Terms & Conditions

Bookings

It is preferred that bookings be made online

If you would prefer to use a credit or debit card over the telephone please call 01653 628099 and leave a message or email jodygrayupholsteryschool@gmail.com. Someone will call you back to take payment. (Please note there may be a delay in responding to messages and as such no guarantee can be given that an advertised space will still be available at the time of response.)

Bookings can be made in person at the end of a session or by visiting the Jody Gray Workshop during opening hours of Tuesday to Thursday 10.00am to 4.00pm. Please note: For upholstery classes a maximum of 1 full day or x2 half day bookings can be made in this way at any one time.

All bookings require full payment in advance

Jody Gray Upholstery School reserves the right to cancel bookings at any time up to and including the day of the course. A full refund will be given in all such circumstances (for exceptions see note on 'choosing a project')

Cancellations

Up to 14 days in advance of booking date:

Cancellations will be refunded subject to a 25% admin fee. Alternatively another available date can be chosen or the place can be transferred to another person.

Within 14 days of the booking date:

No refund will be offered as often cancellations in this time period remain unfilled.
Jody Gray Upholstery School will make every effort to fill the cancelled place. If successful an alternative date will be offered free of charge. Alternatively you are entitled to send someone else in your place rather than cancelling your booking.

Choosing an Upholstery Project

The aim of these classes is to provide a fun and relaxed experience and to teach you the fundamental techniques and processes of upholstery.

Upholstery can not be rushed. Please do not set yourself unrealistic timescales for completing your project. Being under pressure to complete a piece in too short a time invariably leads to a less fulfilling experience and a poorer outcome.

Upon making a booking an email will be sent requesting a picture of your chosen project. Please email this asap to jodygrayupholsteryschool@gmail.com for approval.

We will at this point give you an idea of how many half day sessions we would expect your project to take, however, no guarantee of completion is offered within this time frame. Aptitude, work rate and unforeseen complexities make the time required for any project difficult to accurately predict.

We reserve the right to refuse any project that does not meet the criteria below:

1. Your project must fit onto the workbench 90cm x 90cm in size. If you wish to bring a larger project (such as a small sofa or headboard) then a second place will need to be booked.

2. Your project must be an upholstered piece that does not primarily involve sewn components, beyond piping or normal joins - if in doubt please ask.

Note: Box cushions cannot be taught on the upholstery course - we offer a one day course on how to construct a box cushion with a 1:3 tutor/student ratio. The cost of this course is £99.

3. Your project will need to be achievable using modern upholstery techniques and materials. Excessive hand stitching, stitched edge rolls and the use of horse hair layering is not taught in this class. Older materials will be replaced with modern foam, felt and fibre where necessary.

4. Your project should not require high level upholstery techniques (such as fluting etc..) unless you have built up significant prior knowledge and only after further discussions.

5. Your project will need to be brought with you and taken away at the end of each session - no storage can be offered at the workshop however small your project might be.

6. Your project will need to be achievable like-for-like using the existing templates and following the structural restrictions of the frame. If you are hoping to change the shape or design of your piece in any way please discuss this with us prior to the class.

It is always advisable to strip down your piece in the workshop using the correct tools and techniques. If however you chose to strip down prior to the class then please take photos before and during this process and bring the fabric templates and all materials removed from the piece with you to the class.

7. Your chosen fabric must be of upholstery weight. Often students wish to use lightweight material siting that it wont be used or sat on. Lightweight materials cannot withstand the upholstery process of pulling, stretching and stapling. We reserve the right to refuse to proceed with any unsuitable fabric.

8. The internal structure of your project must be sound and allow for recovering without the need for structural alterations. Simple repairs to frames may be achievable in the workshop, however, we reserve the right to cease continuing with a project that has already been started should major structural issues be revealed part way through.

9. For those with no prior experience in upholstery we would recommend starting with a simple dining chair, footstool or the like.

For those wishing to take their skills and experience further a common progression might be

A simple stool or dining chair ( x 1-2 half sessions)
Larger footstool and larger carver chair with upholstered back (x2-3 sessions)
Headboards (x2-3 sessions)
Fully upholstered bedroom chair/small armchair (x 4-6 sessions)
Larger armchair, Parker Knoll armchairs ( x 6-8 sessions)
Wingbacks ( x 8-10 sessions)

Session Times

Morning Sessions (Upholstery)

A morning session begins at 10.00am. Doors open at 9.50am. Please note, if you arrive early tuition will not start until 10.00am.
Morning sessions end at 1.00pm. Clean up begins at 12.50pm to allow the workstation to be handed over to the afternoon booking at 1.30pm.

Afternoon Sessions (Upholstery)

An afternoon session begins at 1.30pm and ends at 4.30pm. Clean up begins at 4.20pm.

All day Sessions

Lunch break is between 1.00pm and 1.30pm.

Clear Up

Please ensure that all items are returned to the toolbox at the end of your session. This and any additional tools used should be left on your workstation at the end of the session.
Please ensure that the workstation is free from staples, tacks, fabric scraps and other detritus at the end of the session.
Please use the bins provided to discard of tacks and staples if you are stripping down a piece of furniture.
Please pay for any resources you have used at the end of your session

Health & Safety

An upholstery workshop can be a hazardous environment. You will be working with hand tools and compressed air staple guns. Every care should be taken when moving around the workshop and when handling tools. Advice and direction given by tutors should be followed at all times.

Health & Safety advice will be given to each student in the use of all tools and must be adhered to at all times. Students must accept all responsibility for personal injury and or damage to their property, including furniture & clothing.

Lifting or moving furniture: If you need help lifting for moving furniture please ask for help from your tutor.

Covid 19 Safety

We have listed a set of protective measures to ensure the safety of everyone. Please ensure these measures are adhered to, wherever practically possible.

Wash or sanitise your hands on a regular basis and when using communal items.
Keep a safe distance of at least 2 metres apart at all times.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, dispose of the tissue after use.

Workstations & Tool Box

Each person has a dedicated workstation and tool box. The workstations are spaced out to allow for social distancing.
Please ensure that everything belonging to you stays within your workstation area.
Do not share tools or other items
Only leave your workstation when you absolutely need to.
If you need something, ask your tutor in the first instance and they will bring it to you.
Clear up your workstation before leaving. Make sure you remove all of your belongings
Store your food and drinks at your workstation.

Staple Guns and Sundries

Staple Guns: You will be allocated a staple gun each. Please do not use any other staple gun.
Wipe after use, store in the workstation tool box and sanitise your hands.
All resources required to complete your project will be available to you. Your tutor will cut these items for you and a record will be kept of any resources used. These will required paying for at the end of your session.

General

Please avoid touching fabric, fabric books or furniture other than your own.

Please let us know if you have any immediate questions regarding Covid safety.

Loyalty Cards

On the day of your first visit you will receive a card as you leave. Each half day booking receives a stamp. A full card entitles you to book a free half day session.

Gift Vouchers

You can buy gift vouchers online, over the phone or in person at Jody Gray Upholstery workshop. Vouchers must be redeemed within 12 months of purchase. Please note Jody Gray Upholstery School vouchers can be redeemed against workshops only and cannot be used in payment for resources or fabric. Gift vouchers for Wath Court Fabrics can be purchased in the shop.

Terms & Conditions

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