Mastering Cornice Construction

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Fabricating upholstered cornices can be quite profitable with the right know-how. In this comprehensive class, Nancy will show you how to measure for, construct, and upholster a cornice using a single piece of fabric for the face and returns. You will learn about what materials to use, considerations for bay and corner windows, things to watch for when measuring, methods to lighten large cornices, how and when to hinge large cornices, pattern placement, and more.

Nancy Letts started Pine House Drapery in 2001 and brings over 50 years of sewing experience to provide window treatments, bedding, pillows, cushions, and slipcovers to interior designers in northern lower Michigan. In 2012, her drapery design was chosen for the Custom Home Furnishings Academy Alumni Showcase and was displayed at the International Window Coverings Expo in Chicago. Nancy taught seminars at Custom Workroom Conference for five years, starting at the first CWC in 2016, and has been teaching hands on classes at Workroom Tech since 2018. She has written articles for Drapery & Design Professional magazine and Drapery & Design Digital Digest, is a Contributing Partner at the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library, and a WCAA member.

Basic Marine Upholstery

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With Diane Girty

Take the mystery out of the lucrative business of upholstering for boats. Discover the tools and supplies required to get started and learn why it’s important to use the correct thread, vinyl, canvas, zippers, etc.

Find out how to quickly and easily change the glass in a boat curtain, without losing the shape. How to know when the zippers or thread are going bad and how to fix them.

Discover the basic construction of a boat seat.

Diane lives in Windsor Ontario Canada, just south of Detroit, and surrounded by the great lakes. Her business, “New Skins Upholstery”, is behind her house. 80% of her business comes from Marine, but she also does auto, furniture, ATV’s and RV’s.
She has been in the upholstery business for 16 years, having spent the first 32 years of her career doing accounting/finance.

In her spare time she loves to travel, do crafts and ride her bike. She has 6 grandchildren from ages 25 to 15, all of whom have learned to sew/upholster in her shop. Two granddaughters are learning the upholstery trade and loving it.

Master Upholsterer Gareth Rees of Upholstery Education Presents: The Hourglass Spring Usage and History

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In this webinar, Gareth will offer an informative lecture covering a brief history of the spring and its use in upholstered furniture. Followed by an in depth investigation into spring dynamics, how they work, effective lashing methods for a range of furniture styles and methods for choosing the right gauges and heights.

Gareth Rees has been working as an upholsterer for over 27 years. He gained his training on the shop floor, working in various workshops in England and Wales and is versed in many aspects of furniture making from cabinet work to mattress making.

Gareth started his own company in 2004 and in this time has taken commissions and private work for high end interior design companies, bespoke furniture makers, private collectors, antique dealers, embassies and museums.

Here in the US, Gareth is the course writer and primary tutor for Upholstery Education, offering continuing education classes to upholstery professionals and aspiring individuals new to the trade. Back home in the United Kingdom, Gareth is a director and full time instructor at the British School of Upholstered Furniture in Oxfordshire, UK where he teaches the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) Diploma program. He is also the lead tutor for the Advancements in Traditional Upholstery Diploma, run in association with the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers (GTU).

Past Chairman of the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers. Currently he sits as its vice chair and examination/journeyman secretary.

In March 2023 Gareth was awarded the Master Upholders certificate from the Worshipful Company of Upholders.

Although a full-time educator, Gareth still takes on commissions from select clients, predominantly focusing on the decorative arts from 1840-1950.

Gareth is eager to promote and celebrate the craft and trade of upholstery to a broader spectrum of people.

Groz-Beckert Presents The Agony of Choice

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With Ron Russell

Groz-Beckert is the world's leading provider of industrial needles, precision components and fine tools as well as systems and services for the production and joining of textiles.

The presentation will cover various parts of the sewing operation and how to decide on the appropriate sewing needle for the job. There are so many factors that need to be considered with the fabric, thread, material, machine, and the most important of all, the sewing needle size and point style. Groz- Beckert offers several Special Application Needles (SAN) that help the sewer maintain their sanity.

