Upholstery with Amy Gingel

During this one day traditional upholstery workshop you will learn all the skills required to complete a drop-in dining chair using high quality materials and all the tools of the trade including a magnetic hammer and ripping chisel. These basic skills underpin all traditional upholstery and are a great foundation if you wish to do more advanced upholstery in the future.

You will learn how to carefully strip the old layers of upholstery from the seat frame and make any repairs needed. Then using a webbing strainer tool attach new webbing to the frame and a base layer of hessian. Loops of twine will then be filled with an even layer of real horse hair giving your chair comfort and resilience which should last for years. A layer of cotton wadding is added and then calico is carefully smoothed and tensioned over the seat pad. Finally your choice of top fabric is added to complete the project.

Please be aware that this workshop is focusing on drop-in dining chairs. If you don’t have one Amy is able to provide one for a low cost please contact Amy for this (tel. 07941218543).

Material: You are able to purchase all the upholstery material you will need for the day (£15). Please bring your choice of  top fabric.

Lunch is ‘Bring and Share’ and Atelier will provide all the coffee and tea you can drink including biscuits.

Who is Amy: Amy Gingell is a self employed upholsterer working for the last 15 years (with a couple of hiatuses for 2 children!) in Brimscombe, Stroud. Amy’s upholstery life started over 20 years ago at a local weekly evening class where the basic skills were covered. Having got the upholstery bug she then went to Gloucestershire College to complete City and Guilds Upholstery. Then, to become confident in more advanced upholstery techniques Amy undertook a residential Advanced Traditional Craft Upholstery course accredited by the AMUSF (Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers). Amy has also taught several upholstery beginners workshops at Lewis and Wood in Woodchester, Stroud.