Join us in Flowery Branch, GA, for a fun-filled 2-Day Slipcover workshop, August 15 &16, 2026
Attend both days for only $500
In this 2-day workshop, students will bring their own chairs. This class will teach you the skills to create a custom-fitted slipcover for your project. Chair types for this class are wooden armchairs or parson-style chairs. Think outside the box and consider the custom details you might want to include in your piece.
Expect to learn new techniques, acquire new skills, and have fun!
SLIPCOVER WORKSHOP FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS
INSTRUCTION FROM AN INDUSTRY EXPERT
With 20+ years of experience, Kim Chagnon has become a trusted name in both upholstery and instruction.
In 1996, she started her own business, Kim’s Upholstery. As of 2018, as a result of the growing requests for upholstery education, Kim’s Upholstery now focuses exclusively on educating DIYers and professional furniture upholsterers.
When she’s not busy in her workroom, Kim is busy teaching upholstery online and by way of in-person workshops. For the past eight years, she’s led classes for the Window Coverings Association of America as well as popular trade shows and conferences.
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Limited to 6 students
- The workshop lasts 2 days (your projects should be completed depending on you).
- MUST HAVE advanced sewing skills
- Cost is $500 (50% non-refundable payment due upon registration to hold your spot)
- Project approval by Kim is required.
- Students will come prepared with their own fabric (if you plan to wash your slipcover in the future, you will need to prewash your fabric)
- Pre-make your welt cord to save time in class as well
- Sessions will run from 8:00 am to 4:30/5:00 pm with an hour for lunch
- Fabric requirements: cotton duck, cotton-linen combinations, and fabrics with a nice drape. No upholstery weight, quilting, or garment weight fabrics.
By attending this workshop, you agree to allow Kim’s upholstery to take photos or videos of you for marketing and promotional purposes.
WORKSHOP PRICING
- 6 students per workshop
- Cost is $500 (50% nonrefundable payment due upon registration to hold your spot) plus Kim’s travel expenses divided by the number of attendees. (average is about $110 per student)
- The final payment is due 2 months before the workshop.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Hostess:
Donna Cash
5837 McEver Road
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
Email: donna@designsbydonnaatlanta.com
INSTRUCTOR
Kimberley Chagnon
Email: kimberley@kimsupholstery.com
LODGING SUGGESTIONS
SCHEDULE
DAY ONE
Arrival – Students arrive between 8:00 am and 8:30 am.
Introductions – Once everyone’s projects are unloaded and set up, we take a few minutes to visit and get to know one another.
Getting Started – Then it’s time to start upholstering.
What to Expect on Day One – By the end of day one, you will have planned your design and pinfitted the majority of your project.
Lunch Time – At 12:30 pm, we take a 1-hour break
Quitting Time – Expect to end the day between 4:30 pm and5:00 pm
DAY TWO
Start at 8:30am
What to Expect on Day Two – Today is the day we start sewing and finish your project.
This is the “dig in and get-it-done day” in order to send you home with a completed piece.
During day two, the bonds between the students have formed, and there is usually lots of lively discussion and laughter.
By the end of day two, everyone is usually tired, but more importantly, feeling very proud and ready to show off their completed piece.
Lunch Time – At 12:30 pm, we take a 1-hour break
Quitting Time – Expect to end the day between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm
TOOLS & SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS WORKSHOP
Things you can add to your piece:
- Buttons
- Lacing
- Cording
- The skies are the limit, let’s go wild!
Tools:
- Portable Sewing Machine (optional) Make sure your sewing machine can sew through 6-8 layers of your chosen fabric
- 1/4″ cording foot if you bring your sewing machine
- zipper foot
- SHARP FABRIC Scissors
- Soft cloth tape measure
- Long glass head straight pins (1 7/8″)
- Magnetic pin dish
- Magnetic wrist band optional
- Pencils and chalk
- Workhorses (optional) (directions and PDF of materials are available)
- Serger optional
SUPPLIES:
- Fabric – If you choose a large print, extra fabric will be needed to pattern-match
- 5/32” Cotton Welt Cord
- Thread to match your fabric.
- A #5 nylon zipper, the length of the back of your chairs’ height plus 6 ” (not all chairs need a zipper)
- 1 ” hook and loop tape (about 12” if you have a skirt, or enough to go around the base of the chair if no skirt)
If you are choosing decorative details, you will need the tools and supplies for them.
What people are saying about our workshops…
“What a fun weekend. Five very different chairs, all complete and looking incredible. I enjoyed Ashfield so much. I stayed at a wonderful Air BnB owned by two artist and their dog Charlie. Each day we worked non stop, in this spacious and well lit barn, provided by our host Amy, along with incredible comfort food. Kim guided us with every detail, introduced us to new tools and tricks to give us confidence and pride in the results. Big thank you to Bill and Kim for setting this up. We are fortunate to know you.”
“The three day upholstery workshop I took with Kim from Kim’s Upholstery was fabulous! I found Kim to be energetic and knowledgeable. The class was composed of five women with five different chairs. This did not phase Kim in the least. She was able to transition from assisting one attendee to another with ease and made it seem effortless. I am very happy with my finished chair and feel confident in attempting to upholster another chair after taking this class. I know she is an email or phone call away if I have any questions. I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in upholstering, beginner or intermediate.”
“I attended a three day workshop in Northborough, MA last year with 4 other ladies and we had a blast learning and enjoying each other’s company whilst working hard. We had Kim with us all the way, and each of us having a different chair, we learned different skills watching them do their chairs. Kim helped us from the bare wood upwards until the finished product and it was a pleasure. She explained every technique we did and the correct order of upholstering our piece of furniture. Now, if we have any questions we know that she is only an email or phone call away from asking her questions. I am a hands on learner so this was very helpful having Kim by my side all the way.”