"Most people know very little about the needle. They search for the best fabric and the best thread. They spend lots of money on a great sewing machine, but the often forget about the part that makes everything work."

TOUR THE CURTAINS AND SOFT FURNISHINGS RESOURCE LIBRARY

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With Ceil Diguglielmo

The Library includes webinars on topics ranging from starting your business to workroom efficiency. There are instructional webinars on how to make drapery panels, cornices, slipcovers and more. The original Drapery and Design Forum has been saved to searchable PDF’s and includes 17 years of content and over 500,000 posts. There are back issues of Sew What? Newsletter dating back to 1993 and back issues of Sew What? Magazine, The Custom Home Furnishings Academy Magazine, D&D Pro Magazine and the Drapery & Design Digital Digest from 2017 to the present.

Ceil is the owner of the Curtains and Soft Furnishings Library and the host of the renowned podcast, "Sew Much More".

Navigating Efficiency, Organization, and Modern Technology in your Workroom

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With Ella Hall

Join us as we explore efficient workroom practices. Learn about tech's role in productivity and get hands-on with tools. Gain workspace organization tips and share experiences in the Q&A.

Ella is the co-founder of Stitchroom, an exclusive trade-only upholstery company catering to prestigious clientele in the hospitality sector, including luxury hotels like Four Seasons and Marriott. With a background in fashion design from Parsons, Ella transitioned into interior design, where she honed her expertise in understanding the unique needs of high-end designers. Recognizing a niche in the market, Ella founded Stitchroom to provide tailored solutions for upscale hotels, renowned restaurants nationwide, and high-end residential spaces across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and the Hamptons. Through the integration of technology and a commitment to craftsmanship, Stitchroom has established itself as the premier destination for sophisticated upholstery design in commercial, hospitality, and residential settings.

Breaking into Upholstery: A Pathway to a Skilled Trade From Your Home

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Dive into the world of upholstery with Kymm Clark of LullCo, an instructor and innovator in the field, renowned for her engaging in-person and live virtual classes. Kymm will share her story of stepping into a gap within the industry, offering practical advice for learning and experimenting with upholstery on a budget.

Kymm has carved a distinctive path in the upholstery world, driven by a passion for the craft and a self-taught mastery honed over more than a decade of dedication. Faced with the scarcity of formal education options in upholstery within the US, she turned obstacles into opportunities, both for herself and for others aspiring to enter the trade. Recognizing the gap in accessible, practical education, Kymm took the initiative to share her knowledge, leading to the development of highly sought-after in-person and hands-on virtual classes and lighting the spark of the next generation of upholsterers to take over the industry. These classes have not only offered a lifeline to over 300 students in the last 18 months but also fostered a community where 60% of attendees return from all over the US for further learning. The success stories among her students, many of whom have taken on upholstery as a side hustle, launched their businesses or found meaningful job placements and apprenticeships in upholstery establishments, are a testament to the effectiveness of Kymm’s approach to education. Her journey reflects a commitment to making the upholstery trade more accessible, filling a crucial gap with resourcefulness and genuine care for the craft and its future artisans and keeping the upholstery trade alive and well.

Booth Construction and Upholstery 101 with Krysta Henry

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An explanation of height, ergonomics, and a basic understanding of commercial foam and materials.

Krysta Henry is the owner and operator of All In One Piece Upholstery. Krysta and Company specialize in Commercial and residential Upholstery, with 23 years of a full compass upholstery experience. You can sit on Krysta’s creations anywhere in Oklahoma City, from public schools to fine dining establishments. She most enjoys challenging projects that bring together her creative passion for design and her dedication to precise execution and comfortable products. Krysta’s extensive experience in booth construction and design have made her an expert in the field, and her products unmatched in comfort and efficiency.

SETTING UP AN ETSY ACCOUNT WITH NANCY SARGENT

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Everything you need to know to profitably sell custom furniture creations.

Nancy Sargent is the owner and creative heart behind Cobani Bleu, The Art of Sitting Soft. With a hoard of vintage chairs and ottomans and a passion for fabric, her mission is to create the Sit Soft life for her clients. Using both traditional and non-traditional fabrics, she searches the world for artisan textiles, and from frame to fabric she creates one of a kind chairs and ottomans.

