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Cocktail Chair
£435.00–£495.00
£435.00–£495.00
Times: 13.30GMT
Duration: 15 weeks
Cost: £435-495
Date: 14th September 2022
Times: 11.00GMT
Duration: 15 weeks
Cost: £435-495
Date: 14th September 2022
These chairs are a design icon! You can be the envy of your friends with your own unique version, which you’ll be able to say you created yourself. We’ve been teaching this course at our Manchester workshop for over 8 years but this September, we are very proud to launch this beautiful style classic as an online course! You have 3 different options to choose from and we will send you a goodie box containing a brand-new frame, tapered beech legs and all the upholstery sundries. As this course is online, you will be required to have your own tool, staple gun and domestic sewing machine and it would be advantageous to have some upholstery experience, though not necessary. The cocktail chair is constructed using a mix of traditional and modern upholstery techniques and you will learn how to make your own sprung seat base from individual springs. You will be taught how to hand tie these and shape your seat using the seat edge wire. You will have an option to flute the inside back or to keep it plain and both options will be covered in full detail. You’ll learn how to make piping and apply a border as well as two options for completing the back; the more modern ply grip technique or the traditional slip-stitch.
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.
This course will commence on 14th September 2022. It will take place LIVE on Wednesdays @ 13.30. Whilst you are welcome to join live in order to ask questions, you are not required to, as the session will then be sent as a recording. You will then follow this recording; pausing, re-watching as you follow along and week-by-week create your own bespoke cocktail chair.
There will be three different options you can take.
Option 1: Plain inside back (without the fluting). Please note on this option your fabric choice is limited to wool only. Cost £435.
Option 2: Fluted inside back (see picture). This option allows any fabric choice. Cost £495. Please note you will also get access to plain back videos.
Option 3: Plain back but with access to fluted back videos for reference. Please note on this option your fabric choice is limited to wool only. Cost £465
The price includes frame, legs and all upholstery sundries and delivery (mainland UK only, for any other locations please enquire as there will be a postage supplement). You will just need to supply 4 metres of fabric and a guide will be sent out on booking.
At the point of starting the inside back, there will be two broadcasts per week with the plain remaining on Wednesday and the fluted being on Tuesday at 11.00. After completion of the inside back both groups will come back together. In total the course will run for approx. 15 weeks.
Payment & Booking
You can book by choosing from the 3 options above.
Alternatively we are able to offer a payment plan for this and spread the cost across the months up to and including November. For this option, please email enquiries@ministryofupholstery.co.uk and we can let you know the details.
Times: 11.00GMT
Duration: 15 weeks
Cost: £435-495
Date: 14th September 2022
These chairs are a design icon! You can be the envy of your friends with your own unique version, which you’ll be able to say you created yourself. We’ve been teaching this course at our Manchester workshop for over 8 years but this September, we are very proud to launch this beautiful style classic as an online course! You have 3 different options to choose from and we will send you a goodie box containing a brand-new frame, tapered beech legs and all the upholstery sundries. As this course is online, you will be required to have your own tool, staple gun and domestic sewing machine and it would be advantageous to have some upholstery experience, though not necessary. The cocktail chair is constructed using a mix of traditional and modern upholstery techniques and you will learn how to make your own sprung seat base from individual springs. You will be taught how to hand tie these and shape your seat using the seat edge wire. You will have an option to flute the inside back or to keep it plain and both options will be covered in full detail. You’ll learn how to make piping and apply a border as well as two options for completing the back; the more modern ply grip technique or the traditional slip-stitch.
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.
This course will commence on 14th September 2022. It will take place LIVE on Wednesdays @ 13.30. Whilst you are welcome to join live in order to ask questions, you are not required to, as the session will then be sent as a recording. You will then follow this recording; pausing, re-watching as you follow along and week-by-week create your own bespoke cocktail chair.
There will be three different options you can take.
Option 1: Plain inside back (without the fluting). Please note on this option your fabric choice is limited to wool only. Cost £435.
Option 2: Fluted inside back (see picture). This option allows any fabric choice. Cost £495. Please note you will also get access to plain back videos.
Option 3: Plain back but with access to fluted back videos for reference. Please note on this option your fabric choice is limited to wool only. Cost £465
The price includes frame, legs and all upholstery sundries and delivery (mainland UK only, for any other locations please enquire as there will be a postage supplement). You will just need to supply 4 metres of fabric and a guide will be sent out on booking.
At the point of starting the inside back, there will be two broadcasts per week with the plain remaining on Wednesday and the fluted being on Tuesday at 11.00. After completion of the inside back both groups will come back together. In total the course will run for approx. 15 weeks.
