Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I receive a commission on all qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to reupholster your own furniture? This is a question I asked myself when the only upholstery workroom in town closed during the early days of the pandemic. Knowing how to reupholster a tired old chair or a comfortable sofa that has seen better days is, without a doubt, a mad skill to have. It takes time and patience to acquire but, once you master the basics, you open yourself up to a world of immense creativity and satisfaction.
For the longest time I found upholstery to be intimidating and difficult, not to mention frustrating. As an interesting blend of carpentry and sewing know-how, it required tools I didn’t have and knowledge I didn’t know I needed. But on the list of homemaking skills it is as useful as a skill can be and your efforts will be rewarded with an environment designed with sustainability, practicality and longevity in mind.
Late last fall, after I got a pair of wonderfully comfortable yet tired-looking armchairs on Facebook Marketplace, I enrolled in Create Academy’s Introduction to Modern Upholstery course taught by Micaela Sharp, in an attempt to figure out if reupholstering the chairs by myself would be an act of madness, or clever thrift.
While I have yet to reupholster those armchairs and answer my own question, I loved every minute of Micaela Sharp ’s class, which is why I want to share my thoughts on it with you. I found it to be an excellent skillset & confidence builder for anyone looking to start their upholstery journey. Inspiring projects, detailed and focused lessons designed to optimize your learning experience were the hallmark of this class. Micaela Sharp is a broadcaster and interior designer with a passion for upholstery and up-cycling, and her passion shines through every one of her lessons, all 68 of them. She’s also a gifted educator: clear, focused and well-paced without being overwhelming.
The class took several months to complete but I’ve recently wrapped up the last few lessons and I am very happy with what I’ve learned, and the confidence it’s given me to take on more complex projects. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in upholstery.
Designed with the weekend upholsterer in mind (me!), the course covers a wide range of tangential topics as well, including fabric selection, rub counts and best practices in estimating fabric yardage for upholstery projects. Micaela’s enthusiasm for upholstery is contagious and through these lessons, she gradually builds your skillset and inspires you to make something beautiful of your own. There are three major projects covered: how to design, build and upholster a headboard from scratch; how to sew the perfect box cushion, and, finally, how to reupholster a midcentury modern armchair. While the projects are very specific, the skills are transferable to almost any upholstery job.
Introduction to Modern Upholstery
If you’re interested in this class, or any other Create Academy course, Cafe Design readers get a 15% discount on all classes, using the promo code cafedesign15 at checkout.
Happy upholstering!