Nancy’s desire to share the art of upholstery has lead her to teaching this craft in both workshops and one-on-one classes. Online courses will be launched soon to further share the skills of this trade.

CROWN UPHOLSTERY ON THE INS AND OUT OF COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS

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Is commercial upholstery right for you? We will be discussing how to acquire and maintain commercial upholstery accounts. What you can do to set yourself apart from the competition and ways to keep them coming back. With Jesica and Wes Breitenbach.
Jesica is the 5th generation in her family to pursue the craft of upholstery. For the past 24 years she, along with her husband Wes have run Crown Upholstery. Crown is the largest upholstery shop in Knoxville and the largest predominantly female upholstery shop in the region. They take great pride in their craft as well as their family's tradition. They specialize in residential and commercial upholstery and offer a large selection of some of the finest upholstery fabrics and leathers from all around the world. With a focus on being as green as possible, Crown Upholstery is an excellent option for recycling and repurposing furniture.

LEATHER 101 WITH CASPER HILL

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Rosemary Price is the Executive Account Manager at Casper Hill Leather, a leading leather supplier to the Upholstery Trade. Casper Hill is committed to offering top-tier leather products. Rosemary plays a pivotal role in maintaining this commitment by delivering personalized service and building strong client relationships.

3D PRINTING FOR THE UPHOLSTERY SHOP WITH JAMES WULFGAR

3D printing is a powerful tool for creative, innovative, and somewhat sustainable solutions for the upholstery workshop. This introduction to the newest technology and it's possibilities is guaranteed to get you thinking of how you can use 3D printing for repair, custom furniture design, custom tools for the shop, even high end designer fabric production. Tune in to the live broadcast for an opportunity to ask questions of an expert!

James is the Makerspace Manager and Facilities Lead at the MatchBOX co-working studio in Lafayette, Indiana. He enjoys making things and helping other make things in the Makerspace at MatchBOX, and has been a maker for the better part of two decades. James has a passion for creating, and in free-time does a lot of maker-related things such as costuming/cosplay and building sets and props for film.

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WORKROOM ENDGAME WITH JEANELLE DECH

Planning for business succession and retirement. You've grown your business over the years, but thinking about the future is crucial. Jeanelle Dech offers insights and examples on transitioning or retiring. Plan for your business's future by asking 12 essential questions, including your business's value and personal legacy goals. Start your endgame planning now.

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CLASSIC LINEN SLIPCOVERS WITH JEANELLE DECH

Jeanelle Dech is president and co-founder of Adaptive Textiles, an innovative textile printing company in West Chester, PA. She is a friendly and engaging speaker, known for her entrepreneurial spirit, love of natural linen fabric, Fit-Like-a-Glove slipcovers, and workroom profitability training. In 2015 she launched The Workroom Marketplace and The Workroom Channel, which hosts a series of online training programs for sewing professionals.  She is the creative energy behind The Workroom Channel’s METHOD SHARE series, REAL WORKROOM TOURS, the FLY ON THE WALL series, and countless other collaborative efforts serving the Custom Workroom Industry.

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YOGA FOR UPHOLSTERERS WITH LISA BOHLIN

Discover the foundations of yoga so you can experience its transformational effects. This session will revitalize your body, relax your mind, and reduce stress with slow, gentle standing flows and floor poses to increase your strength and flexibility. You will also learn useful techniques to alleviate tension in the neck, shoulders, and low back, as well as moves to counteract pain and stiffness in the hands and wrists that can result from repetitive movements and overexertion on the job.
Ideal for beginners of any age or physical condition or experienced students who want a relaxing, slower paced class.

Lisa received her BA from the University of Chicago in Behavioral Sciences and Sociology, her M.A. in Educational Psychology, and her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Human Development from Indiana University.  Over the past 30 years she has taught preschool and kindergarten, directed early childhood education programs for children from birth-8 years, served as a court appointed advocate for abused and neglected children, supervised field placements in k-12 classrooms, taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, and co-authored an Educational Psychology textbook used across the United States and in China. In her current role as an educational consultant and lecturer, Lisa provides continuing education and support in schools and community organizations that serve children and families.

