-
Upholsterer&
Official journal of the Association of Master Upholsterers and
Soft Furnishers www.upholsterers.co.ukOfficial journal of the
Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers
www.upholsterers.co.uk
June/July/August 2017
The irreplaceable Plumb Jobs Thumbs Up?Bert Chapman helping to
keep upholstery Why the way you work tributes pour in skills alive
could be a big thumbs down
0113 235 1111www.petercookint.com [email protected]
Call us now for a copy of our latest catalogue
OFC_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:USF Cover 24/05/2017 11:22 Page 1
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00_Furnital_USF_0617:Layout 1 31/05/2017 11:03 Page 1
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www.upholsterers.co.uk 3
Comment
Jan TurnerEditor
Over the course of the past few weeks, I’ve had time and causeto
consider the lot of the self-employed trader.
Laid low by a still inexplicable back problem, I’m fortunateto
live in an age where the nature of the work I do, means I’vebeen
able to keep things ticking along – with the combinedhelp of heat
pad and iPad! – from home.
But not everyone is that fortunate – most members of theAMUSF
included. Whether an upholsterer or soft furnisher, theworking day
largely revolves around physical activity, and forthe sole trader,
when ill health strikes, loss of earnings tends tofollow.
It’s one of the less savoury aspects of being self-employed– as
are the longer term implications of ‘industrial injury’,though many
of you reading this may gasp in surprise thatsuch a relatively
‘pedestrian’ pursuit could possibly result insuch an outcome. So
turn, if you will, to page 12 where youcan read about how one
specialist doctor is currently trying toresearch that very problem.
Dr Jon Poole believes that the wayin which some upholsterers work
with their thumbs maybestoring up very real, long term problems
which, if proven, couldultimately qualify as an officially
recognised condition with theindustrial injuries board.
If what Dr Poole has to say resonates with you in any way,then
we would urge you to take part in his clinical trials. Theoutcome
of this research could ultimately be of huge benefitto a lot of
working upholsterers.
Hopefully all self-employed members make some sort of‘rainy day’
provision for those times when they’re simply not fitto work –
along with putting some money aside to allow fortime off and
holidays, to buy stocks and supplies and so on. Onpages 14 and 15
however, we look at a slightly different way ofworking – albeit one
which finds limited favour with manymembers.
I refer to the opportunities presented by becoming aPlumbs
Technical Designer (TD). The long established, familyrun firm and
AMUSF member has, since 2003, been offering afull re-upholstery
service direct to consumers and now employs– on an ‘outworker’
basis – some 135 upholsterers across theUK. The company readily
admits anyone with an AMUSF badgeis pretty much welcomed with open
arms. And while it’s not anarrangement that is going to suit
everyone, 40% of Plumbsupholsterers only work for them, so it’s an
option that clearlyhas its place.
The world of work and what suits each of us best is one ofgreat
variation and it’s important to understand and respectthat what
suits one is anathema to another.
We’re all different and there’s room for us all. So from
mybeautifully upholstered sofa – complete with heat pad andiPad – I
rest my case!
Until the next time.
Jan Turner
Upholsterer&Soft Furnisher
Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher
Editor: Jan Turner, AKA PRT: 01756 795374 F: 01756 798789E:
[email protected]
Advertising Sales: 01732 441133
Published and Printed by Knockout Print
Principal House, Hop Pocket Lane, Paddock Wood, KENT TN12
6DQ
Registered in England no. 07263132
Upholsterer&
Official journal of the Association of Master Upholsterers and
Soft Furnishers www.upholsterers.co.uk
Official journal of the Association of Master Upholsterers and
Soft Furnishers www.upholsterers.co.uk
June/July/August 2017
The irreplaceable Plumb Jobs Thumbs Up?Bert Chapman helping to
keep upholstery Why the way you work tributes pour in
skills alivecould be a big thumbs down
0113 235 1111www.petercookint.com [email protected]
Call us now for a copy of our latest catalogue
� �� �� �� �
Peter Cook International, (PCI), is a leading stockist of
furniturecomponents and sundries. We have healthy stocks of
over 1000different lines across our two distribution sites.
