbing
- Spring variations and options
- Profile roll, where and which thickness
- Lining cloth options and where to use them
- Working with backtack, where and how to use it
- Working with ply grip, where and how to use it
- Nail strip
- Slip stitching
- Van dyking
- Perfect corners
- How to prep and fill a cushion the right way
- Cuts – Y cut and V cut
- Understanding angles around legs and rails
Module 5 – Business
- Routes to market
- Online platforms versus shops
- Upholstery versus re-upholstery
- Sale or return policy
- Customer complaints
- Putting quotes together
- Job Costing
- Deposits
- Managing both the practical and the business without burning out
- Lead times
- Managing your time effectively
- Managing customers’ expectations
- How much information should I give my customer
- Pros and cons of bespoke service
Course Dates
This course will run as follows
Module 1
8th September 2022 6th October 2022
15th September 2022 13th October 2022
22nd September 2022 20th October 2022
29th September 2022 3rd November 2022
Module 2
10th November 2022 17th November 2022
24th November 2022 1st December 2022
8th December 2022 15th December 2022
12th January 2023 19th January 2023
Module 3
26th January 2023 2nd February 2023
9th February 2023 16th February 2023
2nd March 2023 9th March 2023
16th March 2023 23rd March 2023
Module 4
20th April 2023 27th April 2023
4th May 2023 11th May 2023
18th May 2023 25th May 2023
15th June 2023 22nd June 2023
Module 5
29th June 2023 6th July 2023
13th July 2023 20th July 2023
27th July 2023
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY CERTIFICATE?
Established in 2012, Ministry of Upholstery are now world renowned as the go-to place for learning the craftsmanship of relevant, industry- based upholstery. Upon completion of this course, you will be awarded our Upholstery Skills Certificate. We will provide both a virtual and physical certificate, which you can display on your social media and website to show people that you have trained with the leading upholstery school in the UK.
Payment
Each of the five module costs £125 payable in advance. You can sign up for the entire course or pick and choose which modules you feel will benefit you. If you sign up for Module 1, you will automatically be invited to sign up for Module 2 part way through Module 1 and so on.
Booking from inside the UK
You are invited to sign up now by selecting and paying for any or all of the modules.
Booking from outside the UK
This course is open to all and if you wish to sign up from outside the UK, simply email office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk, stating which modules you’d like to sign up for and we will send you an invoice via email.
SPECIAL OFFER
If you sign up to any module before the end of June, you will also receive 3 x FREE 20-minute 1-2-1 coaching sessions. These can be used for advice and motivation, for help on a specific project or to reinforce a specific subject matter.
Business Foundation Certificate Online
Business Certificate Courses, Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £1350.00View ProductTimes: Live at 10.30-12.30 on Wednesdays but self-paced
Cost: £1350 divided into deposit of £250 upon booking and four payments of £275 (please read more info below)
Commencing: September 2022Are you inspired by fabric, pattern and design?
Do you want a full or part-time career involving upholstery?
Do you want to focus your skillset to suit smaller, designer-led, accent pieces of furniture?
Do you want to attend a course from home?
Why study with Ministry of Upholstery?
At Ministry of Upholstery, we don’t just teach modern upholstery. We are at the forefront of innovation when it comes to upholstery design and we encourage all our students to access and nurture their own sense of creativity, whilst teaching all the technical and practical skills required to translate those ideas into reality. This unique online certificate gives you the opportunity to be trained professionally by the UK’s leading industry upholstery school, without having to come to us in Manchester. Our teaching at Ministry of Upholstery is rooted in the industry utilising modern techniques, which are completely accessible.
How is it delivered?
The unique Business Foundation Certificate is delivered online via weekly live Zoom sessions from our studio space. We use up to five different camera angles, when broadcasting our sessions, meaning you will always be able to see every staple and cut up close and in detail. You study at home in your own time and submit photo/ video evidence of your projects for evaluation and feedback. We will help you get set up with full support and tool and machinery packages tailored to your needs. We will support you to prepare for your course with sessions covering fabric and setting up your space. All the included materials will be sent to you in advance of the course. You will have access to one hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition included in the cost of the course, to take as and when you need it and access to an exclusive Facebook group. Upon successful completion you will be awarded the Ministry of Upholstery Business Foundation Certificate.
Why choose the Business Foundation Certificate?