In early 2018, Lisa completed her initial 200-hour RYT yoga certification under the tutelage of five master teachers in South Goa, India. In 2020, she completed her 500-hour RYT certification in the United States. Her training has given her a broad perspective rooted in ancient eastern wisdom enhanced by modern western innovation. Lisa is trained in many yoga styles -- Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Aerial, Yin, and Restorative. She has practiced meditation for over 20 years, and she brings an appreciation for working with the breath and calming the mind to her yoga classes. Her classes are grounded in yoga philosophy, as well as practical applications of educational psychology, human development, and anatomy.

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KNOW YOUR WORTH & THE VALUE OF YOUR UPHOLSTERY SKILLS WITH RHONDA SHANAHAN, JUSTIN DAZEY, & JEANNE HENZEL

How do you define and find your ideal client? How do market studies work? Do you need to increase your rates, and how does that affect your repeat clients? What do you do when you and your client are a terrible fit? Our panel shares their experiences and knowledge on these topics and more, including setting measurable goals for your business and managing your time to maximize profit without total burnout. 

Jeanne Henzel is a fine artist and upholsterer working in Northern California. She opened her first business specializing in slipcovers in 1999. Since then she has broadened the business's horizons into modern and traditional upholstery, window treatments, and large scale upholstered sculpture/seating for west coast museums. Though an upholsterer and draper by trade, Jeanne is foremost an artist creating "art that lives with you." 

I have always loved colorful textiles in furniture and clothing. When I was a young girl my grandmother and mother taught me their passion for sewing and creating with beautiful fabrics. I also spent a lot of time with my father fixing and building things. It’s because of this combination that I was drawn to the upholstery world. I began my upholstery journey in 2009 when I started taking classes through the extension office in Wichita Kansas. What started as a hobby has turned into a full-time business. I began teaching upholstery workshops in 2022. I love sharing my passion for tools, gadgets, and upholstery skills. I’m a lifetime learner and I hope to share some of the things I’ve learned with fellow upholsterers and students.

After receiving his B.A. in Interior Design from Washington State University, Justin spent over a decade developing a career culminating as a Design Director responsible for a small team of Interior Designers and the daily operations of a multi-million dollar luxury design showroom. During this time he had the opportunity to partner  with multiple Custom Upholsterers and Soft Goods Workrooms on a wide variety of projects. 

In 2013 Justin made the leap from one side of the Upholstery/ Designer relationship to the other. Beginning work for a third generation upholstery family he soon found himself operating their newly acquired urban showroom while studying the trade and is now a full time Upholsterer.

Developing and sharing practices that smooth the interface between Upholsterer and Interior Designer has been a natural outcome of this perspective.

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HERTER BROTHERS FURNITURE - THE PINNACLE OF AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH BRUNO PAULIN LOPEZ

Franco-American Bruno Paulin Lopez has been upholstering for over forty years. He is currently one of the Masters at Upholstery Education in San Diego.

After graduating in 1978, Bruno worked in different high end upholstery shops throughout Paris, in the first arrondissements providing furniture upholstery for the Bibliotheque Nationale, and in the 16th and 8th arrondissements curating private collections. He then secured a position at the Ritz Hotel, Place Vendome, fabricating, managing, and maintaining the different stylistic decors of the executive suites as well as the period rooms.

In the early 80s, Bruno moved to the United States to further his studies in other academic fields. He opened his studio in Massachusetts and quickly established himself as a traditional continental upholsterer.

Throughout his career, Bruno has provided his services to the most discriminating private clientele and award-winning architects and interior design firms in New York City. These include Thierry W Despont, Studio Sofield, Robert Couturier, William Georgis, Alexandra Champalimaud, and many others. His acumen for detail and perfection brought him important contemporary interior commissions such as the Sydney Kimmel beach house in West Palm Beach and the Bill Gates residence in Seattle amongst others.