Our company mission is to be the UK’s most trusted stockistof
furniture components. We pride ourselves on beingapproachable,
helpful and friendly, always saying “yes”whenever we can.
Peter Cook International Peter Cook International
(Trentside)Aneal Business Centre Unit 2 Acton AvenueCross Green
Approach Off Fields Farm RoadLeeds Long EatonLS9 0SG NG10 1GA0113
235 1111 0115 946 [email protected]
[email protected]
03_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:03_USF_0617 24/05/2017 11:24 Page 3
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4 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
Showcase
1. Livedale. Now Available – 20mm upholstery nail strip in 8
coloursHigh quality European manufactured upholstery nail strips
now with larger size 20mm studs.Available in a wide range of
colours to purchase as single strips, individual studs or in kit
format forcomplete flexibility. In stock now and fully featured in
our new Spring catalogue.Contact: Livedale Foam & Sundries,
Unit D Enterprise Court, Seaman Way, Wigan, Lancs WN2 2AG
T: 01942 825144 E: [email protected] www.livedale.co.uk
2. Peter Cook International introduces Oak options to their leg
range. Peter Cook International,(PCI), has always been renowned for
their extensive choice of wooden legs for use on sofas, chairs
andbeds. Until recently their range was produced entirely in Beech
however this has now changed with theintroduction of Oak timber in
varying finishes. Martin Cave, General Manager, explains more; “We
havealways been really proud of the wide choice of styles and
colours we can offer our customers when itcomes to supplying their
wooden feet requirements. The addition of the oak timber was a
naturalprogression after the successful launch of the FSC
certification two years ago. We are really pleased inparticular
with the weathered and aged effects we now have in stock”. For more
info please contact PCIat the details below;Peter Cook
International, Aneal Business Centre, Cross Green Approach, Leeds
LS9 0SG.
Tel: 0113 235 1111 Email: [email protected]
Peter Cook International (Trentside), Unit 2 Acton Avenue, Off
Fields Farm Road, Long Eaton NG10 1GA.
Tel: 0115 946 0006 Email: [email protected]
3. ALHAMBRA. Atlantida Collection – The legend in between seas
and oceans. INSPIRATION. Acontemporary collection of harmonious
organic lines, inspired by elements of the nature under the
sea.Elegance, harmony and movement are some of the attributes that
define this original collection. It takesits name from the Atlantis
legend.ALHAMBRA Pol. Las Atalayas, C/ del Marco, 61· 03114,
Alicante SPAIN
Tel: 965 10 74 09 www.alhambraint.com
4. Beaulieu Fabrics. Established in the 1950’s this Belgian
producer specialises in weaving upholsteryfabrics in dobby and
jacquard weaves. The company has built up vast archives over the
years, from whicha highly skilled development team continuously
create new collections.Head Office:
Groenedreef 9 – B – 9770 Kruishoutem – Belgium Tel: +32 (0)9 338
12 11 Fax: +32 (0)9 338 13 41
Email: [email protected] www.beaulieufabrics.be/
5. Merrick & Day. Curtain-making products as used by
professionals. In fact, everything, except the fabric,to make
professional looking curtains and Roman blinds. Order online or
phone for next day delivery.
Free next day cutting service on all Merrick & Day Roman
blind headrails. Fibreglass rods and flatbottom bars included when
ordered with a headrail. Large or small orders. Trade and retail
welcome.Merrick & Day Ltd Tel:01652 648814
www.merrick-day.com
4 5
2
3
1
New catalogue and price list out this Spring
If you have a new product that you would like to be included in
the next edition, just send in a highresolution image, 50 words of
text and contact details to [email protected] – cost
£99
04_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:04_USF_0317 05/06/2017 16:09 Page 4
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www.upholsterers.co.uk 5
Contents
6 & 7 AMUSF News Update andBranch Briefings
8 Industry News
News
Features
AMUSF ContactsHead OfficeAssociation General Manager: Richard
Ranklin E: [email protected]
Assistant: Susan Tyler E: [email protected] Association
of Master Upholsterers and Soft FurnishersLtd, (AMUSF Ltd), The
Clare Charity Centre, Wycombe Road,Saunderton, Bucks HP14 4BFT:
01494 569120 E: [email protected] Website:
www.upholsterers.co.uk
Branch ContactsBeds, Bucks, Herts and North London – Wendy
ShorterT: 01727 824358 E: [email protected]
& Dorset – Kevin LeeT: 01489 572108Kent – Davin WhiteT: 020
8854 4402London – Wynne GilhamT: 01708 752333Surrey – Ron MercureT:
020 8941 4521
Regional ContactsWest Midlands – Joan MiltonT: 0870 777 8934 E:
[email protected]
