Weekend Footstool
£155.00–£175.00
£155.00–£175.00
Times: 11.00-5.00
Duration: 2 days Sat & Sun
Includes: Everything you need to make the footstool except 1 metre of fabric
Times: 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
Times: 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
Additional Information
| Size | Small (48cm x 36cm), Large (70cm x 48cm) |
|---|
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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.
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.
Weekend #stofa Course
Courses £225.00Times: 11.00-5.00
Duration: 2 days Sat & Sun
Includes: Everything except fabric, a guide will be sent in the booking confirmation
Want to create something different? Not quite a sofa, better than a stool; this unique frame was designed by our Creative Director; Anthony Devine for BBC’s Money for Nothing and quickly nicknamed the #stofa! It became so popular with our regular students, that we introduced it as a course and it has fast become one of our firm favourites due to the creative nature of the design and the variety of different ways it can be approached!
You will start the course by customising your legs to match your fabric choice, from a range of paints and waxes provided by us. You will then be taken through a thorough health & safety induction, during which you will be introduced to the pneumatic staple gun and shown how to safely operate it. After you are up to speed it is on with the upholstery. You will require no previous experience as Anthony will be leading this workshop and will guide you, step by step, through the exact process he used to make the TV ‘Stofa’!
You will learn a lot of techniques, from webbing, applying hessian, working with foam, cutting and applying fabric and this is also our first weekend course which can include an introduction to basic sewing! Class sizes will be kept small to maximise teaching time and at the end of the two days, the #stofa is yours to take home and enjoy! It is a very creative course as it can be upholstered in lots of different ways and using different methods and skills. Please have a look at the pictures to see how other students have approached the design for some inspiration. Full guidance on fabric will be sent in the booking confirmation.
The #stofa measures approx.:
- 1 metre 17cm in length
- 50cm wide
- 37cm in height
Access Course in Modern Upholstery
Courses £1425.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 15 days
Cost: £1425 divided into 3 payments of £475
Are you completely new to upholstery, thinking about our Business Course in Modern Upholstery but want to ease yourself in with some smaller projects, whilst developing a core set of transferable skills?
Or
Are you considering entering the world of upholstery but want to focus your efforts on smaller upholstered items?
Or
Do you already do some upholstery and want to take it to the next level and convert your hobby into a business?
Then this brand new course is the one for you!
Designed as a precursor to the Business Course, or as a course in its own right, we have developed this course after witnessing many Ministry of Upholstery students make very successful businesses by focusing on a smaller core set of products; such as footstools, dining chairs and headboards. The beauty of this is:
- They are small, so a kitchen table can provide sufficient working space
- They all focus around a core set of skills, which will be mastered during this course and refined very 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.
- By taking this course before the full Business Course in Modern Upholstery, you can already be establishing a business, taking a wage and learning and developing your core set of skills, at the same time as developing new ones and expanding on your offering
This 15 day course is taught at our fully equipped, state of the art Manchester workshop 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 is vast.
This course takes the student through a structured programme of practical work, the majority of which are taught using practice boards, which will also be finished as headboards to enable you to sell them or use them after the course.
On your first day you will be eased in with a thorough induction and introduction to the pneumatic staple gun and tools of the trade. Once you are up to speed and feel confident, we will provide you with a drop-in dining seat pad and our expert upholstery teachers will guide you step-by-step through each process until you complete the task. With this basic introduction under your belt you will move onto our contemporary stool, expanding on the basic prepping skills and introducing you to piping, borders and modern upholstery materials such as backtack strip. After this you will complete 5 practice boards/ headboards, which can be single or double headboard size. The first one will introduce you to shallow buttoning and borders. The second will be about mastering the skill of deep buttoning, the third a more modern take on buttoning and your first foray into sewing; the square buttoning technique. On the fourth board you will learn how to flute and finally you will finish by learning another skill of creating a contemporary headboard with square tiles. Ministry of Upholstery is a modern upholstery school, so you will be coached in modern upholstery skills and using modern upholstery materials. This makes for a course which is more accessible, the skills are easier to master and therefore you can up and running your new business in no time. 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 at home.
Course Content at a glance
| Module 1 | Drop in seat – all materials included |
| Module 2 | Small Contemporary Stool – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 3 | Single or Double Headboard with shallow buttoning and a border – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 4 | Single or Double Headboard with deep buttoning – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 5 | Single or Double Headboard with Square buttoning – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 6 | Single or Double Headboard with fluting – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
| Module 7 | Single or Double Headboard with square tiles – frame and materials supplied, you must supply fabric |
All 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 how to use a sewing machine, led by our full-time expert sewing tutor. The pieces that you make are all yours to keep. If you sell these you can expect to recoup around £1200! We also sell kits for all products, so once your friends and family start to ask you to make for them, you can hit the ground running and start your business! If you don’t have the tools and space to get you going, don’t worry, we have 3 equipped self-contained workshops (or Pods), which we rent out on day rates to students. It’s as simple as:
Learn the skills Buy the Kit Rent the Pod or use your own space Make the product Start the business!
Classroom Sessions Covered
In addition to the practical side of the course we have also selected some core classroom sessions, designed to give you the knowledge to maximise your new business. These are:
- Fire Regulations
- Fabric Knowledge
- Job Costing and pricing
- Foam knowledge
- Question & Answer
Practical Techniques and skills covered
- Full health & safety induction and introduction to tools and materials
- Sewing machine induction
- Shallow buttoning
- Deep buttoning
- Borders
- Cutting and applying foam
- Fluting
- Costing jobs
- Pleating
- Tool selection
- Piping
- Applying ply grip
- Applying backtack strip
- Fabric knowledge
- Fire regulations
- Close nail studding
- Sewing
- Webbing
- Prepping
- 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 is more in depth and covers larger projects, then why not consider our Business 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 15 day course as it is entirely flexible.
