Business Start Up Course in Modern Upholstery
£2988.00
£747.00
Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 40 days
Cost: £2988 divided into 4 payments of £747
0 places available
Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 40 days
Cost: £2988 divided into 4 payments of £747
Want to start a new career in upholstery? Then why not study with the UK’s leading modern upholstery school!
We have designed our unique 40 day Business Course in Modern Upholstery 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 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 a large range of projects. 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. This is known as free learning and you can even start to bring customer jobs. This important part of the course allows you to start to think about your own style and the focus your business will take. You may even wish to design your own fabric and use this! Ministry of Upholstery have recently invested in the latest digital printing technology, allowing our students the opportunity to print their own fabric designs in-house. This course even includes a theory session based around the basics of Photoshop and creating your own designs!
Finally, you will finish this course with 5 days in your own self-contained workshop, known as a Pod, where you be encouraged to work autonomously and put everything you have learned into practice. 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 people that you have trained with the best modern upholstery school in the UK!
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 a range of classroom sessions covering the following less hands-on side of running an upholstery business:
- Fire Regulations
- Workshop set up at home and introduction to compressors
- Fabric Knowledge
- Job Costing
- Introduction to Sewing Machines
- Fabric Design
- Social Media for Business
- Fabric Measuring
- Accounting
- Plus more
We work to a set programme to ensure that you complete all key skills within our skills matrix. Throughout your course, you will complete the following practical projects, all of which are included in your course:
| Module 1 | Drop in seat dining pad – all materials included |
| Module 2 | Small shallow buttoned footstool – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 3 | Large deep buttoned footstool – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 4 | Wingback chair focusing on cap on arm and box seat cushion – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 5 | Wingback chair focusing on scroll arm, pattern matching and fixed seat – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 6 | Cocktail chair using traditional methods – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 7 | Free Learning – you will supply frames and fabric. All materials, except specialist foam, will be included |
| Module 8 | Pod Time – you will supply frames and fabric. All materials are chargeable. We estimate the cost of this to be between £40 and £60. |
These frames are all included in the cost 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. You will also be given a full induction in sewing and, as part of the course, you will make a buttoned scatter cushion. You will be required to supply a small selection of projects of your own choosing for your free learning and one piece for your 5 day Pod time. 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 as we estimate the market value around £4000!
Techniques and skills covered
- Full health & safety induction and introduction to tools and materials
- Sewing machine induction
- 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
If you are looking for a course which focuses on smaller projects, then why not consider our brand new Access Course in Modern Upholstery
Availability
This course can be taken on a totally flexible basis. The core hours are 9.00-4.00 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 40 day 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. You can then call or email us to book the rest of your time.* If you wish to book odd days or discuss availability, then please email us on enquiries@ministryofupholstery.co.uk or call us on 0161 222 4243.
*Please note that we have a maximum class size of 16 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 £747. Before you attend your 6th day you are required to pay the next instalment of £747. The same again before you attend your 11th and 16th 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 5th 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!
Additional Information
| Dates | Week commencing 4th Jan, Week commencing 18th Jan, Week commencing 15th Feb, Week commencing 22nd Feb, Week commencing 29th Feb, Week commencing 21st March, Week commencing 28th March |
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Design | Print | Make
Courses £370.00–£395.00Times: 9.00-5.00
Duration: 3 days
Includes: Everything
Cost: £370- £395
You’re reading this because you want to do something different and we want to challenge you to think outside the box, as well as give you the tools to be confident in doing so, enabling you to create your own fabric design and upholster a showstopper!
At Ministry of Upholstery we try to always bring you new courses with new innovations, new technology and, most importantly, offer you an opportunity to do something new and exciting and create something unique! With our latest course, we feel that we’ve taken things to a whole new level of unique! We have invested in the latest printing technology so that we can give you the opportunity to not only design your own fabric but to print it in-house at our Manchester workshop. But of course we are not a design school, we are an upholstery school, so in addition to guiding you through the fabric design and printing, we will lead you in an upholstery masterclass, so that you can bring your fabric design to life in a piece that you can take home and proudly show off to everyone and anyone.