 His collaborations with the Cincinnati Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, The Museum of the City of New York, the Neue Gallery, The Abraham Lincoln House, The Morris Jumel Mansion in New York City, and the Park Avenue Armory, to which he was presented with an interior restoration award for his work in the Veteran's room, sealed his name for historical interior restoration.

Bruno has recently re-created the 1810 interiors of the Morris Jumel Mansion, curating all window treatments and the Empire style furniture, as well as being the resident Upholsterer for the Park Avenue Armory curating various 19th Century upholstered pieces, notably a rare set of chairs designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Bruno has taught at the North Bennett Street School and the British School Of Upholstered Furniture. Bruno has lectured regularly about Traditional Upholstery at the General Society for Mechanics and Tradesman and the Parsons School of Design.

Bruno is currently busy teaching and upholstering in his upstate NY studio.

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FABRICATING PILLOWS WITH LAURA NELSON

Pillows make great add-on sales and are a perfect way to use left over fabric. Join Laura as she demonstrates how to measure for and fabricate many different types of pillows, how to determine finished sizes, and different closures. Types of pillows that will be covered include square, lumbar, bolster, ball, round knife edge, octahedron, and square star.

Laura Nelson is the owner of Sew Nice, located in West Lafayette, IN. A 29-year veteran, she specializes in fabricating window treatments, slipcovers, bedding and pillows. Laura has taught classes for the WCAA Indiana Chapter, IWCE Construction Zone, and CWC. A WFCP Workroom and Color Specialist, Laura is also a member of the NUA and an active member of WCAA, currently the Vice President of the Indiana Chapter and recently stepped down as Secretary for WCAA National. She writes a monthly blog (www.sewnicecreations.com) and articles for Drapery 8, Design Digital Digest.

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HOW TO CREATE A SCANDALOUS CHAIR WITH NANCY SARGENT

Nancy Sargent is the owner and creative heart behind Cobani Bleu, The Art of Sitting Soft. With a hoard of vintage chairs and ottomans and a passion for fabric, her mission is to create the Sit Soft life for her clients. Using both traditional and non-traditional fabrics, she searches the world for artisan textiles, and from frame to fabric she creates one of a kind chairs and ottomans.

Nancy’s desire to share the art of upholstery has lead her to teaching this craft in both workshops and one-on-one classes. Online courses will be launched soon to further share the skills of this trade.

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WORKROOM PROFITABILITY WITH JONATHAN BENNETT

Do you own a shop? Are you an upholsterer who might want to start their own some day? This webinar IS FOR YOU! Join Jonathan Bennett of @unsprungupholstery as he describes his own experience and strategy to a profitable workroom. He tackles the basics such as factoring in overhead and supply costs, as well as paying your employees. Jonathan's thought provoking presentation will encourage you to analyze your own pricing and management strategy.

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NATURAL UPHOLSTERY FOR HEALTHY FURNITURE
WITH CARLA PYLE

Natural, non-toxic and sustainable are buzzwords that are becoming difficult to ignore as more clients request chemical-free fabrics and fillings for their upholstery. Why are clients making those requests? What are the various products available to upholstery workrooms? How do you navigate the growing market for healthy alternative materials? Carla Pyle will answer those questions, discuss how using these products will affect established workflows and impact your bottom line, and offer a “Good-Better-Best” approach to fit client budgets. Handouts will include a vendor list, calculation worksheets, a glossary of terms, a certifications cheat sheet, layering instructions, and more.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADITIONAL SKILLS WHEN MASTERING UPHOLSTERY
WITH IAIN STEPHENS

Iain Stephens has more than 26 years of experience and has taught all levels of the AMUSF. He is one of the Masters teaching at Upholstery Education in San Diego, California. He has extensive experience in both traditional and modern upholstery techniques and will focus this webinar discussing how the marriage between the two are vital.

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Over the past twenty-five years, Kevin Southwick has honed his understanding of finishes, applications and methods which have been published in several woodworking magazines. His webinar will address frame repairs before upholstering, and strengthening wood to hold staples or tacks, and many more valuable tips for the upholsterer.