Our Business Foundation Certificate course has been designed as a completely accessible and flexible entry into the world of upholstery. It has been carefully constructed to allow you to create a highly successful full or part-time business in a relatively short period of time, by focusing on a smaller core set of products. These items can be bold, on-trend and more flamboyant and allow you to choose brighter, patterned fabrics. The beauty of this course is:
- The projects are small, so a kitchen table can provide sufficient working space.
- The focus is on a core set of skills, which will be mastered during this course and refined quickly through repetition.
- These skills can be easily transferred from one project to another. For example: deep buttoning can be transferred from a footstool to a headboard and vice versa.
- You will reduce your set-up costs by concentrating your efforts around a smaller set of products and…
- In turn, this will maximise your profits.
Course Outline
This course is taught completely online and has been carefully structured so that you will cover a concise range of skills concentrated around a select few pieces of upholstery. The skills are transferable so actually, the range of projects which can tackled after this course are vast.
Designed for absolute beginners or those wishing to turn their hobby into a business, this course takes the student through a structured programme of practical work starting with a dining chair pad, covering different styles of footstools, on-trend headboards and sewing skills to support the upholstery. In addition to the practical skills, we include a range of theory sessions, which can be attended via live Zoom sessions or accessed as recordings.
The Course Details
The course is broken down into the following 16 practical sessions. Each of these is explained and demonstrated on a weekly basis via live Zoom sessions. These take place between 10.30 and 12.30 on the day specified in the dropdown box but don’t worry, you don’t need to join live. We will send you a recording afterwards and you will then have two weeks in order to complete that element of the module. You will then submit photos for the tutor to evaluate and feedback your progress.
Session 1: Introduction Session during which you will get an opportunity to introduce yourself and get to know your tutor Anthony Devine. This will be followed by a health & safety session to ensure you feel comfortable with your staple guns, compressors and tools.
Session 2: Module 1 – Drop in Seat
Session 3: Module 2 – Contemporary Stool Preparation
Session 4: Module 2 – Contemporary Stool Upholstery
Session 5: Module 3 – Deep Buttoned Footstool Prep
Session 6: Module 3 – Deep Buttoning Theory
Session 7: Module 3 – Deep Buttoned Footstool Upholstery
Session 8: Module 4 – Single Headboard with Border Prep
Session 9: Module 4 – Single Headboard with Border Upholstery
Session 10: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Prep
Session 11: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Sewing
Session 12: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Upholstery
Session 13: Module 6 – Piped Window Seat Cutting and Prep
Session 14: Module 6 – Piped Window Seat Sewing
Session 15: Module 7 – Van Dyking Theory
Session 16: Module 7 – Van Dyking Practical Sewing
Pre-course Sessions
Before your course commences, we will provide three live Zoom sessions covering the following information. These typically take place in the evening in the two months before your course commences:
Tools & Machinery Requirements – we have established relationships with suppliers to offer you packages at very favourable rates, which will include all or some of the tools and machinery required to complete the course and set up your business. This session will address compressors, staple guns and sewing machines.
Fabric – during this session we will talk through each module and our fabric recommendations, including where to source fabrics and discounts available through us.
Shopping List – we include lots of materials in the cost of the course but there are a few items which you will need to source yourself. In this session we will provide your shopping list and information and where to source the items which will include wood for the two headboards.
What you will need to undertake the course
To be able to undertake this course you will need to invest in some tools and machinery. We will cover all of this in depth during your first pre-course Zoom session. We offer packages at discounted rates including some or all of the components required. You will need:
- A domestic sewing machine
- A compressor capable of powering a pneumatic staple gun
- A 71 series staple gun
- Airline
- Toolbox of hand tools
Theory Sessions
In addition to the practical side of the course, you will have access to all the following theory sessions, designed to give you the knowledge to maximise your new business.
- Fire Regulations
- Workshop set up at home
- Fabric Knowledge
- Job Costing
- Fabric Measuring
- Setting up a business
- Deep Buttoning
These theory sessions can be attended live via Zoom or accessed as recordings.
You will also be granted access to our exclusive Facebook group just for students and graduates of Ministry of Upholstery.
In addition, we will provide one hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition to be taken as and when you need it. This will be delivered via Zoom at a mutually convenient time.
What’s Included?
- All frames are included in the cost of Modules 1-3 and are brand new frames made 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. All materials are also included for Modules 4 and 5. These will be sent to you in advance of the relevant module.
- One hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition, which can be taken as and when you require it.
- Access to our exclusive Facebook group.