For this course we have teamed up with the mighty design powerhouse that is Beth Travers from Bobo1325. Bobo1325 is an innovative design house that has fuelled intrigue and interest from a wide range of clients through the visually striking design choices. Beth’s designs have seen her reap praise from the industry. She is distinctive, eye-catching and not to be missed. You can view Beth’s work via her website www.bobo1325.com
Day 1
Pattern is everywhere, it is everything. From the cells and veins in your body to the coffee rim stain on your desk.
Surface pattern encompasses so many design disciplines from graphic illustration, fine art and photography to textile design. We believe in pushing the boundaries and utilising all these concepts to create unique designs, because…why not? There are so many types of pattern and aspects of design.
All of Bobo1325’s designs are constructed from illustrations, textures, mixed media and photography. It takes the designs to the next level, they become a journey of discovery rather than a flat pretty design. It’s a story.
After all anything is possible in this digital age! We are going to give you a design crash course and show you how to create a pattern called ‘reflect and repeat’ it will hopefully inspire you to believe that you don’t have to be a great illustrator or painter you just have to have imagination, vision and a love to experiment.
The first part of the workshop will be all about getting messy and unleashing our inner Andy Warhol/ Bansky/ Pollock. We’ll be experimenting with mixed media art disciplines from acrylic pours to egg whites and candle wax. Go big, go bold; there are no wrong answers it’s about experimenting and layers. Dare to be different. Approach this course with an open mind.
The second part of the workshop will be the #DesignLab
Here we will introduce you to Photoshop and the skills needed to manipulate your photos and experiment to create your first pattern. Your second pattern will come from the mixed media concept that you have created in the Studio. Using Photoshop we will experiment with this design so that you will end your first day having created two unique fabric designs; each delivering different results and opening your mind to the world of pattern design. After creating your patterns, you will pick your favourite, which you will print at your next visit when Anthony Devine takes over and you upholster your very own design!
Days 2 & 3
We start today with your chosen design all ready to print. You will now turn your design from a paper copy to a fabric. We will offer a range of upholstery weight fabrics to choose from, which you’ll choose on day 1.
You will now start your upholstery masterclass. This will be led by Anthony Devine. Anthony is known for his forward-thinking and creative work on BBC1’s Money for Nothing and Flipping Profit. His designs are unconventional, uncompromising and always a talking point! For this part of the course, we are offering 3 different options for upholstery. All of these are brand new solid frames.
You choose
THE SQUARE²* (£370)
The footstool that doubles up as additional seating or coffee table. A simple minimalist design classic.
THE #STOFA* (£370)
The design of this curved bench is crying out for the bold and the brave. Perfect for the end of the bed or to brighten up any hallway.
THE CHAIR* (£395)
A balance of form, function and personality. A Louis style carved frame occasional chair.
The upholstery skills will vary from piece to piece but all will include a staple gun induction and serve as an excellent introduction to the craft of upholstery. Each piece will involve the building up from new frame, layer by layer. If you have done upholstery before we would suggest the Chair would serve as the more advanced of the three, but it is also achievable for beginners.
How does it work?
Each day will run from 9.00-5.00 | all materials included | no experience necessary
The #stofa will include painting of the legs
The Chair will include painting of the frame
The small print
All artwork and rights are owned by you; the maker and will be available to take away on a USB.
6 Week Residency
Courses £2100.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 6 weeks (30 days)
Includes: Everything except projects, fabric, fire retardant Calico if required, replacement seat cushions if needed
Cost: £2100 divided into 4 payments of £525
We know upholstery can be quite addictive! Have you caught the bug? Do you need to get a regular fix, but you’re not necessarily interested in setting up a business? If this sounds like you, then our new Residency Course is probably the perfect solution. This course enables you to come and spend 30 days with us, as and when you choose (weekdays only), you can bring whatever projects you wish to work on and we’ll give you all our expert guidance to enable you to complete them to your desired spec. It really is that simple! In fact, if you haven’t got a project, or the time or inclination to find one, then you can always just buy one of our frames to upholster. We can provide everything from a footstool to a headboard, an armchair or even a Chesterfield sofa frame! Or if you have your own idea for a design then we can probably help you with that too!