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10 Ask FIRA
12 Feature: Thumbs Up!
14 & 15 Feature: Plumb Jobs
16 MyDecozo
17 Fellows Steam Ahead
18 Member Profile: Liz Marks – Traditional Upholstery
Workshop
20 The Irreplaceable Bert Chapman
22 Save Our Skills SOS
24 Frank Palmer Revisited
26 In the Hotseat: Kevin Baker, Furnitureworks
05_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:05_USF_0617 31/05/2017 10:48 Page 5
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6 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
AMUSF news roundup
BERTRAM EDWARD CHAPMAN MBEOne of the industry’s most revered
andrespected figures has passed away.Bertram Edward Chapman MBE -
orsimply ‘Bert’ to all those that knew him -had more accolades and
honours - andheld more positions than can berecounted in full
here.
Bert Chapman was born in StokeNewington, North London on August
111926 and joined the family businessestablished by his father in
1930 - AlbertE Chapman - at the age of 21.
He completed his training in the curtainand drapery department
of what was tobecome one of London’s premier softfurnishing and
upholstery companies withclients including British and
foreignroyalty, ambassadors and prime ministers.
Following the sudden death of hisfather in 1958, Bert took over
the familybusiness, developing its reputation stillfurther and
wider. Memorable projectsincluded a major refurbishment of
theTehran Hilton and, in the 1970s, the silkwalling in the Queen’s
private picturegallery in Buckingham Palace and alsowalling in the
National Gallery.
In the 1980s he undertook his biggestproject ever for Crown
Prince Fahad BinAbdul Aziz; refurbished the carriages usedfor the
1981 royal wedding betweenPrince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer;and
also undertook work at HamptonCourt Palace in the King’s private
bed and
privy chambers. In 1987 Bert was awardedthe MBE and 10 years
later received aspecial medallion from the Queen andPrince Philip
in recognition of his skill anddedication in undertaking
restorationwork at Windsor Castle following thedisastrous fire
there in 1992.
Bert was a member of the AMUSF forsome 40 years, served on
severalcommittees and boards and held manypositions during that
time - includingpresident from 1982 and 1985. He wasmade a Fellow
of the Association ofMaster Upholsterers in the early 1960s.
As well as his passion for the craft, Bertwas always keen to be
involved in the
training and development of futureupholsterers and
soft-furnishers. He was amember of the AMUSF trainingcommittee from
1961 right through tohis time as verifier as recently as 2015.
A long time member of the WorshipfulCompany of Upholders, Bert
was electedto the Court in 1991, later taking on thenew role of
Warden to the Trade andgoing on to become Master in 2000.
In 1992, after nearly 50 years with thefamily firm and much of
that at the helmof the business, Bert became chairman ofAlbert E
Chapman, gradually passingcontrol of the business over to his
sonStephen.
After his retirement, Bert continued toremain an active member
of the AMUSF.He died peacefully at home, aged 90, onSunday April
23.
As well as Stephen, Bert leaves adaughter Jan and four
grandchildren -Clare, Samantha, Nicola and Michael. Onthe day
before he died he attended hisgrandson Michael’s wedding. A
privatefamily funeral service has been held.
Anyone who wishes to make a donationin memory of Bert can do so
by making acheque payable to the Neville Haymancharity and sending
it to associationmanager Richard Ranklin at head office.
• See page 20 for a special tribute to BertChapman.