- Free access to many theory sessions.
What is the Ministry Certificate?
Established in 2014, Ministry of Upholstery are now world-renowned as the go-to place for learning the craftmanship of modern upholstery. Upon completion of this course, you will be awarded the Ministry of Upholstery Foundation Certificate. We will provide both a virtual and physical certificate, which you can display on your social media and website to show people that you have trained with the leading modern upholstery school in the UK.
Payment
TThe course costs £1350, £250 of which is a deposit, payable upon booking the course. The remaining £1100 is then split into 4 payments of £275, each payable on the first of the month commencing one month before your start date. Alternatively you can pay for the whole course up front.
- Free
Upholstery Techniques Online
Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £125.00 per moduleView ProductTimes: 11.00GMT
Days: Tuesdays
Duration: Each module is comprised of 8 online sessions
Cost: £125/Module
Date: Commences 8th September 2022 (see below for full details)Your complete guide to the three main disciplines required for successful upholstery, allowing you to build your confidence and banish imposter syndrome. This is a unique, completely accessible online techniques-based course.
Why Ministry of Upholstery?
Ministry of Upholstery are leading the way with relevant, industry-based upholstery. We have taught in-person courses at our Manchester school for over 10 years and now we are successfully pioneering the way with online upholstery training. This unique Upholstery Skills course allows you the opportunity to be trained professionally by the UK’s leading industry upholstery school, without having to come to us in Manchester.
What is a techniques course and who is it for?
Imagine you can see a chair and see the techniques involved. Not only that but you possess all the skills required to complete these techniques. Well, If you could do that then you could upholster anything! That’s what this course aims to achieve. Not only that but we will also delve into the business side of upholstery, so that you get the complete package and can not only make items, but also sell them after and most importantly, make a profit!
This course is ideally suited to anyone who has undertaken some upholstery training, been practicing upholstery as a hobby, is self-trained or is running an existing business and wants to ensure they are ‘getting it right’. It’s ideal if you want to:
- Turn your hobby into a business
- Fill any learning gaps
- Understand routes to market
- Grow in confidence and banish ‘imposter syndrome’
- Grow and develop your existing skillset
- Ensure compliance
The Three Skillsets
In the upholstery industry there are three defined stages with three separate skillsets, which will be undertaken by different people. These are cutting, sewing and the ‘upholstery’. It’s not until you work for yourself, that you need to master all three of these disciplines and yet people still don’t give them equal respect and attention. To become successful, you need to understand and be able to conquer all three of these areas. That’s why we are not only going to cover each of these in great detail, but also we are going to take it one step further and show you not only how to make the furniture but also how to sell it.
How to use the course
Really this is up to you but here are a few suggested ways you might want to take advantage of this course:
Watch it each week and use it to fill in gaps from previous learning or self-tuition
Pick a project (we will supply suggestions in advance) and use the knowledge gained each week to slowly put the pieces of the jigsaw together until the piece is finished
Follow along and practice each skill in isolation by using a set of ‘skills boards’ – essentially boards on which you will practice the individual skill. You can use off-cuts of fabric with no pressure to get it right first time and keep additional learning costs down.
Carry on running an already established business and use the sessions to give you the confidence to know you are ‘doing it right’, banish imposter syndrome and gain confidence.
Start a completely new chapter in your life without having to compromise on anything else. The accessibility of our course means you can tune in as and when it suits you, building up your skills week by week until you are ready to go for it!
How is it delivered?
The course will consist of 5 Modules and each week we will break each of these modules down into a comprehensive step-by-step guide. Each module will run in 8-week blocks (with one or two weeks off every 6 weeks). It will go live each Thursday at 11.00GMT, with the recording following the next day. You will have unlimited access to these recordings for the duration of the entire course. Each week Anthony Devine will dive into the modules, explaining the how, why, when and what! He will combine easy to understand theory with live demonstrations, giving you the understanding and allowing you to build your confidence slowly each week, so that by the end of the course, you will be able to tackle a whole range or upholstery projects confidently and not only that, but value your skill and your time and make a profitable business.
You will have access to an exclusive Facebook group so you can share your journey and questions as you progress. Upon successful completion you will be awarded our Upholstery Skills certificate.
Why train with Ministry of Upholstery?