We will teach you how to completely strip your chosen project. We will introduce you to the tools and materials used in the upholstery world, covering a full introduction to the pneumatic staple gun and how to use it safely. Once you feel confident, we will then talk you through your options for re-upholstery and you will then receive step-by-step tuition on how to re-upholster your piece to desired specification, using accessible modern upholstery methods.
This course is aimed at anyone who wants to start or continue upholstery. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve never even seen a staple gun before, let alone handled one. Equally, if you’ve already got some experience and are looking to build on it. Whether you want to start a new hobby, furnish your home to your exacting requirements or simply just tick something off your bucket list, we are here to help!
If this sounds great but you want something a bit more in depth, that will enable you to start a business, then you definitely want to check out our Business Course in Modern Upholstery.
What’s included?
This course includes the use of all tools and most materials required for your upholstery projects. Items not included would be specialist foam, fire retardant interliner and replacement seat cushions.
Attendance
The core hours are 9.00-4.00 Monday to Friday but you are not required to attend 5 days per week. You can even take your 30 days as and when you see fit. So please call us for a chat if you would like to discuss this in more detail, we’re always happy to help. Due to the flexible nature of this course please contact us via on phone on 0161 222 4243 or via email on office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk in order to discuss and select your dates. Alternatively you can select a full week from the drop down box and then we will contact you to organise the rest of your time. Please note that there is no specified timeframe within which you have to complete the 6 week course as it is entirely flexible.
Booking
Booking is simple –to book a place you can pay your first instalment of £525 and choose your first week, by using the Buy button on this page. When you want to book your second week, you simply call or email us and we will book you in. Please note that we have a maximum class size of 8 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 £525. After you’ve attended your fifth day you are required to pay the next instalment of £525. The same again when you’ve attended your 10th and 15th days.
Sidecar
Courses £450.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 4 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the chair except 4 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required
Cost: £450
If you love the classic design of a cocktail chair but need to fill a slightly bigger space, then you need the Sidecar in your life! Designed by our Creative Director Anthony Devine, this piece is bound to be a talking point in your home. Keep the fabric plain and the piece classic or be bold and make it a statement, either way you will receive a masterclass in modern upholstery tuition. You will start day one with full staple gun induction, ensuring you feel comfortable and ready to tackle your project. You will then be furnished with a brand-new frame, made by our team of expert frame-makers. Our teachers will then guide you step-by-step through each element until your Sidecar is ready to take home and enjoy. Throughout the course you will learn how to web, hessian and foam your project. You will be introduced to a variety of modern upholstery methods including making piping, potential buttoning, applying backtack and plygrip. You will also be able to use our large range of paints and waxes to finish your legs to match your chosen fabric.
This course is available to book on any 4 weekdays and runs from 9.00-4.00. Please select the week you would like to commence the course from the dropdown box and we will be in touch to finalise which 4 day suit you best.
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 course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 4 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £85/ day.
Bring Your Own Project
Courses £255.00–£740.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 3, 5, 7 or 10 days on any weekdays
Includes: Everything except project, fabric, fire retardant Calico if required, replacement seat cushions if needed
Do you have your own project that you’d like to tackle? Perhaps it’s a chair that’s the perfect size but the wrong fabric, maybe it’s a sentimental piece that you want to keep but it just doesn’t fit in or perhaps it’s a sofa that quite frankly has seen better days and needs a complete overhaul! Whatever it is that you already have, we have a course to suit.
Our Bring Your Own Course is now available to book for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days, dependant on the size of your project. Don’t worry if you don’t finish in your allotted time, you can always tag on extra days if you need them. How ever many days you go for, you’ll receive the same intensive but light-hearted tuition in modern upholstery. We will teach you how to completely strip your project. We will introduce you to the tools and materials used in the upholstery world, covering a full introduction to the pneumatic staple gun and how to use it safely. Once you feel confident, we will then talk you through your options for re-upholstery and you will then receive step-by-step tuition on how to re-upholster your piece to desired specification.
This course is aimed at anyone who has a piece they would like to re-upholster. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve never even seen a staple gun before, let alone handled one. Equally, if you’ve already got some experience and are looking to build on it. Whether you want to start a new hobby, just simply tackle a one-off piece or tick something off your bucket list, we are here to help!
