Upholstery Workshops

Being a grown-up can be hard. Life can feel like too much work and not enough play. It’s time to bring more creativity and playfulness into your life and find a new way to relax. Unleash your hidden talents and learn how to upholster.

Choose from a variety of upholstery workshops which run over a full day or shorter day, ranging from footstools, stools, storage crates and benches. We have something to suit everyone and all are suitable for beginners. Prices start from £175

Handmake a piece of furniture, unique to you which you get to take home at the end of the day. An item to treasure forever and a reminder of the joy we can bring into our lives when we tap into our fun and creative side. This is playing in style for creative grown-ups eager to have a fun escape from the pressures of everyday life.

Our upholstery workshops are available for individual or group bookings. A hen party with a difference or a teambuilding reward or simply a way to reconnect with friends. We can accommodate groups of 6 to 8 people.

Book a Workshop

Group Bookings

Our Workshops

Crate

One day workshop where you will be taught how to make one of our stylish footstool storage crates.
Suitable for beginners
Bring 1 metre of fabric.
You will learn about the basic tools and materials needed for upholstery.
You will be taught techniques like gluing and stapling foam, measuring and cutting fabric, cutting corners, making and applying buttons.

Stools

One day workshop where you will be taught how to make one of our stylish stools with a choice of industrial style legs.
Suitable for beginners
Bring 1 metre of fabric.
You will learn about the basic tools and materials needed for upholstery.
You will be taught techniques like gluing and stapling foam, measuring and cutting fabric, cutting corners, making piping, making fabric side panels.
Finishing and fixing legs

Deep Buttoned Footstool

One day workshop where you will learn to make one of our beautiful deep buttoned footstools.
Suitable for Beginners or those wishing to expand their skills.
1 metre of fabric included in workshop cost.
You will learn about the basic tools and materials needed for upholstery
You will be taught the technique of deep buttoning.
You will learn how we plan a template for buttons and get to make your own buttons
Fixing and finishing legs

Bench

Two-day workshop where you will be taught how to make one of our beautiful benches with a choice of industrial style legs.
Suitable for beginners
Bring 2 metres of fabric.
You will learn about the basic tools and materials needed for upholstery.
You will be taught techniques like applying and stapling foam, wadding and elasticated webbing. Templating fabric including measuring, cutting, stapling, cutting corners. Making fabric side panels and piping and making and applying buttons
Finishing and fixing legs

Who Is It For?

The one day workshops are perfect if you want a taster into the world of upholstery. Step away from the daily grind and unleash your creative side. Learn a new skill and have the instant satisfaction of making a small piece of furniture.

You can also buy a place at the workshop for a creative loved one. It will make the perfect sustainable gift if you are looking for something fun and unique.

What Will You Learn?

The workshop is an introduction to the craft. You will learn about the tools and materials needed for upholstery. You will be taught techniques like applying foam, fabric, cutting corners on fabric, making and applying buttons & more.

We supply you with the tools & materials for the course, you will just need to bring 1m of fabric.

Meet The Tutor

You will be taught on the day by Emma, an experienced upholster and the Director of Semper Hopkins Upholstery (read Emma’s story here).

We keep the class size to no more than six people so you will get lots out of the day.

All the frames and materials for the course are prepared in house by Ian (Emma’s Dad).

Location

The workshop is held from our beautiful workshop a converted Chapel in Scholar Green, a peaceful setting in the Cheshire countryside.

Find out about our Covid-safety measure here

Old Kent Green Methodist Chapel,
Cinderhill Lane,
Scholar Green,
Cheshire,
ST7 3HR

Book On An Upholstery Workshop

Would you love to learn a new skill? Create a piece of furniture, handmade by you.

Book a place on a Workshop

Group bookings

What our customers think…

“I am sooooo proud. I’m a self confessed hamfisted crafter. But after Emma’s expert and gentle guidance I am going home with the most fabulous footstool. I can believe I made it!! Thank you Emma. Clear instructions. Watchful. Encouraging And the most beautiful venue.”

Catherine Sandland

“A fabulous day switching off from work and being creative. The space is beautiful, Emma’s tuition is top class, and the materials are great quality. Highly recommend doing one of the workshops.”