APPRENTICE APPRECIATIONIn an age when the revival of
apprenticeship schemes is seen ascritical to the survival of
upholstery skills, it’s gratifying to begiven first hand feedback
from a student on the receiving end ofthe training.
This letter from Georgie Elliott who describes herself as
an‘Upholstery Helpline Regular’ was sent in to the AMUSF
offices:
“I’ve just stopped working for Hampton Court Interiors – I
wasthere for about three-and-a-half-years. During my
penultimateweek, as I was on my way home, I realised how great
andrewarding my time has been there, all thanks to Ron, my
teacherand boss! His patience, his raised eyebrows when I was
clearlydoing something odd, his belief in me, his attitude
andenthusiasm for wanting to pass his knowledge onto
anothergeneration has been refreshing.
“I used to get very conscious with other upholsterers if I
was
doing something wrong, but Ron taught me upholstery is allabout
problem solving, and each problem you encounter can havemultiple
solutions. This was a key learning for me at HamptonCourt Interiors
– in other words, there are several ways to skin acat! This has
given me confidence in learning to use a skill in a waythat best
suits me and the piece of furniture I’m working on.
“I never once heard him get cross, raise his voice or
getannoyed (he must be a saint I hear you mutter). I’m sure
all theabove happened, but not in my earshot. Instead, he let me
learnby my mistakes, not be reprimanded for them, and all of this
hasallowed my confidence to grow. I’m still only at the
beginning,still on the outer edges of what it takes to master
upholstery butI felt it right to highlight the importance of great
ambassadorsfor the upholstery trade, and Ron is a great ambassador,
knownnow as the upholstery helpline’”.
06-07_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:06-07_USF_1216 24/05/2017 11:25 Page
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Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher 7
AMUSF news roundup
The Vaughans - from l-r Hales Michael Paul and James
SJH in workshop
Joan’s star scholars with Joan Milton and AMUSF president
Malcolm Hopkins seen on the back row
Last orders have been called at one of the best known names
inchair frames – H Vaughan Limited.
The London-based frame making company, which dates backto 1902
and remains family owned, looks set to close over thesummer. Hales
and James Vaughan who run the business withJames’ two sons Michael
and Paul along with employee TonyIsmail took their last orders at
the end of March. Hales and Jamesplan to retire once final orders
have been completed and all stockand machinery at the business sold
off.
Said Hales: “Our premises are near Canary Wharf on the edge
ofthe Isle of Dogs which has become a big residentialredevelopment
area. Our property is in Naval Row, a conservationarea and our
office building in particular has got quite a goodfrontage which
can’t be knocked down – so is likely to bepreserved as the facade
for an apartment development.
“The chance to sell the property was very timely as this is
notthe sort of business you can just sell on to someone and it
wastime for us to retire.”
Vaughans was originally established as a timber
machiningbusiness and it was only after the Second World War that
HerbertVaughan started making chair frames. And it was
FrancisVaughan, Herbert’s uncle, who founded the AMUSF and
ChairFrame Makers’ Association.
Said Hales: “We’re all obviously very sad about the closure
ofsuch a long established and well known business but there
wasreally very little other option.” Tony will join another
ex-Vaughanemployee now running F J Clark Chair Frames in
Basildon.
JAM SESSIONStudents from Belfast, the Isle of Harris and
Aberdeen were amongthose to receive certificates at the J A Milton
(JAM) UpholsterySupplies annual prize giving and open day.
AMUSF president Malcolm Hopkins presented students withtheir
certificates at the event which was also attended by
formerpresident Bob Bishton, Wendy Shorter of Wendy Shorter
Interiorsand association manager Richard Ranklin.
Said Joan Milton: “The day was a big hit with our students
andcustomers and we were really touched with the turnout.
Thededication of our students this year was truly phenomenal as
wehave had some travelling from as far afield as Ireland and
Scotlandas well as local areas.”
Students receiving Level 1 certificates were:
SimonMathai, Verity Balzano, Lucy Aynsley, and Katie
Halberda. Level 3certificates went to: Gerry Hellawell, Karen Wood
and Gill Taylor.
