Upholstery Immersion 2S23 (Wednesday Evening)
Have a piece of furniture that has potential, but needs a makeover? Looking to learn how to do-it-yourself? Join our Upholstery Immersion course.
Work on a project of your choice in an open-format classroom. Bring your piece to the first class to assess and plan, with instructor input. No set curriculum, the instructor will circulate and offer instruction at all levels.
Storage is limited. No love seats, chaise lounges, sofas.
BEGINNERS, PLEASE NOTE: You will be most satisfied if you start small with a dining room chair, footstool or ottoman. An armchair or wing-back chair will take more than one semester to complete. Occasionally, smaller pieces may take more than one semester.
INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: You may prepare for class by stripping your furniture at home.
In Summer, we offer a Summer Upholstery Intensive – the same as our regular Upholstery class, but all in one week. Leave your work out in the shop and immerse yourself.
*If your project requires sanding/staining/woodworking, please register for one of our Furniture Finishing & Restoration classes.
Kathleen Gaskin
Kathleen Gaskin is proprietor of Decorator’s Workroom (Jamaica Plain), an upholstery shop which she founded in 1990. She grew up in Trinidad, where her father was a joiner and carpenter and her mother a seamstress and chair caner. She is proud to follow in their footsteps.
Kathleen has received numerous awards for her contributions to Jamaica Plain and the City of Boston, including the 2009 Local Hero Award from Vinfen, 2010 Award for outstanding contributions to Boston’s neighborhooods from Action for Boston Community Development, and 2005 Community Leadership Award from Spontaneous Celebrations.
Kathleen first taught at the Eliot School in 1991.
PLEASE NOTE:
Bring to the first class:
Your piece of furniture. You may store it here for the semester but you must remove it after that. Beginners will learn to strip furniture in the first class session.
Two dropcloths (old bedsheets work well): one to cover work surface, one to cover furniture in storage
Recommended, after the first class (check with instructor in class before shopping):
Measuring tape
Good pair of scissors suitable for upholstery-weight fabric
Tack and Staple Remover (Tool #121)
Tack claw (Osborne # 202)
Magnetic hammer (Osborne #222)
10" Upholstery shears (Osborne #684-10)
Ripping tool (Osborne #402)
Curved needles (Osborne #K-3)
Straight-point needles (Osborne # K-5)
Upholstery pins (Osborne #190)
6-oz. Upholstery tacks
Marking chalk (Osborne #88)
Additional Supplies
The following will be discussed in class:
webbing
burlap
muslin
1” or 4” foam
cushion foam
cotton batting
cambric
Italian Ruby twine – 1 lb. spool
spring-tying twine
spring nails
fabric: 5/32” welt
* NO LARGE ITEMS (sofa, bed, love seat, chaise lounge)
*ONLY ONE PIECE AT A TIME per student, as our storage space is limited
*YOU MUST TAG YOUR FURNITURE with your name, phone number and semester
*YOU MUST REMOVE YOUR FURNITURE at the end of the semester