Over the last 18 months we have grown our online offering from 15-minute classroom sessions, introduced during lockdown, to a full 25 week foundation certificate. We have seen the success of these students and now have a proven formula of delivering concise, clear and easy to follow online tutorials, which then get sent out as recordings. The benefit of this is that the learning is live and personal and relevant to your needs, but also accessible as and when you need it. Our fully equipped recording studio has state of the art equipment to allow us to show our teaching from up to 5 different angles and we are now ready to use all of our tried and tested methods in order to give you the skills to tackle any upholstery project with confidence.
Module 1 – Frames | Foam | Prepping
- Getting to know your frame, differentiating your inside arm from your spring rail, the inside back from the outside back.
- Understanding foam and the different densities, thicknesses, firmness and when and where to use them – let’s bust that jargon and break it down so it’s easy to understand and most importantly, manageable from a cost and storage point of view.
- Where to source foam and how to buy it, when is it better to buy cut to size versus cutting it yourself?
- How should I attach foam? Should I staple? Should I glue? Or should I do both?
- The different foam stapling techniques and where they apply
- How to troubleshoot foam-related issues such as it popping off
- Rules surrounding re-using old foam
- FAQs
Module 2 – Cutting | Tailoring
- Understanding a fabric roll, what to look out for, discovering and reporting flaws
- Marking out on fabric, what to use and how
- Fabric measuring; working out how much you need for a job
- Which way should fabric run
- Should you pattern match
- Understanding fabric pattern repeats and implications of different sizes of repeats
- What is the Martindale test and how is it relevant to my fabric choice
- Understanding suitability of fabrics
- How do I care for my fabric
- Which fabrics are more environmentally friendly and what are my options
- Fire Regulations
- Talking with fabric reps from fabric companies
- Dye sublimation printing and how you can use this technology to your advantage
- Understanding tailoring
- Making patterns
- Making pattern matching patterns
- Prepping fabric for being sewn, including seam allowances and notch cuts
- Cutting fabric for fluting
- Cutting fabric in the correct direction
- Cutting fabric for pattern matching
- FAQs
Module 3 – Sewing
- Setting up and using your sewing machine
- Setting up your sewing area
- Confidence with your sewing machine
- Choosing the correct thread/ needles/ zip/ piping cord
- Choosing the right feet, what you need and don’t need and where to source them
- Having the correct chair
- Basics of sewing
- Understanding piping
- Understanding a pattern matched border with piping
- Scatter cushion
- Window seat
- Bolster
- Square buttoning
- Invisible square buttoning
- Piping
- Fluting
- Tub chair inside back
Module 4 – Upholstery
This module will take everything you have learnt so far, in order to be in a great place to produce top quality pieces with confidence. You’ve mastered all other disciplines you’re now ready to upholster.
- Choosing the correct tools
- Choosing and sourcing the right fabric
- Staple guns
- Compressors
- Latest products
- Webbing options, what are they and where should they be used
- What other options are there to webbing
- Spring variations and options
- Profile roll, where and which thickness
- Lining cloth options and where to use them
- Working with backtack, where and how to use it
- Working with ply grip, where and how to use it
- Nail strip
- Slip stitching
- Van dyking
- Perfect corners
- How to prep and fill a cushion the right way
- Cuts – Y cut and V cut
- Understanding angles around legs and rails
Module 5 – Business
- Routes to market
- Online platforms versus shops
- Upholstery versus re-upholstery
- Sale or return policy
- Customer complaints
- Putting quotes together
- Job Costing
- Deposits
- Managing both the practical and the business without burning out
- Lead times
- Managing your time effectively
- Managing customers’ expectations
- How much information should I give my customer
- Pros and cons of bespoke service
Course Dates
This course will run as follows
Module 1
8th September 2022 6th October 2022
15th September 2022 13th October 2022
22nd September 2022 20th October 2022
29th September 2022 3rd November 2022
Module 2
10th November 2022 17th November 2022
24th November 2022 1st December 2022
8th December 2022 15th December 2022
12th January 2023 19th January 2023
Module 3
26th January 2023 2nd February 2023
9th February 2023 16th February 2023
2nd March 2023 9th March 2023
16th March 2023 23rd March 2023
Module 4
20th April 2023 27th April 2023
4th May 2023 11th May 2023
18th May 2023 25th May 2023
15th June 2023 22nd June 2023
Module 5
29th June 2023 6th July 2023
13th July 2023 20th July 2023
27th July 2023
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY CERTIFICATE?