AMUSF’s 70 years celebrationThe AMUSF celebrates its 70th
birthday this September.To mark the occasion a special dinner is to
be held onFriday September 29 with the association’s OGM andAGM
held in the afternoon of the same day. Keep youreyes peeled for
further details!
Vaughan family farewell
Sarah Jane Bustin of Sarah JaneHemsley Upholstery hasbecome the
first AMUSFmember to have achieved allthree levels of
membership!
After three years of runningher own business full time,Sarah has
just been acceptedfor full membership of theassociation. During her
twoyears at Tresithick UpholsteryTraining in Cornwall, Sarahenjoyed
student membershiplevel - and after first startingher business,
which she ranpart time for the first 18months, she became
anassociate member.Said Sarah, who specialises intraditional
upholstery at her
workshop in St Margarets(between Richmond-upon-Thames and
Twickenham):”The AMUSF has always beenvery helpful and
supportiveand I find the fabric buyingservice particularly
useful.”
SARAH’S MEMBERSHIP HAT TRICK
DON’T FORGET!A Heritage Skills Festival will be held at Lincoln
Cathedralon Friday and Saturday June 24 and 25 from 10am to4.40pm.
Members of The Worshipful Company ofUpholders will be exhibiting
and demonstrating the craftsof traditional upholstery and soft
furnishings at the twoday event alongside many other heritage
skills. At 5pm onFriday 23rd there will be a procession to the
Cathedral ofThe Masters from all the different Livery
Companiesdressed in full robes.
06-07_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:06-07_USF_1216 24/05/2017 11:26 Page
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8 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
Reviews� Proposte (Villa Erba, Cernobbio,Lake Como, Italy, May 3
– 5): Adedicated event showcasing thefinest in homeware products,
thisyear’s exhibition featured goodsfrom some of the home
furnishingsand textile industry’s topcompanies.� Interzum
(Koelnmesse, CologneMay 16 – 19): Key players andtrendsetters
gathered at this leadingindustry event to see some of thebest ideas
and innovations for thefurniture and interiors industrymake their
debut.
Previews�Manchester Furniture Show(Manchester Central, July 16 –
18):The furniture and furnishingindustry’s favourite summer
show,this relaxed and easy-to-visitinteriors show is the place to
be forthe newest trends in upholstery,cabinet, dining, beds and
bedroomfurniture, occasional, mirrors, artand decorative
accessories.� Decorex (Syon Park, London,September 17 – 20):
Renowned asthe destination for some 14,000international interior
designprofessionals to see the latest newand unique designs from
some 400British and international exhibitors,this year’s show
celebrates the 40thedition of Decorex. � The NBF Bed Show
2017(Telford International Centre,September 19 – 20,): The
biggestand best bed event in the UK, isback and online visitor
registrationis now open atwww.bedshow.co.uk. Confirmed toreturn are
big brand names as wellas smaller niche players and a hostof
component suppliers. Parkingand entry remains free for
visitors,with complimentary refreshmentvouchers.
Industry roundup
EXHIBITIONROUNDUP
BFC HITS BACK AT ‘SOFA CANCER’SCARE STORIESThe British Furniture
Confederation (BFC)hit back following a recent spate of newsstories
reporting on claims that 'toxic'chemicals used to fireproof sofas
could becausing a surge in thyroid cancers.
According to researchers from DukeUniversity in North Carolina,
people whoare exposed to high levels of flameretardants are more
than twice as likely todevelop the cancer. The increase has
beenlinked to chemicals such as TCEP anddecaBDE, which are sprayed
on to fabricand fillings in furniture.
But the BFC was quick to refute theclaims saying: “Of the
chemicals listed as ofconcern, DecaBDE, which historically wasused
as a back coating for upholsteryfabrics, is already listed as a
Substance ofVery High Concern (SVHC) under theREACH
regulations.