Payment & Booking
You can book by choosing from the 3 options above.
Alternatively we are able to offer a payment plan for this and spread the cost across the months up to and including November. For this option, please email enquiries@ministryofupholstery.co.uk and we can let you know the details.
Additional Information
| Course Option | Option 1 – Plain Inside Back, Option 2 – Fluted Inside Back, Option 3 – Plain back with access to fluted videos |
|---|
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Upholstery Sewing Techniques Day
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Sewing Courses, Courses £85.00Times: 10.00-4.00
Duration: 1 day
Includes: Everything except fabric
At Ministry of Upholstery we are equipped with a large range of state-of-the-art industrial sewing machines and a dedicated full-time sewing tutor with over 40 years’ experience! You can now benefit from this by attending one of our sewing days. They are available to take on almost all weekdays of the year and allow you to tackle whatever suits your needs. These sessions are aimed at those wanting to master a certain skill and we offer a choice of three sewing techniques days. They include everything except your chosen fabric. If you have your own sewing project, such as sofa cushions or campervan cushions, then you could choose to attend one of our Bring Your Own Sewing Days.
Scatter Cushion & Bolster
You will learn to make a 16” x 16” square zipped scatter cushion and a 45cm x 20cm bolster. We include all materials and the scatter and bolster inners so that you can walk away with a completed product. You just need to bring 1 metre of your chosen fabric for your scatter and 1 metre for your bolster.
Box Cushion
If you want to learn how to make a box cushion to develop your skills, then this is the perfect one day course for you. We will provide all materials except 1.5 metres of your chosen fabric. The box cushion can be made to a size to suit you but we need to know in advance. If we don’t receive a set size we will provide a standard 21” x 21” seat pad for this course.
T Cushion*
Take your box cushion skills to the next level by mastering this more advanced T shape. The T cushion can be made to a size to suit you but we need to know in advance. If we don’t receive a size, we will provide a standard size T cushion. * This course will assume that you have some basic sewing skills and if you do not, then it could take longer than one day. Any additional time will be chargeable.
A note about our workshop and facilities
The sewing area is part of a larger upholstery workshop. We have 9 industrial sewing machines in total: 3 lockstitch sewing machines, 4 walking feet, an overlocker and a twin needle. The sewing area is manned by a dedicated sewing teacher and the teacher’s time is split equally between all students. The amount of students will vary from day-to-day but will never exceed the amount of machines. The tutoring is given on an individual basis and not in groups.
Booking
Simply choose the week from the dropdown menu and when you book, use the ’notes’ section to advise which day or days you would like to book. We may have availability on other days, which are not listed here and to check this please email us on office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk or if you prefer to speak to us, then please call our office on 0161 222 4243 and we’ll be happy to help.
The Richmond Chair
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Courses £595.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 6 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the chair except 7 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required
Cost: £595
We absolutely love this chair! It’s a beautiful classic shape and can be upholstered to suit this style. It is also a great canvas for the more adventurous out there, who fancy throwing some bold colours or patterns its way. It can be tackled in different ways to suit your tastes and covers a whole range of modern upholstery skills. As with all of our courses it is suitable for total beginners and those wanting to expand their skills. We will always start with a course with a full staple gun induction and if you complete the chair with a box or back cushion, we will include a full sewing machine introduction too. 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, so even if you’ve never lifted a staple gun before, we guarantee you will be thrilled with the end product.
The dripping Union Jack chair pictured was upholstered by our Creative Director Anthony Devine for a show. The chair with the birds on the side was upholstered by previous student Katie McNeill as part of her course.
This course is available to book for any 6 weekdays and runs from 9.00-4.00. Please select the week you would like from the dates available and we will book that week and the following Monday.
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 spread the course over more than two weeks, 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 6 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 6 days as everyone works at different speeds. Deep buttoning the back will probably add one extra day. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £85/ day.
Sidecar
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, 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
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Courses £255.00–£1,500.00Times: 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
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, 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
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Weekend Courses, Courses £185.00–£195.00Times: 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
Business Foundation Certificate Online
Business Certificate Courses, Online Certificate and Short Courses, Courses £1350.00Times: 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 2022
Are 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.
Business Certificate in Modern Upholstery
Business Certificate Courses, Courses £3360.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 40 days
Cost: £3360 divided into 4 payments of £840
Do you want a full or part time career involving upholstery?
Do you want to be able to tackle a large range of upholstery projects?
Do you want to attend a course, which has the flexibility to fit around other work or family commitments?
Then why not study with the UK’s leading modern upholstery school!
