On completion of this course students will be awarded an Accredited Certificate. 

Master Soft Furnishers are award winning Interior Design and Soft Furnishing Specialists, established 2001. Our Academy offers accredited training courses face to face and online. We are registered with UKRLP as a Learning Provider and also an approved member of other reputable organisations, including the Association of Master Upholsterers & Soft Furnishers.

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COURSE PROGRAMME

ONSITE Course ONE – Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishings

This course teaches the basic traditional methods and techniques required to make professional window dressings with confidence. It is suitable for absolute beginners as well as those wishing to enhance their current skills (no hand sewing or sewing machine experience is required). This course also covers how to set up and run a successful curtain making business.

Day One

Preparation & Pencil Pleat Curtain

• Design presentation and discussion about curtain styles, decorative hardware, pelmets, and blinds, covering current trends in the Interior Design world.
• Students will practice how to seam lining, interlining, plain and patterned fabric.
• Students will make a lined sample curtain with pencil pleat heading, which will ensure that you will thoroughly learn and practice traditional hand stitching and curtain making methods.

Day Two

Measuring & Calculations

• Students will learn how to assess windows and plan and design a window treatment, including accurate measuring, bay windows, suitable curtain hardware, and estimation of fabric quantities for plain and patterned fabric.
• Comprehensive discussion on how to calculate accurate measurements for curtain hand headings; Triple (French), Goblet, Cartridge & Double pleats.
• Students will learn how to measure windows, reviewing various scenarios, followed by curtain calculation exercises.

Day Three

Triple pleat interlined curtain

• Students will make an interlined sample curtain incorporating the hand heading Triple (French) pleats.
• Demonstration on how to make other hand headings; Goblet, Cartridge & Double pleats.

Day Four

Business & Fitting Seminar and Upholstered Pelmets

• Comprehensive session on setting up and running a successful curtain making business, including advice on suppliers, costing, client liaison and presentation skills.
• Onsite seminar provided by leading industry supplier, Evans Textiles, with focus on the Roman blind mechanism and motorised systems.
• Professional fitting seminar; students will learn how to specify and fit curtain and blind hardware including awkward window shapes (poles, tracks, blinds, and pelmet shelves).
• Discussion on designing pelmets, their proportions and shaping the base line to work with the pattern repeat of the fabric. Demonstration on how to make a hardboard upholstered pelmet sample with piping detail.

Day Five

Roman blinds

• Discussion on function and design of the Roman blind, and also other blind styles available such as London, Austrian, wood venetian, roller and vertical blinds. Accurate measuring for various window shapes including bay windows.
• Fabric estimation and accurate calculations for rod pocket spacing for standard fold and waterfall/cascade folds. Demonstration on suitable hardware, fixtures and fittings.
• In our opinion Roman blinds look and function better if there is no visible machine stitching to the front. Students will make a fully operational hand-sewn Roman blind sample fitted to supplied chain mechanism, compliant with blind regulations.