Booking is simple, to book a place you can pay your first instalment of £475 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 three smaller, more manageable instalments.
Upon booking your first week, which you can do online, you are required to pay the first instalment of £475. Before you attend your 6th day you are required to pay the next instalment of £475. The same again before you attend your 11th day. 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!
Business Start Up Course in Modern Upholstery
Courses £2988.00Times: 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!
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
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
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.
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.
Chesterfield Sofa
Courses £895.00Times: 9.00-4.00 weekdays only
Duration: 10 days on any weekdays, subject to availability
Includes: Everything you need to make the sofa except approx. 14 metres of fabric and fire retardant interliner if required
The Daddy of all sofas! It’s bold and beautiful and will pack a punch in any house! Have you always dreamed of owning your own Chesterfield style sofa, well now not only can you have the sofa of your dreams, but you can also say “I made that!”. With the help of our expert tutors, benefitting from over 120 years of experience, you will be guided stage by stage through the process. This is a masterclass in deep-buttoning, but before that you’ll start with a brand new solid hardwood frame and cover the important processes leading up to the fabric. Then the main feature; all that beautiful button work. Whether you’re a total newbie, or you’ve got some upholstery experience and want to go to the next level, this is a great in-depth course, which will equip you with many transferable skills. We highly recommend it! Whilst you are totally welcome to take this course as a complete beginner, please be advised that it does contain some complex techniques and may take a day or 2 longer than the advertised 10 days in some cases. Extra days are chargeable at £85/day.
This course is available to book on any 10 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 10 days is the average completion time for this course but we do not guarantee that you will finish in 10 days as everyone works at different speeds. If you do need an extra day these are chargeable at £85/ day.
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.
Loved this course, learnt techniques in a fun and relaxed environment. Anthony and Susie have a great teaching style. Came away with a very professional footstool. Would recommend to anyone wanting to learn upholstery to get yourself booked on this course. 5 star 🙂
I had the best time on this course!
Fantastic expertise and tuition.
Have recommended over and over again to friends .
Looking forward to going back to the Ministry really soon .
So glad I did this, learned lots of skills to take away and put into practice in my own little projects at home. Such a friendly family at the Ministry that you’ll find yourself looking at more courses or supplies you can buy just so you can pay them a visit again! And to top it all off you come home with a unique footstool that you can show off to everyone!!
Excellent course, cannot recommend enough!
As a complete beginner to upholstery, I found this course amazing!
I felt totally supported throughout to ensure I created a truly special piece of furniture.
Massive thanks to Anthony and Susie, for all of your time and patience and for sharing your talents!
Looking forward to the next course!
Had a fabulous time learning new skills on this course and came out with a brilliant footstool that I couldn’t believe I had made! Looking forward to doing more courses. Wish I had done it sooner.
Just spent the best weekend making a large footstool! Anthony and Susie are great teachers (lots of humour, encouraging teaching style…AND cups of coffee).
As someone who had never done anything like this before, I would highly recommend this course. Now I just want to do more/bigger/better!
Pity there are only 5 stars to give…
I had a fantastic 2 days with 2 of the most inspirational people ever. Their passion for their work is contagious… I have already booked on for a further course (3 days) and am in the process of booking for the 2 day Annie Sloan painting experience and then some…. I am retiring shortly and was looking for a hobby, I am now considering starting a small business…. In the words of john Lennon, “You won’t get anything unless you have the vision to imagine it.” thank you Anthony and Susie for giving me the vision….
Spent a fantastic two days in a relaxed but enthusiastic environment making a footstool I can be justly proud of. Anthony and Susie are the perfect teachers who enjoy passing on their skills and expertise to others and I would love to take another course with them but can’t decide which one. Choices, choices! I thoroughly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in upholstery.
Brilliant weekend course making a unique, professional footstool. Expert tuition with plenty of encouragement and patience. Very relaxed environment, I would recommend to anyone thinking about it. But, be careful, it’s addictive! Came away with a kit to make another one!
My teenage daughter had an amazing experience on the footstool course. Anthony and Susie were so patient and instilled confidence and skills assisting her to produce a peice of upoholstery that was professional and on trend. If she had done this as a project in DT at school, it would have taken 2 or 3 terms! She has been inspired to continue making her own furtniture and to start upcycling. She will take the memory of the workshop away with her for life. I simply can’t thank Ministry of Uphostery enough for allowing my daughter such a wonderful opportunity!
This was my first encounter with Ministry of Upholstery and after a wonderful weekend I came away with a lovely footstool. I’ve since reupholstered a footstool and three cushions to go with a Chesterfield and Queen Anne wing back chair. I’m sure I must have tested Anthony, Paul and Dennis’ patience on several occasions but I am delighted with the results. I’ll be back and be bringing biscuits with me!
If you’re looking for a new skill which you can learn in a light, bright and tidy environment then the MoU is exactly what you need! Susie and Anthony are a credit to what they’ve achieved and have developed a friendly, relaxed arena for all things upholstery which results in an incredibly enjoyable, all round creative experience. All elements of the weekend footstool course were delivered in such a manner that allowed you to understand each part of the process literally step by step… can’t recommend enough this very professional set up! Well done MoU… already planning when I can fit in another course around my own work commitments!
Every time I look our footstools, I can’t quite believe we made them, they’re fab! My hubbie and I made one each during this weekend course. Anthony and Susie are such brilliant and knowledgeable teachers. Would highly recommend, the enjoyment and sense of achievement is immense. Don’t hesitate to do it too, you’ll not regret it!