People work at different speeds and come with different levels of experience but we would advise to book as follows. If you are in any doubt, then please send us a photo of your piece to office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk and we can offer our expert guidance.
3 Days
- Footstool
- Headboard
- Dining Chairs (set of 4)
- Italian style chair
- Louis style chair
- Ottoman
5 Days
- Small wingback armchair
- Small Chaise Longue
- Nursing chair
- Fireside Chair
7 Days
- Large Wingback Chair
- Armchair (not Chesterfield)
- Love Seat
- Some Simple Two Seaters
10 Days
- Sofa
- Chesterfield Sofa
- Chesterfield Armchair
You can of course plan to bring more than one project, which is absolutely fine. Please bear in mind that if you wish to do this, that we operate a one-in-one-out policy.
If you have any queries about the suitability of your project, then please email us a picture to enquiries@ministryofupholstery.co.uk and we will be happy to help.
Availability
This course is available to book on any weekdays. Availability dependant and runs from 9.00 -4.00. Please select the week you would like to take the course from the dropdown box. If you are booking for the 5 day we will book you for all the days that week. If you are booking the 3 day we will contact you to see which 3 days you’d like. If you are booking the 7 day we will book you for the 5 days of the week you have chosen plus the Monday and Tuesday of the following week. If you are booking the 10 day we will book you for the week you have chosen and the following week.
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 spread the course over more than one week, then please contact us via phone or email to discuss availability. If your preferred 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 to discuss, especially if you are flexible.
If you do not finish your project within your course you are able to add on extra days at a cost of £85/ day but please bear in mind that you may not be able to book in straight away due to the fully booked nature of the course.
Love Seat
Courses £765.00Times: 9.00-4.00 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. 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 expert frame-making team. You’ll benefit from professional tuition by our skilled teaching team, who come with over 120 years of experience between them. As with all our courses, this course is totally suitable for beginners or those with some experience. It 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 (optional), forming pleats and finishing touches. We highly recommend this course!
This course is available to book on any 8 weekdays and runs from 9.00-4.00. 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 £85/ day.
Weekend Footstool
Courses £155.00–£175.00Times: 11.00-5.00
Duration: 2 days Sat & Sun
Includes: Everything you need to make the footstool except 1 metre of fabric
If you’re not sure whether upholstery is for you and want to try your hand at something new or if you just fancy getting creative and making an amazing project, then our weekend course is perfect! Designed as an introduction to the craft, you will start with a solid hardwood frame, made by our expert frame-making team. You will learn about the tools and materials used as well as covering lots of techniques from webbing, applying hessian and wadding, cutting fabric, corners and shallow buttoning. You will also have a choice of paints and waxes to finish your legs to match your fabric. This course is led by our Creative Director Anthony Devine, who can regularly be seen strutting his stuff on several TV programmes!
We keep the class size small to ensure that you get the most out of it and at the end of the two days you will be able to take your footstool home to show off your new-found skills. Keep it and admire your handiwork or, alternatively you could always sell it to pay for your next course because trust us, you will be addicted!
You have an option of two sizes when making the footstool, the small which is perfect for smaller spaces and perfectly foot sized. Or if you wish to go large, then our large footstool makes that bit more of an impact! Either way you only need one metre of fabric. The approx. finished upholstered size of the stools is as follows:
Small:
Height: 27cm
Depth: 37.5cm
Length: 50.5cm
Large
Height: 28.5cm
Depth: 50cm
Length: 73cm
Chaise Longue
Courses £585.00Times: 9.00-4.00 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.
The frame is made by our team of expert frame-makers, 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. This course is suitable for beginners or people with some experience.
This course is available to book on any 5 weekdays and runs from 9.00-4.00. You can either book a full week using the dropdown box above or contact us to discuss days if you wish to attend on 5 chosen weekdays.
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 £85/ day.
