3-day Course | Tuesday 21st – Thursday 23rd October, 2025 | 9:00 – 17:00 | Price £525 | 12 places
This immersive three-day course with Rachael South guides you through the specialist craftsmanship required to create a traditionally stuffed and stitched footstool. Starting from the bare frame, you will:
- Prepare and finish wooden legs and frame
- Hand-stuff and stitch the upholstered pad
- Select and apply your own fabric design
All tools, frames, and materials are supplied. Whether you’re new to upholstery or refining your skills, this foundational project offers hands-on learning in a supportive, studio-based setting—rooted in heritage craft and adaptable for today’s design contexts.
Rachael South is a celebrated upholsterer and the Subject Lead for Upholstery at ELFI (East London Furniture Institute). With over 25 years in the furniture and textile industry, she has navigated through bespoke production, design, restoration, and education. Rachael studied Textiles Design (earning a First Class Honours degree) and holds qualifications in traditional upholstery. Her roots in the craft trace back to her father, Terry South, and grandfather, Michael South—a third-generation chair caning lineage she continues with passion and skill. Based in her Dalston workshop, Rachael combines traditional chair caning, seat weaving, and contemporary design approaches—working with both antique and modern furniture and teaching across AMUSF Upholstery courses.
Day 1
- Morning: Introduction to materials, tools, and frame finishing techniques
- Afternoon: Wood finishing on footstool legs—sanding, staining, and protective coating
Day 2
- Morning: Filling and hand stuffing—building up the shape with stuffing techniques
- Afternoon: Hand stitching and securing the stuffing to create a clean, durable finish
Day 3
- Morning: Fabric selection and application—choosing and attaching upholstery fabric
- Afternoon: Final detailing and review—trims, tacks, and finishing touches
By the end of the course, you’ll have crafted your very own upholstered footstool using traditional methods under the expert guidance of a master upholsterer.