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Holiday Upholstery Gift Ideas. Gifts for yourself and gifts for your favorite upholsterer with Rhonda Shanahan and Nancy Sargent

Join Rhonda and Nancy's show and tell of the gifts you and you favorite upholsterer will want this holiday season!

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Industrial Sewing Machine Maintenance by Sailrite

Matt Grant covers basic care and maintenance and valuable troubleshooting information to help you deal with common issues when sewing on your industrial walking foot machine.

Sailrite is owned and operated by the second generation of the Grant family, Matt and Hallie Grant. Together they lead Sailrite's constantly growing list of crew members, including the third generation of Grants.

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Making Upholstery Frames in Plywood - strategies and techniques

Best practices for plywood frames including types of joints and other considerations with multiple examples to illustrate concepts.

Lewis Mabon is a furniture designer, specializing in upholstery, with experience in residential, commercial, office, hospitality, outdoor and healthcare furniture. He has worked most recently for Leggett & Platt, and before that, Herman Miller. He is a scholar on furniture history with vast private library.

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Working profitably with designers

Join the discussion with high end designers Ella Hall, Justin Dazey, and Richelle Plett, moderated by Ruti Wajnberg as they talk about ways to increase your comfort level and profitability while collaborating with designers.

Ella Hall is the founder of Stitchroom, a Brooklyn upholstery shop that can help you make custom pillows, cushions, curtains, and other upholstery. After receiving a degree in fashion design at Parsons, Ella pursued a career in interior design, where she learned all about designers’ processes and all their major pain points. Always the entrepreneur, Ella saw a legitimate opportunity to build a business within an industry that hadn’t changed for decades.

Richelle Plett is an interior designer in Kansas City. She previously owned an upholstery studio that specialized in the restoration of vintage seating, rescuing both curb treasures and iconic designs. Today she teaches professional designers about the science of upholstery construction and encourages a collaborative spirit between the design industry and professional upholstery.

After receiving his B.A. in Interior Design from Washington State University, Justin Dazey spent over a decade developing a career culminating as a Design Director responsible for a small team of Interior Designers and the daily operations of a multi-million dollar luxury design showroom. During this time he had the opportunity to partner with multiple Custom Upholsterers and Soft Goods Workrooms on a wide variety of projects.

In 2013 Justin made the leap from one side of the Upholstery/Designer relationship to the other. Beginning work for a third generation upholstery family he soon found himself operating their newly acquired urban showroom while studying the trade and is now a full time Upholsterer.

Developing and sharing practices that smooth the interface between Upholsterer and Interior Designer has been a natural outcome of this perspective.

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Unique Pattern Matching Techniques

Nine types of matching are described. How to choose the best strategy based on the fabric and the furniture. How to communicate and manage expectations with the customer. How to make your own tools for matching. How to add “matching windows” to cardboard patterns. How to handle huge repeats, like 330”. And special flow-match short-cut for re-upholsters and prototype builders.

Lewis Mabon is a furniture designer, specializing in upholstery, with experience in residential, commercial, office, hospitality, outdoor and healthcare furniture. He has worked most recently for Leggett & Platt, and before that, Herman Miller. He is a scholar on furniture history with vast private library.

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May 10th: Introduction to S.C.O.R.E. Resources For Small Business presented by Mark Krosse, SCORE volunteer mentor

SCORE is America's largest support organization for small businesses with locations and volunteers in all 50 states. Learn about free mentoring, education, and resources to help grow your business.

Mark Krosse helps new entrepreneurs get started and experienced business owners solve problems to grow their cash flow. He helps with the fundamentals of starting a business: organization, business strategy, offering selection, marketing plans, financing alternatives, and risk assessment-all the key elements of constructing a business plan. For experienced clients, he has expertise in strategy development, sales, marketing, e-commerce social media, technology, finance, and operations. During his business career, he has served national and global clients around the world and in many types of services industries and manufacturing industries, both assembly and process. Since joining the SCORE volunteer team in 2005, Mark has served hundreds of small business entrepreneurs, helping them launch and operate successful businesses. Some have since expanded nationally.

