Stage 1 of the Craft Certificate covers foundational upholstery skills, including modern and traditional techniques for drop-in seats, sprung dining chairs, box cushions, and upholstered boxes. Students complete a research project on fabric characteristics and finish the year with a portfolio and exhibition. Additional support includes business costings, fire regulations, and field trips to industry locations like the Chelsea Design Centre.
Upcoming Course Dates
Currently enrolling for September 2025.
Course Information
Full Description
Starting: September 2025 AMUSF Diploma
This is an upholstery diploma course in conjunction with the AMUSF. We are one of the few approved training centres for the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers. (AMUSF – The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers) For those wanting to become a professional upholsterer, this accredited and industry recognised qualification is as good as it gets.
We at Wells and White are focused on starting from the foundations and giving you skills and confidence to build upholstered furniture from the frame up. Encouraging creativity and sharing our passion to inspire sustainable furniture, not only teaching a centuries old trade but continuing to push the upholstery trade forward with ever evolving techniques and materials.
Running alongside our busy commercial workshop students also benefit from seeing a great variety of the techniques being taught in action, whether that’s traditional, modern or anything in between.
Duration: Each stage runs over 36 weeks term time only, one day per week, in line with academic term September to July.
Fee: £3250 per stage
£500 non-refundable deposit to reserve your space, monthly payment plans available.
How the diploma works
Stage 1 – Craft Certificate (one year)
Stage 2 – Intermediate Craft Skills (one year)
Stage 3 – Diploma (one year)
The AMUSF upholstery qualification will be progressive, leading to a Diploma.
A Pass is required at each stage before a student can progress to the next stage.
Your work will be assessed at the studio on an ongoing basis throughout the course. You’ll also be assessed and graded annually by an external examiner appointed by the AMUSF.
The projects are carefully designed with a mix of exercise pieces (provided) and rebuilds of original upholstered furniture (sourced by the student). Unlike some training centres we prefer you to source your own assessed pieces. We believe no piece of furniture is the same, and therefore having different projects in the same classroom helps provide students with a greater pool for learning. That said we are always on hand to help you source a project piece if needed.
Course Stages
Craft Certificate Syllabus
- Drop in seat – Modern & Traditional Upholstery Techniques. (Exercise – materials inc.)
- Stitch and Stuff over – exercise practice piece (Exercise – materials inc.)
- A traditionally upholstered sprung dining chair (Assessed Piece Sourced & funded by student)
- Including specialist woodwork treatment day
- Modern buttoning exercise (Exercise – materials inc.)
- Sprung Arm exercise (Exercise – materials inc.)
- Bolster end with Piping (Exercise – materials inc.)
- Making a piped box cushion (ongoing throughout the year) (with decorative detail**)
- Upholstered and Lined Box (with decorative detail**) and deep buttoned lid (Assessed Piece, Sourced & funded by student)
** decorative detail either on scatter cushion or box – students choice
- Written Research Project
Title – “Fabric Characteristics, Identification & Appropriate Usage”
Project portfolio and notes
The course is intensive and covers a great deal of information, techniques and follows a busy schedule. We will help you with this and show previous examples, and strongly suggest that you keep your portfolio up-to-date as you go…lots of photos too. The portfolio is used as evidence at the assessment verification, that said, it is also a great tool for you to take with you, to help retain the knowledge and build on after your time with us.
Not that students leave without full support from Wells and White, we pride ourselves on being there to help advice on projects throughout your careers in upholstery.
The year ends with a Celebratory Exhibition of student works.
Additional to the Syllabus we also provide additional learning trips and support such as:
Commercial Viability – Business Costings
Fire Regulations for commercial & domestic upholstered products
Field Trips – Such as Chelsea Design Centre, Gainsborough Silks, Warner House, Liberties, FIRA plus much more….
Projects Completed By Our Students
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