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.
Why choose the Business Certificate?
Our Business Certificate in Modern Upholstery has been designed as a completely accessible and flexible entry into the world of upholstery. We have designed our unique 40 day course to allow you to create a highly successful full or part-time business by learning the comprehensive skills required to tackle a large range of upholstery projects. Not only do we teach you the practical skills but we this course also includes free access to a large range of support sessions in order to provide you with the skills to run a successful business.
Course Outline
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 different styles of 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 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 is an important part of the course, which allows you to start to think about your own style and the focus your business will take.
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 Business Certificate, which you can display on your social media or website to show people that you have trained professionally.
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.
Day 1 – The Induction Day
The first day on all our Certificate courses is an induction day. This takes place away from the workshop and with other students, who are all embarking on the same course. The induction is led by the founders of Ministry of Upholstery, who will spend time getting to know you and ensure you feel totally at ease with the Ministry, the team and how everything works. After a tour of the facilities and a thorough look at the content of your course, we will give you a full health & safety induction. This will introduce you to our pneumatic staple guns and tools. You will spend time mastering how to use the staple gun, so that you feel at ease and comfortable before any upholstery begins. We will finish this day with a Q&A session.
The Practical Side
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 with cap on arm, scroll wing and a box cushion – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 5 | Richmond chair focussing on pattern match – 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. |
What’s Included?
All frames for modules 1 – 6 are 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
- Pleating
- Tool selection
- Stripping
- Piping
- Arms
- Seats
- Applying ply grip
- Applying backtack strip
- Slip stitching
- Close nail studding
- Sprung seats
- Sewing
- Webbing
- Cutting
- Measuring fabric and fabric guide
- Use of machinery
Theory Sessions
As part of your course you will be given free access to a range of theory sessions, designed to support your practical learning and covering 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 Measuring
- Setting up a business
- Deep buttoning
Some sessions are offered in-person in the workshop and some are offered via Zoom. The Zoom sessions can be attended live or accessed as recordings through a student login.
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 Business 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 professionally with the leading modern upholstery school in the UK.
If you are looking for a course which focuses on smaller projects, then why not consider our Foundation Certificate in Modern Upholstery
Availability and Booking
After the initial induction day, which you must select from the dropdown box above, 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 select to attend on any weekdays to suit your schedule; meaning you can even do this course on a day/ week basis if this suits you. 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 just need to select your start date from the dropdown box. This day is an induction day carried out in small groups of new starters. This first day will be a shorter day, starting at 10.30 and finishing approximately 3.00pm, group size dependent.
Once you have booked your first day, we will then contact you to book the rest of your time. If you wish to check or discuss availability before booking, then please email us on office@ministryofupholstery.co.uk or call us on 0161 222 4243.
*Please note that we have a maximum class size of 8 per teacher 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 £840. Before you attend your 6th day you are required to pay the next instalment of £840. 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!
Find a Ministry of Upholstery Course Near You
CoursesThe classic footstool course is a one-day extravaganza combining painting techniques with upholstery, perfect for beginners. You will start the day with a solid hardwood frame and throughout the day you will follow the step by step guidance of the workshop leader, learning all about the tools and materials used, as well as covering lots of techniques from webbing, applying Hessian and wadding, cutting fabric and corners. You will also be introduced basic painting techniques and have an opportunity to choose from a wide range of colours to paint your legs to match your fabric choice! At the end of the day’s course you will be able to take your footstool home to show off your new-found skills!
The course includes everything you need to make your stool, you just need to supply one metre of fabric. All our course providers keep class sizes small so that you benefit from greater one on one teaching and if you then fancy making another footstool for your friend or family member (and trust us, you will be asked!) then kits, containing everything you need to make the stools, will be available to purchase on the day.
To find a course near you, you can select from the map or you can search via postcode or city. To book simply follow the instructions on the shop page or contact the shop directly.
Deep Buttoned Wingback Armchair
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, 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.
Queen Anne Wingback Chair
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Courses £665.00Times: 9.00-4.00
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. As with all of our courses you will start your first day with a thorough induction, where we will introduce you to the pneumatic staple gun. This chair can be tackled in different ways, depending on the skills you wish to cover or the way you wish your chair to look. Take a look at the pictures above of the various ways past students have tackled the piece for some inspiration! 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 and a whole raft of upholstery skills.
For this project you will require 7 metres of plain fabric or 8 metres of patterned or striped/ checked.
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 £85/ day.
Deep Buttoned Storage Stool
Leisure & Hobbyist Courses, Courses £445.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 4 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 4 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 4 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 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.
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