In-Person Workshop Experience | Upholstery Training Experts

Maybe you are new to the world of upholstery and interested in learning a new skill, but you have no idea where to start. Maybe you have dabbled in upholstery and are ready for something more advanced, but you aren’t sure what. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, there is an in-person workshop for you. You might be wondering what exactly an in-person workshop is and what is it like? Today, we will take you through the in-person workshop experience so you can get an idea of what it is like to attend a workshop.

While we offer a ton of online training classes, some people just learn better in-person. They like having an instructor there to guide them through each step of the process and give them feedback in the moment. Regardless of whether you take one of our beginner level workshops or an advanced training workshop, you will have tons of learning opportunities! A major benefit to in-person training is being around others. You will have the chance to learn from those around you, see what they are doing, and how they do it. In that way the in-person experience is very beneficial for those that prefer to be around people, as you don’t just learn from your piece, but from everyone.

In-Person Beginner Workshop Experience

Let me start off by saying all workshops will be fast-paced. There is a lot of information and skills to cover. Therefore, the pace might be quicker than you expect. However, there will still be plenty of moments to pause and get help or feedback from me, your instructor. As your instructor, I will be walking around helping and assisting those who need it. These beginner-focused workshops are restricted to beginner projects, as the main focus of this workshop is to help you learn essential skills that you need in upholstery and build confidence working on a project at your level. Sticking to a beginner project allows you to concentrate on learning rather than feeling lost and frustrated.

Beginner projects are great because they teach you transferable skills that you will use and apply to other upholstery projects. Your skills will build on each other. Learning how to attach foam or padding to a dining room chair, a common beginner project, will transfer over to other chair projects, as well as more advanced projects.

Upholstery Tools and Supplies

Most beginners aren’t as familiar with upholstery tools or supplies, or how to use them. You will need to bring your own tools and supplies to the workshop, but each class will have a detailed list of the supplies and tools that should accompany you to the workshop. However, when you sign up, make sure to ask questions if you need help or guidance

You can download a list of basic upholstery tools on our Freebies page.

If you’re not sure what supplies upholsterers need, read this blog: Which Upholstery Supplies Should I Use?

You can read more on tools for upholstery here!

Upholstery Fabric

In addition to the basic tools and supplies, you will also need to bring your own fabric. I would also suggest you bring a couple of extra yards-just in case. Fabric is the fun part of the project! It is where you inject your own personality and creativity into a piece! If you need help figuring out how much fabric you need, read more about How much fabric do I need for my upholstery project?

You can also watch step-by-step how I measure fabric for yardage in this video.

Other Important Notes:

It is also important to note that when you attend a workshop, you will need to bring your own piece of furniture. Your furniture should already have the old fabric, padding, etc. removed. You will arrive at class with just the bare frame- a blank canvas, which we will then transform!

If you need more assistance with the Teardown Process, read more about preparing furniture for re-upholstery and the teardown process here.

An often overlooked item is comfy shoes and clothes! These workshops are typically three days in length, and we are on our feet most of that time. Therefore comfy clothes and shoes are a must have!

Don’t worry though, the tired feet at the end of the day are worth it! Not only will you grow in your skills and confidence but you will most likely leave the workshop with life-long friendships. You can look forward to wonderful chats throughout the day and conversations during lunch. The attendees bond over their shared interest or love in upholstery, but often-times friendships are formed that go much deeper. We also end the day with a lovely meal together, where the good conversations and laughter continue.

In-Person Advanced Workshop Experience

The advanced workshop is slightly different. You will need to have a strong knowledge of upholstery and experience to attend. It is fast-paced but different from the beginner, as students are already seasoned with the basic skills, and familiar with the more advanced skills and steps being taught in class. Projects at the advanced level are more complex and these students have completed several pieces already. Many workshop students are also members of our online membership classes and have attended past training or workshops.

Just like the beginner workshops, students will need to bring their own tools, supplies, fabric, and project piece. Instructors will spend less time on tools and how to use them, as it is assumed you already know.

Before arriving, students will not only need to perform the teardown process at home, but will also get started on the support systems as well. Having that done prior to class, allows us to really dig into the more advanced skills during our time together. The one thing that is not a part of our workshops is cushion sewing. This advanced skill takes time, and unfortunately, we don’t have enough of time during the course of a three-day workshop.

Each workshop, both beginners and advanced, will leave you with new and refined skills, new techniques, a finished piece of furniture, and friendships that you will cherish! If you are still undecided about whether to sign up for an in-person workshop and want to learn more, you can find more information here and see all the upcoming workshops that you can register for to hold your spot!