“This means its use is severely restricted.As far as we are
aware it is no longer usedas a fire retardant for furniture fabrics
inthe UK, and hasn’t been for a number ofyears. New legislation
will prevent nearly alluse of this chemical. It is our belief that
thecombination of the Flam Regs and REACH
ensures that the upholstered furniture onsale in the UK is the
safest in the worldwith regard to fire performance; andreflects the
latest knowledge.
“The BFC has long campaigned to havethe FLAM regulations revised
to reflectmodern materials and manufacturingprocesses, as well as
addressing a numberof areas in the regulations that neededadded
clarity. While recent consultationson proposed changes had a
number ofpositive features, the BFC was unable tosupport the
Department for Business,Energy and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS)proposals. We do not believe the changeswill satisfy BEIS’s
own targets of reducingthe use of fire retardant chemicals,
whilemaintaining current levels of fire safety forconsumers and the
fire service.
“As we believe the governmentsresponse to the consultation,
originallyexpected this spring, has been delayed bythe General
Election until the autumn, theindustry is now working on a
freshapproach to testing which it hopes willboth reduce FR chemical
usage and beworkable.”
Hotshots score another big hit at northern big shotsHotshots
from as far afield as Belgiumgathered in the picturesque
YorkshireDales for the annual Northern Big Shotsevent in aid of The
Furniture Makers.
Fifteen teams took part, competing fora total of 12 different
trophies. Saidorganiser, Victor Giannandrea: “It reallywas a an
amazing day which saw industryleaders from around the country
cometogether for a great day of shooting andnetworking.
“Our raffles alone raised more than£2,000 and thanks to a number
of verygenerous sponsors we were able to boostthe amount raised to
even more than lastyear, ensuring the day was both enjoyableand
very worthwhile.”
Winners on the day (April 20) were: TopTeam, Howdens Joinery;
Top Gun (Male),Steve Kelly, (Mattress Online with theBreasely
team); Top Gun (Female) SarahHarris (Steinhoff team); Flurry,
TheFurniture Makers team; Pool winner, Jonny
Westbrooke (The Furniture Makers team);International Team,
Steinhoff; BestExperienced Shot (Male), Duncan Weister(DJ Weisters
team); Best IntermediateShot (Male), Phil Mercer (Howdens
team);Best Novice Shot (Male), Keith Humble(Sleepeeze team); Best
Novice Shot(Female), Helen James (Breasley team); Afor Effort!,
Linda Keelan (KI Europe team);Flashers!, Phil Mercer and David
Imrie.
The 2018 Northern Big Shots will beheld on Thursday April 26.
For moreinformation contact The Furniture Makersnorthern organiser
Louise Hicks [email protected]
The Furniture Makers Team
08_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:08_USF_0617 24/05/2017 11:27 Page 8
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09_USF_0617.qxp:09_USF_0617 22/05/2017 11:11 Page 1
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QI am fixing some upholsteredpanels to a wall as part of
thedecoration of the room but they willalso act as backs for
seating in theroom. Will these be covered by thedomestic Fire Regs
as seat backs or byBuilding Regs as fabric walling?
AAs the upholstered panels will beused as the backs for seating
fordomestic use they would need to meetthe full requirements of the
Furniture &Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations1988 (as
amended in 1989, 1993 and2010). Even though the panels will be
fixed to
a wall they would not fall under thebuilding regulations as
these only applyto the non-domestic sector, not thedomestic
sector.
QCan I put a schedule 3 interlinerbetween an FR dacron wrap
andthe foam or does it have to goimmediately underneath the top
cover?
AFor domestic use the schedule 3interliner must be used between
thecover fabric and any other parts of thefurniture, as stated in
Section 8 (2) of theFurniture & Furnishings (Fire)
(Safety)Regulations, ‘where furniture is suppliedwith a cover on it
and there is between itand the cover an interliner which passesthe
test in schedule 3 to theseregulations’.
QI have been asked to make sometraditional straw palliasses for
mylocal scout troop. Won’t that filling fallfoul of the
regulations?