Helen Hill

“Attended a deep button upholstery course yesterday and loved every second. Location was stunning, Emma was a wonderful tutor, the quality of the materials and equipment were also outstanding. I would thoroughly recommend people of all abilities and ages give this a go. It’s great fun and you get a beautiful piece of furniture to take away.”

Natasha Moseley

“Had the best time creating a footstool. Emma is skilled in her craft and teaches at a pace to suit all. Quality fabrics and equipment make creating a pleasure. Beautiful surroundings and a beautiful end result.

I would certainly recommend and look forward to returning. Thank you Emma.”

Morag Dunster

“I recently attended the deep buttoned upholstery workshop which was absolutely brilliant. Emma was such a good teacher and has great patience but made everything so easy to do using a step by step approach. It was amazing to see a bunch of materials turned into such a lovely seating bench. My friends and family are also super impressed. Would definitely recommend Emma and her courses.”

Colette Willoughy

“I love all things home decor and have often thought about upholstery and imagined I wasn’t skilled enough to do it. Meeting Emma a couple of times and discussing her online courses I was delighted when she offered to collaborate with me.

I was so excited to receive the frame kit and loved choosing my own fabric. Everything was included in the kit and the supporting videos and worksheets were so easy to follow. Honestly, if I can do it anyone can.

The whole process is step by step, it’s like having Emma in your own home. She was also available should you have any questions.

I’m so proud of myself and I now have a beautiful bench in my bedroom that fills me with joy when I look at it. I would highly recommend Emma’s frame kits.”

Sandra Curzon

“A truly fantastic day learning the basics of upholstery whilst engaged in a project to construct an attractive and useful storage crate – which you get to take home with you at the end of the day! Great support throughout the “build” with plenty of time to allow progress at your own pace. Booking the course was easy with great online comms, and I must say that Emma was particularly helpful when it came to re-booking as a result of the pandemic. If you will excuse the pun, the icing on the cake was a slice of Lemon Drizzle served at lunchtime – absolutely delicious!”

Julie Turner

“As somebody who sits behind a desk all week, the only creativity I get is using spreadsheets! So the day I spent in the beautiful workshop with Emma was awesome – then I got to take home my gorgeous crate too! Highly recommend!”

Lee-Sara Davis

“Having seen the wonderful craftsmanship of Emma and her dad I was really keen to ‘have a go’ and learn a new skills from such talented people. The day did not disappoint in any way. From the preparation and help to choose my fabric, to the clear support and guidance during the day; everything was fantastic AND I got the take home a wonderful, useful piece of furniture. I highly recommend this course and am even thinking of doing it again so I have another one for my next grandchild (Emma made one for my granddaughter)”

Pauline Carter

“I will totally be recommend this workshop to friends and family. It was great to be in such a lovely atmosphere and surroundings. Emma and Ian were very helpful, patient and knowledgeable. There is nothing I would change about the experience and thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Michelle Hough

“Thank you so much for a wonderful and really informative day!!! I cannot express strongly enough how much I enjoyed myself and also how much I learned from this day. My basic upholstery skills were non existent but this day course gave me oodles of confidence in tackling this storage stool and in looking at future projects!
Thank you to You and to your lovely father (who taught me how to use a power drill.. great fun!!).

I would definitely recommend this course to all beginners and those wishing to develop their upholstery skills!!!

I hope to do further courses with you in the future.
“

Laura Owen

“It was such a lovely day. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. I smile every time I walk past my crate.”

Ros Beard

“My daughter and I have had a fantastic day on the upholstery workshop creating a cushion for a crate to use for extra storage for any room. Great to sit on to and put your feet up! Having limited knowledge of upholstery it was a great way to learn about what tools are needed and how to go about building the cushion. The day was well planned out and every stage covered and absolutely no time pressure in fact the time flew by. What a sense of achievement getting the corners just right and the buttons perfectly in place. Above all for me was the opportunity for my daughter and I to get together to make a special memory after a year pretty much apart. A great workshop.”

Jane Baker

Upholstery Workshops

Our Workshops

Crate

Stools

Deep Buttoned Footstool