Well, I decided to close my business. Which feels strange, because I know the work isn’t done – I am. How do I say anything of value in a post? I know I’ll be unpacking thoughts for years to come. Like, maybe I should have quit upholstery 10 years ago when I figured out that …
Dear upholsterers: Happy Earth Day – though admittedly, it took multiple tries to write this post. Like many of you, my journey started with a love of reuse, reducing waste, and encouraging people to keep what they owned… But it seemed that for every chair I reupholstered, 100 more would slide past. Left on curbs, …
‘Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions, so what better time to talk about workspace organization? Under normal circumstances, a messy shop is one of the frustrations I hear most frequently from business owners. January marks the end of peak season for many workrooms, so there’s a high likelihood that those frustrations have been bubbling over …
Author’s note: This article originally appeared in the October 2021 issue of Stuff Stitch – The Upholstery Magazine. Across the U.S., we have seen a steady exodus of skilled tradespeople, along with many small businesses, as retirement consistently outpaces the number of new upholstery professionals coming in. And so the cry is regularly raised, “WE …
Like many of you, I spent a fair portion of November binge watching The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. I am absolutely no chess player, but it nonetheless put me in the mood for chess metaphors. When I think of chess, and good chess players, what amazes me is their ability to visualize so many moves …
Last week, we explored the act of offering criticism. Now let’s talk about the more challenging act of soliciting and receiving it. I can’t speak for you (or can I?) but I’ve had enough feedback to choke a camel. Most of it unsolicited and varying levels of irrelevant and unhelpful. A memorable percentage has been …
Criticism is a loaded topic in upholstery right now – so much destruction has been inflicted in the name of criticism. Done badly, with malice or haste, it has catastrophic power to demotivate, or shame people into hiding their uncertainties, instead of seeking out guidance. And yet, criticism is ESSENTIAL for growth. So how do …
I once saw “creativity” explained in neurological terms as the ability to take new information and rapidly connect it existing information. This, in a nutshell, is what you need to succeed in upholstery. Because you never see things you’ve seen before: You see VARIATIONS of things you’ve seen before. The successful upholsterer, then, is one …
I’d like to discuss someone. Let’s call him Mr. Rando. Today or tomorrow, Mr. Rando may find your business. He may call, or stop in, almost certainly while you’re struggling with a deadline. Mr. Rando doesn’t know anything about upholstery – but he’s curious! He has questions! He MIGHT even have a project! (But probably …
Mr. Rando: why are so many upholsterers hiding from new customers? Read More »
I’ve been reflecting lately on the phenomena of depression era furniture. It’s one of my favorite time periods in American upholstery, actually – I love getting these pieces in my shop. You’re apt to find just about anything inside. I’ve uncovered quilts stuffed into spring cavities (where did the springs go???) and road signs used …
