Upholstery is the process of adding cushions and/or fabric to furniture. It has advantages over simply putting a pillow on the chair in that it looks far better and the pillow doesn't move around.
The main pieces of machinery you need are a pneumatic staple gun - and someplace to use the thing as it is LOUD. You may also need a sewing machine, some hand tools (industrial strength staple remover/crow bar, hammer - perhaps a button machine to make cloth covered buttons)
But all the skills are remarkably EASY to do. Frankly, any teenager should be able to do it, if they put their mind to it. It does take a while to do, is expensive, but as long as you are working with a small piece (chair, ottoman), it won't take much muscle. If it weren't expensive to learn and do, everyone would do it. Frankly, it's a great retirement income hobby job if you don't want to sit around doing nothing, and want to earn a little extra money.
And it has the advantage of many of my activities in that if you pick good materials, it will come out looking pretty darn good even if you personally are a beginner.
It is more female than male, and the crowd does not normally include teenagers (expensive). Seniors can easily do it.
A common practice is to go to a flea market, pick up a chair with good bones (wood) and re-upholster the old chair with new padding and new fabric. You can do the whole thing in a weekend or two if you have the right materials.
I took Upholster classes at the beloved 3rd Ward (passed away to due to severe mismanagement of their non-profit).
But the Furniture Joint in New York is still around and offers classes:
http://furniturejoint.com/index.htm
The main pieces of machinery you need are a pneumatic staple gun - and someplace to use the thing as it is LOUD. You may also need a sewing machine, some hand tools (industrial strength staple remover/crow bar, hammer - perhaps a button machine to make cloth covered buttons)
But all the skills are remarkably EASY to do. Frankly, any teenager should be able to do it, if they put their mind to it. It does take a while to do, is expensive, but as long as you are working with a small piece (chair, ottoman), it won't take much muscle. If it weren't expensive to learn and do, everyone would do it. Frankly, it's a great retirement income hobby job if you don't want to sit around doing nothing, and want to earn a little extra money.
And it has the advantage of many of my activities in that if you pick good materials, it will come out looking pretty darn good even if you personally are a beginner.
It is more female than male, and the crowd does not normally include teenagers (expensive). Seniors can easily do it.
A common practice is to go to a flea market, pick up a chair with good bones (wood) and re-upholster the old chair with new padding and new fabric. You can do the whole thing in a weekend or two if you have the right materials.
I took Upholster classes at the beloved 3rd Ward (passed away to due to severe mismanagement of their non-profit).
But the Furniture Joint in New York is still around and offers classes:
http://furniturejoint.com/index.htm
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