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April 12: Michelle Minner of Blue Roof Cabin shares "How to Photograph Your Work Using an iPhone"

Photographing our work for social media can be difficult! Deciding what angle to use that doesn't distort takes more than just an artistic eye. Michelle will explain basic lighting techniques and composition. Learn how to make the most of your phone apps to highlight and edit for photos you'll be proud to share.

Michelle Minner specializes in residential furniture re-upholstery and loves helping her clients bring their visions to life. She fell into the upholstery trade by accident. As a DIY blogger looking for a project she decided to try her hand at re-upholstering an old chair and fell in love with the transformation process. Self taught, Michelle is passionate about sharing knowledge and supporting fellow upholsterers.

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Tuesday March 8: "How to Choose Fabrics that Protect Your Health and Our Planet" with Patty Grossman of Two Sisters Ecotextiles.

All of us live intimately with fabrics each day. Fabrics are all around us. Your fabric choices are incredibly important. You can have a dramatic positive impact on greening our world and keeping your family optimally healthy through your fabric choices. We want you to be confident that the fabrics you choose will ensure your health and happiness - not undermine it.

Isn't it important to know that your choices will keep the promise to our children - yours and mine - that we'll leave them a vibrant diverse world?

Learn more about Patty Grossman and Two Sisters Ecotextiles

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February 8th: "Enhance Your Upholstery Business by Offering Chair Caning Services" with Cathryn Peters of The Wicker Woman

Have you ever given thought to learning the related skill of chair caning and then offering it as an additional service to your customers? In this presentation, Cathryn Peters, aka The Wicker Woman, will first touch on some of the historical aspects of the ancient craft of chair seat weaving and its various materials. And then give a hands-on, brief, spline cane demonstration, following up with suggestions of ways to incorporate your newly learned skill into your business. This additional skill set will create more income for you and provide an added service for the public, helping to perpetuate the craft.

Cathryn Peters, owner of The Wicker Woman® has been restoring wicker furniture, weaving chair seats and teaching those skills for over 40 years. She has a special passion and mission to pass on her skills to others through her website and in-person instruction, so this ancient craft does not truly become a lost art. 

Cathryn has taught chair caning, other seat weaving techniques, and basketry across the country through woodworking schools, folk schools, basket guild workshops, and community education programs. 

Her efforts in the craft business, furniture restoration, and basketry world are mentioned in many books and periodicals, most recently hand-twisted rush seating in the 2017 edition of English Arts and Crafts Furniture by cabinetmaker, Nancy Hiller.  

Cathryn is a founding member of the first and only North American chair caning guild, called The SeatWeavers’ Guild, Inc.® and served two terms (2007-2011) as President, webmaster for seven years, Vice President and is currently serving as a member-at-large.

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January 11th: " upholstery restoration" with Heather Porter

Upholstery conservation treatments carried out by museums, historic houses and other heritage organizations can differ from reupholstery using traditional materials and techniques.

Emphasis sometimes requires retaining damaged materials to improve their appearance and make them safe for display. There are a number of established textile conservation methods that can be utilized when conserving the showcover and trimmings, either in situ or by temporarily removing them for more extensive treatment. At other times, the structure of the upholstery might need adjustment to restore a collapsed profile to the original shape, or retain expanding springs to reduce pressure on the materials above and below. If upholstery is inappropriate and needs to be replaced for historical accuracy, then physical examination of the frame, historical research and sourcing reproduction fabrics might all be necessary to ensure the best possible outcome.

The talk will also show a number of techniques used to reduce further damage to the frame and limit the use of traditional materials while aiming to achieve the appearance of fixed upholstery.

Heather is currently a freelance upholstery conservator in London, UK. She has worked in the upholstery trade and is also a trained upholstery conservator, having graduated from the Royal College of Art/Victoria & Albert Museum with an MA in Upholstery Conservation in 2001.

After graduation she spent 8 years working in various institutions in America before returning to London. Most recently she was Senior Conservator (Upholstery) at the National Trust where she oversaw the conservation of the upholstery collection at Knole House, Kent. Heather is an accredited member of the Institute of Conservation (ICON). Her particular interests are the use of non-traditional upholstery techniques and different approaches to treatments.

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