Pippa Clare Upholstery

Because a number of the current students will wish to re-enrol it takes a while to establish how many places I will have for the following term. Once I know how many places are available I will let you know the date and time when the website will go live for bookings, (if you have sent me an email asking about the classes beforehand). After you have a confirmed booking for the course I will send you a contact details form and will also check with you about your chosen project so that if anything needs to be sorted it can be done so before the start of term. I will then look forward to welcoming you to the classes at The Mountbatten School.

Please do not arrive too early for your class. The school is a busy site and our afternoon classes in particular start as the school day is finishing. Never having been that good at making sure that we pack up to finish at a particular time - please try to keep me on track for us to start this 10 minutes before the finish time of the class! And please leave the area where you have been working clean and tidy.

We have a special dispensation kindly agreed by the school to park behind the building where the classes are held, giving easy access for you to drop off your project and supplies immediately in front of the room we use. However if we misuse the privilege the classes will cease to be held. Full details of the parking arrangements will be issued once a place is booked on a course. It sounds a bit complicated but it works very well in practice! When removing the bollard to access the courtyard in front of the building where the classes are held please put it on the ground - not in amongst the roses or other planting.

If you are new to the classes please discuss your chosen project with me before term starts. This is to ensure that it is a suitable one for you and any necessary preparations can be made beforehand so that you do not waste time at the first class. The length of time that it will take to complete will depend on its complexity. Upholstery can range from being very simple to extremely complex! Some minor repair work to frames can be undertaken during the course, but you will need to be mindful that sometimes this might need to be completed outside the classes. Major repairs are not possible, but there are many furniture restorers who will be able to help you. I do not bring foam to the classes, apart from a thin ¼” thick one which is suitable as a wadding, but not as a stuffing. If your project is stuffed with foam please make sure that you let me know as soon as possible so that I can offer guidance about what type of foam and where to purchase it should you need supplies before the first class.

If possible bring a scrap of carpet big enough to stand your furniture piece on so that it does not slip on the table when you are working on it. Suggested tools as part of a starter kit include: a sharp pair of scissors a wooden mallet a tape measure an upholstery magnetic hammer a tack remover (if your project is tacked), or a staple remover (if your project is stapled) A notebook and pen, or a smartphone, can be useful to record your work.

I will bring supplies of many upholstery materials to the classes such as tacks, webbing, hessian, hair, calico and waddings which you can purchase from me. Please keep a tally of what you have had and we can add it up at the end of term. If your project uses foam as the stuffing please discuss this with me before term starts. There are just too many types of foam for me to supply, but I can provide guidance about any possible supplies that you might just need to get before the first class.

I bring a plentiful supply of tools and equipment with me to the classes, but it can be useful to bring your own when possible. Do drop me an email should you be thinking of buying any extra upholstery tools and I will be happy to provide guidance. There are loads of options and the choice will depend on what type of chair or stool you are working on.

A number of tools that we use in upholstery are potential hazards - for instance hot glue guns and staple guns. Please do not use these sort of tools before I have given you guidance!

Please tidy up your workspace at the end of each class and clear any rubbish into the bins in the room. Thank you.