Established in 2012, Ministry of Upholstery are now world renowned as the go-to place for learning the craftsmanship of relevant, industry- based upholstery. Upon completion of this course, you will be awarded our Upholstery Skills Certificate. We will provide both a virtual and physical certificate, which you can display on your social media and website to show people that you have trained with the leading upholstery school in the UK.
Payment
Each of the five module costs £125 payable in advance. You can sign up for the entire course or pick and choose which modules you feel will benefit you. If you sign up for Module 1, you will automatically be invited to sign up for Module 2 part way through Module 1 and so on.
Booking from inside the UK
You are invited to sign up now by selecting and paying for any or all of the modules.
Booking from outside the UK
This course is open to all and if you wish to sign up from outside the UK, simply email office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk, stating which modules you’d like to sign up for and we will send you an invoice via email.
SPECIAL OFFER
If you sign up to any module before the end of June, you will also receive 3 x FREE 20-minute 1-2-1 coaching sessions. These can be used for advice and motivation, for help on a specific project or to reinforce a specific subject matter.
UK Domestic Upholstery Fire Regulations
Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £15.00View ProductTimes: 11.00GMT
Duration: Approx. 90 minutes
Cost: £15
Date: 23rd June 2022If you’re thinking about, or are already selling any type of upholstered furniture, then you must ensure that your pieces both meet fire safety regulations and are labelled correctly. Not only this but you should be keeping records. It is a criminal offence to supply goods to the public which are not safe. The regulations apply to newly made furniture and the re-upholstery of furniture manufactured after 1st January 1950. This session will cover your responsibilities in terms of compliance for domestic furniture in the UK only.*
*The guidance and advice in this session is given in good faith. However, Ministry of Upholstery cannot be held responsible for any action resulting from the contents of this session.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR JOINING INFORMATION
Contained within your booking confirmation will be a PDF containing the joining information. We will not resend this information.
This session is free to all newly signed up and existing Ministry of Upholstery Business, Foundation and Online Foundation students and you will automatically receive joining information.
Business Foundation Certificate Online
Business Certificate Courses, Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £1350.00View ProductTimes: Live at 10.30-12.30 on Wednesdays but self-paced
Cost: £1350 divided into deposit of £250 upon booking and four payments of £275 (please read more info below)
Commencing: September 2022Are you inspired by fabric, pattern and design?
Do you want a full or part-time career involving upholstery?
Do you want to focus your skillset to suit smaller, designer-led, accent pieces of furniture?
Do you want to attend a course from home?
Why study with Ministry of Upholstery?
At Ministry of Upholstery, we don’t just teach modern upholstery. We are at the forefront of innovation when it comes to upholstery design and we encourage all our students to access and nurture their own sense of creativity, whilst teaching all the technical and practical skills required to translate those ideas into reality. This unique online certificate gives you the opportunity to be trained professionally by the UK’s leading industry upholstery school, without having to come to us in Manchester. Our teaching at Ministry of Upholstery is rooted in the industry utilising modern techniques, which are completely accessible.
How is it delivered?
The unique Business Foundation Certificate is delivered online via weekly live Zoom sessions from our studio space. We use up to five different camera angles, when broadcasting our sessions, meaning you will always be able to see every staple and cut up close and in detail. You study at home in your own time and submit photo/ video evidence of your projects for evaluation and feedback. We will help you get set up with full support and tool and machinery packages tailored to your needs. We will support you to prepare for your course with sessions covering fabric and setting up your space. All the included materials will be sent to you in advance of the course. You will have access to one hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition included in the cost of the course, to take as and when you need it and access to an exclusive Facebook group. Upon successful completion you will be awarded the Ministry of Upholstery Business Foundation Certificate.
Why choose the Business Foundation Certificate?
Our Business Foundation Certificate course has been designed as a completely accessible and flexible entry into the world of upholstery. It has been carefully constructed to allow you to create a highly successful full or part-time business in a relatively short period of time, by focusing on a smaller core set of products. These items can be bold, on-trend and more flamboyant and allow you to choose brighter, patterned fabrics. The beauty of this course is:
- The projects are small, so a kitchen table can provide sufficient working space.
- The focus is on a core set of skills, which will be mastered during this course and refined quickly through repetition.
- These skills can be easily transferred from one project to another. For example: deep buttoning can be transferred from a footstool to a headboard and vice versa.
- You will reduce your set-up costs by concentrating your efforts around a smaller set of products and…
- In turn, this will maximise your profits.
