Wendy Shorter - Professional Results: Soft Furnishings

PROFESSIONAL

SOFT FURNISHINGS

Whether you hope to develop your passion into a rewarding career or simply want to add finishing touches to your own home, this book will show you how to produce schemes and specify effectively for them. Learn the techniques the pros use to create beautifully finished makes. The section at the front of the book takes you through all the essential techniques, which are clearly explained and illustrated with step-by-step photography.

Featuring nine detailed projects, this book shows you how to make curtains, blinds, scatter cushions, bed valances and everything in between. Packed with practical information on every aspect of soft furnishings, youll have the know-how to make elaborate pieces for every room in the home.

After gaining her professional qualifications, Wendy Shorter worked on a number of private commissions before going into teaching. She now runs her own upholstery and soft furnishings training centre in Hertfordshire, England. She is a Fellow and Director of Training for the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers. She is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Upholders charged with improving skills within the crafts.

Also by New Holland

Professional Upholstery

Malcolm Hopkins

A must-have guide for anyone interested in the art of upholstery. Features a comprehensive techniques section followed by seven projects showing the intricacies of this beautiful craft.

ISBN 978 1 84773 057 2

160 pages, 14.99

New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
Garfield House
8688 Edgware Road
London W2 2EA
www.newhollandpublishers.com

PROFESSIONAL

WENDY SHORTER

Dedication
This book is dedicated to my daughter, Louise,
in the hope that one day she will also enjoy my
love of working with fabulous textiles.

First published in 2010 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
London Cape Town Sydney Auckland

Garfield House
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United Kingdom
www.newhollandpublishers.com

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Australia

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Copyright 2010 text: Wendy Shorter
Copyright 2010 photographs: New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
Copyright 2010 New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
the publishers and copyright holders.

ISBN 978 1 84773 511 9

Senior Editor: Corinne Masciocchi
Photographer: Edward Allwright
Production: Marion Storz
Editorial Direction: Rosemary Wilkinson

4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3

Reproduction by PDQ Digital Media Solutions Ltd, UK
Printed and bound by Craft Print International Ltd, Singapore

I entered the world of professional upholstery and soft furnishings in 1995 after many years working in the film industry as PA to the film director, Stanley Kubrick, and as a freelance Production Co-ordinator.

Having sewn since school, I decided to return to my roots studying at the London Guildhall University, now known as London Metropolitan University and at West Herts College in Hemel Hempstead. I achieved my professional qualifications gaining distinctions for my work, and in 1998 was awarded the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers Student of the Year Award.

Since then I have worked on individual commissions in both upholstery and soft furnishings and was approved for membership of the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) in 1999. My work has been demonstrated and exhibited at the NEC in Birmingham and the Living Crafts Show at Hatfield House. I am also a visiting lecturer at KLC School of Design at the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre in London. My association with the AMUSF has since lead me to become an active board member and I am currently their Director of Training. I am a Fellow of the AMUSF and in 2009 had the honour of being made a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Upholders (the archaic word for upholsterers). I started my teaching career in 1999 at West Herts College and then back at London Metropolitan University. In July 2006, with the support of some fantastic students, I decided to start my own Training Centre in Hertfordshire. I now run a full range of upholstery and soft furnishings courses for both accredited and leisure courses. The Training Centre has gone from strength to strength, with many of my students achieving credits and distinctions for their work and many have since gone on to start their own very successful businesses.

This book is aimed at those with experience of sewing and soft furnishings who are looking to move onto the next level, or looking to break into the industry. But most importantly, they should have a keen interest in producing good quality decorative furnishings.

I have tried to include as much detail as possible in this book, but nothing can ever take the place of good quality hands-on practical training with a good tutor or practitioner. The projects are based around the training offered at my training centre and will take you through the basics to more complex projects: hand-stitched curtains, decorative detailing, fitted and tailored bedding and loose covers, which I hope will inspire you to create beautiful, professional looking furnishings of your own.

Life as a soft furnisher will be made so much easier with two main pieces of equipment: a cutting table and a sewing machine. There is a large choice of machines available, but dont be dazzled by all the fancy stitches and computerization as you may never need them. Think carefully about your specific needs and choose one that best suits your budget.

Like many of my students, my love of soft furnishings started at home with my sewing machine on the dining room table. However, when working on large projects I found it difficult working on my knees on the floor. A bespoke cutting table is very useful but if you cant afford one or dont have the room for one, invest in a 15 mm thick 240 120 cm (1/2 8 4 in) sheet of MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard) which can be placed over an existing dining or kitchen table. Cover it in a plastic-coated fabric to protect it. It can then be stored against the wall when not in use and brought out when needed, providing you with a large working surface. If you are fortunate enough to have a designated workroom, then this MDF top can easily be transformed into a workbench with storage underneath for your fabrics and linings.