Tucked neatly into a vintage garage in Ringwood, Hampshire, on the cusp of New Forest behind some glass doors you will be welcomed into The Upholstery Cabin by your tutor, Vicky Grubb.
Trading since Sept 2023, but teaching over 10 years, you will join a group of 4-6 other newbie upholsterer’s for some crafting fun. Whether you’ve done some upholstery before, or never tried it, the teaching is tailored to you.
Vicky runs daily classes on Monday evening, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and shorter one day classes once a month on a Saturday. Check the calendar and book your place. Vicky is normally booked up 6 weeks, in advance, but do check for available places before then!
The one day courses are designed to give you a taster into upholstery. Many students bring small footstools and dining chairs (without buttoning or springs) to ensure they can complete it in the day. Vicky cooks a lovely homemade lunch and there is nearly always cake, coffee and chats. In this class materials are included; fabric and braiding are not.
In the first week, you will only be stripping the chair using the tools provided, so you don’t need to choose your fabric at this point. If you need help with fabric selection, you can look through Vicky’s samples and trade accounts, and fabric arrives quickly – or you can bring your own. Vicky can advise on fabric selection if you need help. Materials are invoiced prior to this course, separately.
The six-week course runs during term time, with weekly three-hour sessions. Students typically bring armchairs, such as wing chairs, which take around 12 to 18 weeks to complete. If you prefer a shorter, six-week course, it’s best to bring a vintage nursery chair (one without arms).
