Expert: Mark H. Miller - 9/11/2007

Question
Mark Miller,  I have a yearning to learn to upholster furniture.  Could you possibly  share with me what talents or qualities a person aould possess in order to succeed in this art.  Also what is the best course of action to pursue this art?  Sincerely,  Sunni

Answer
Hello Sunni,

The talents you should possess to become an upholsterer is the ability to work with your hands.  If you are a person who is handy doing things, even in thing completely unrelated then you can upholster.  If however you can't get a nail into the wall to hang a picture then seek other avenues to express yourself.

The ideal way to learn upholstering would be as an apprentice in an upholstery shop.  The second best would be to take a class in upholstering in a Community College.   And regardless of the above simply begin,  many excellent upholsterers, in fact, the best that I know, are all self taught,  they had other upholsterers give them guidance, the very basics and from there they taught themselves.  

There are also many books that will be of help, but books are like learning to drive a car by reading a course in a book.  Once one knows the vehicle laws the only way to learn is to get behind the wheel of a car and drive it.  Same with upholstering.  Start with small items.  Dining chairs.  Or go to a thrift shop and buy a fairly good chair and take it apart, take notes and photos as you very carefully take it apart and then put it back together again.  

Then if you get stuck putting it back together again contact me or someone else who knows and teach yourself.

It isn't very hard, and if the passion is there, nothing can stop you.

I hope this helps,  good luck.

Mark Miller.