Course Outline
This course is taught completely online and has been carefully structured so that you will cover a concise range of skills concentrated around a select few pieces of upholstery. The skills are transferable so actually, the range of projects which can tackled after this course are vast.
Designed for absolute beginners or those wishing to turn their hobby into a business, this course takes the student through a structured programme of practical work starting with a dining chair pad, covering different styles of footstools, on-trend headboards and sewing skills to support the upholstery. In addition to the practical skills, we include a range of theory sessions, which can be attended via live Zoom sessions or accessed as recordings.
The Course Details
The course is broken down into the following 16 practical sessions. Each of these is explained and demonstrated on a weekly basis via live Zoom sessions. These take place between 10.30 and 12.30 on the day specified in the dropdown box but don’t worry, you don’t need to join live. We will send you a recording afterwards and you will then have two weeks in order to complete that element of the module. You will then submit photos for the tutor to evaluate and feedback your progress.
Session 1: Introduction Session during which you will get an opportunity to introduce yourself and get to know your tutor Anthony Devine. This will be followed by a health & safety session to ensure you feel comfortable with your staple guns, compressors and tools.
Session 2: Module 1 – Drop in Seat
Session 3: Module 2 – Contemporary Stool Preparation
Session 4: Module 2 – Contemporary Stool Upholstery
Session 5: Module 3 – Deep Buttoned Footstool Prep
Session 6: Module 3 – Deep Buttoning Theory
Session 7: Module 3 – Deep Buttoned Footstool Upholstery
Session 8: Module 4 – Single Headboard with Border Prep
Session 9: Module 4 – Single Headboard with Border Upholstery
Session 10: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Prep
Session 11: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Sewing
Session 12: Module 5 – Double Headboard with Square Buttoning Upholstery
Session 13: Module 6 – Piped Window Seat Cutting and Prep
Session 14: Module 6 – Piped Window Seat Sewing
Session 15: Module 7 – Van Dyking Theory
Session 16: Module 7 – Van Dyking Practical Sewing
Pre-course Sessions
Before your course commences, we will provide three live Zoom sessions covering the following information. These typically take place in the evening in the two months before your course commences:
Tools & Machinery Requirements – we have established relationships with suppliers to offer you packages at very favourable rates, which will include all or some of the tools and machinery required to complete the course and set up your business. This session will address compressors, staple guns and sewing machines.
Fabric – during this session we will talk through each module and our fabric recommendations, including where to source fabrics and discounts available through us.
Shopping List – we include lots of materials in the cost of the course but there are a few items which you will need to source yourself. In this session we will provide your shopping list and information and where to source the items which will include wood for the two headboards.
What you will need to undertake the course
To be able to undertake this course you will need to invest in some tools and machinery. We will cover all of this in depth during your first pre-course Zoom session. We offer packages at discounted rates including some or all of the components required. You will need:
- A domestic sewing machine
- A compressor capable of powering a pneumatic staple gun
- A 71 series staple gun
- Airline
- Toolbox of hand tools
Theory Sessions
In addition to the practical side of the course, you will have access to all the following theory sessions, designed to give you the knowledge to maximise your new business.
- Fire Regulations
- Workshop set up at home
- Fabric Knowledge
- Job Costing
- Fabric Measuring
- Setting up a business
- Deep Buttoning
These theory sessions can be attended live via Zoom or accessed as recordings.
You will also be granted access to our exclusive Facebook group just for students and graduates of Ministry of Upholstery.
In addition, we will provide one hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition to be taken as and when you need it. This will be delivered via Zoom at a mutually convenient time.
What’s Included?
- All frames are included in the cost of Modules 1-3 and are brand new frames made 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. All materials are also included for Modules 4 and 5. These will be sent to you in advance of the relevant module.
- One hours’ worth of one-on-one tuition, which can be taken as and when you require it.
- Access to our exclusive Facebook group.
- Free access to many theory sessions.
What is the Ministry Certificate?
Established in 2014, Ministry of Upholstery are now world-renowned as the go-to place for learning the craftmanship of modern upholstery. Upon completion of this course, you will be awarded the Ministry of Upholstery Foundation Certificate. We will provide both a virtual and physical certificate, which you can display on your social media and website to show people that you have trained with the leading modern upholstery school in the UK.
Payment
TThe course costs £1350, £250 of which is a deposit, payable upon booking the course. The remaining £1100 is then split into 4 payments of £275, each payable on the first of the month commencing one month before your start date. Alternatively you can pay for the whole course up front.