Deep Buttoned Wingback Armchair
Courses £760.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 8 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the armchair except 7 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required
Our latest addition to the armchair range; this wingback chair is an absolute classic with its elegant deep buttoned back. This is a cracking course, which will introduce you to all the basics of upholstery plus some more advanced techniques. You’ll start the course with a brand new frame, manufactured by our team of expert frame-makers. You’ll then learn how to build your dream chair layer by layer, from webbing , hessian, foam, applying your fabric, mastering the deep-buttoning process and all the finishing touches. As with all our courses, you will be coached every step of the way by our expert tutors so don’t worry if you’re a complete beginner to upholstery, we’re confident that you will be taking home a chair that you absolutely love!
This course is available to book on any 8 weekdays and runs from 9.00 -4.00. 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 £85/ day.
Cocktail Chair
Courses £430.00Times: 9.00-4.00
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)
These chairs are a design icon and very 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. This 4 day* course offers the complete package so all you need is your fabric and away you go! In this course you will start with a brand new frame, which are constructed from solid hardwood by our expert frame-making team. 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 3 metres of fabric. 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 £85/ day.
Weekend Contemporary Stool
Courses £175.00–£195.00Times: 11am-5pm Saturday & Sunday
Duration: 2 days
Includes: Everything you need to make the stool except fabric
This weekend course serves as an excellent introduction to upholstery whilst also offering you the opportunity to make a beautiful and incredibly stylish stool. The stool was designed by our Creative Director Anthony Devine, who when not teaching at the Manchester school, can often be seen moonlighting on several TV programmes! Led by Anthony Devine, you will follow the step by step tuition, making this stool from scratch from a bare solid hardwood frame. This course covers some of the same techniques as our weekend footstool course, such as webbing, cutting foam, applying hessian and wadding, but also covers different techniques like making and applying piping and applying borders. You will also have a choice of paints and waxes to finish your legs to match your fabric. Everything is included in this course apart from 1 metre of fabric. You can choose from two different sizes for this course. Both stools are the perfect size and height for a dressing table or desk for example.
The approx. finished upholstered size of the stools is as follows:
Small:
Height: 47cm
Depth: 39.5cm
Length: 53.5cm
Large
Height: 47cm
Depth: 39.5cm
Length: 76.5cm
This course is suitable for complete beginners and those with some basic experience. It serves as an excellent introduction to the tools and materials used and as a perfect taster if you’re thinking about one of our longer courses. It’s also perfect if you just want an awesome one-off stool for your home at a fraction of the cost of buying one as, at the end of the day, the stool is yours to take home and admire! Or alternatively you could sell it to pay for your next course because trust us, you will be addicted!
Classic Sofa
Courses £785.00Times: 9.00-4.00 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. It can be completed in a couple of different ways. Either with deep-buttoning or square buttoning (please see pictures for the difference). This sofa is usually completed with two box cushions. Don’t worry if you’ve never used a sewing machine before, our top of the range 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 9.00-4.00. 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 £85/ day.
Deep Buttoned Storage Stool
Courses £375.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 3 days
Includes: Everything you need to make the ottoman except 2 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required
If you don’t have your own project and fancy a cheeky little 3 day course which allows you try your hand a spot of deep buttoning, then we are spoiling you with a choice of two; this and our Deep Buttoned Footstool! More or less the same as the deep buttoned footstool in size and design, but with an added bonus of some storage inside! You simply need to bring three metres of fabric and 2 metres of lining cloth (or you can get that from us) and we’ll supply all the rest! This course serves as a slightly more in-depth introduction to upholstery and will cover making and applying piping, back-tacking, slip-stitching, button-making, deep buttoning and lining.
This course is available to book for any 3 weekdays and runs from 9.00-4.00. Please select the week you would like from the dates available and we will be in touch to see which 3 days suit you.
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 the 3 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 3 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £85/ day.
Just completed this course and have really enjoyed it. Flexible learning has been ideal for me fitting it in between work and home life. I’ve completed lots of different projects and gained a really good insight into both modern and traditional upholstery techniques. My confidence has grown throughout my time at yhe Ministry thanks to Anthonys encouragement and teaching style. I’m now taking on projects at home on my own and am loving the challenge. Doing this course has been the first step to mybuilding up a business for the future. Would recommend this course without a doubt. Thanks Anthony and Susie for all your support.