AIf the palliasses are to be used withinthe scout hut they would
fall underthe non-domestic sector. As such they
would be covered by the RegulatoryReform Fire Safety Order,
meaning theresponsible person for the scouttroop/scout hut would be
required tocarry out a risk assessment on thebuilding and specify
what flammabilityrequirements the palliasses should meet. Normally
for the contract sector
mattress type products would beexpected to meet BS 7177
(Specificationfor resistance to ignition of mattresses,mattress
pads, divans and bed bases).This standard requires the filling
materialsto be fire retardant in their own right andpass the
relevant schedule for Furniture &Furnishings (Fire) (Safety)
Regulations.However because the requirements for anon-domestic
product are based on a risk
assessment on a specific building, this canvary and only the
responsible person forthat building can give a definitive
answer.
• Steve Cotton has been with FIRAInternational for 14 years and
is an expert inflammability. He also has a great workingknowledge
of foams, mattresses and fabricsand currently represents FIRA on
BSIcommittees dealing with foam performance.As part of FIRA’s team
of upholstery experts,Steve has been involved in a number
ofprojects to diagnose issues and assist clientsto develop their
products to meet therequired industry Standards.For more
information on FIRAInternational visit www.fira.co.uk,
[email protected] or call 01438 777 700.
Ask FIRA
10 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
WALL TO WALLQUESTIONSSteve Cotton, FIRA International’s
technical specialist for flammability and physicalupholstery,
answers more of members’ specific flammability questions.
10_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:10_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:27 Page
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11_USF_0617.qxp:11_USF_0617 22/05/2017 13:17 Page 1
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12 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
Feature
THUMBSUP!Sore and aching hands come with the territory for
mostworking upholsterers but now a specialist doctor
isinvestigating a condition which he believes could becommon to
those working in the trade.
Dr Jon Poole, consultantoccupational physician at
SheffieldTeaching Hospitals, is appealing forupholsterers around
the UK to comeforward if they suffer from a badly arthriticthumb.
It’s a condition he believes could bea long term effect of working
in upholsteryand which can sometimes be severeenough to cause a
noticeable deformity ofthe thumb joint. Called
themetacarpophalangeal joint, it is the one atthe base of the
thumb, not the middle.
Said Dr Poole: “In my experience as adoctor, I have seen a
number ofupholsterers with arthritic hands. Thiscould have been due
to the effects ofageing and general wear and tear on thehands from
manual work, or due to anindividual (genetic) susceptibility
toarthritis.“I have noticed, however, that some
upholsterers have particularly arthriticthumbs which could be as
a consequenceof the strain put on their thumbs whengripping,
pulling or pushing material. Someof those I have seen in my clinics
- and theyare often people who have come to meabout something else
altogether - havehad really quite badly deformed joints -which is
not the result of normal arthritis.“The thumb is swollen at the
base in a
way that appears to be peculiar to people
who use their thumbs in unnaturalpositions and so put a lot of
pressure onthe thumb. They tend to work, at times,with their thumbs
sticking out and furtheraway from their fingers, or palm of
thehand, than is natural. Doing this repeatedlyand over many years
puts an unnaturalstrain on the thumb and is going to causeproblems
in the longer term.“The joint becomes enlarged at the base
of the thumb which can cause quite anoticeable deformity.
However, I estimatethat it is probably necessary for someoneto have
been doing this work for at least 20years before the signs of
osteoarthritis anddeformity start to appear. It doesn’thappen with
everyone – it depends on theperson and how they use their
thumbs.”So how and what can upholsterers do to
lessen the impact?Said Dr Poole: “Working in upholstery
inevitably puts thumbs under strain andgives rise to premature
arthritis, so it’sabout learning to work in a way thatreduces the
risk. The way people shoulduse their hands is to keep the thumb
asclose to the fingers and palm as possible.”
It’s also a condition which Dr Poole iskeen to delve into
further. He said: “Thislink between the work of an upholstererand
arthritis of the thumb needs firstlysome good examples of arthritic
thumbswith x-rays confirming the presence ofosteoarthritis and then
evidence from anepidemiological study of upholsterers thatcompares
them with manual workers whodo not do upholstery work and so do
notput such strain on their thumbs. We wouldneed around 100
upholsterers in the studyto produce an authoritative report. I
knowthere are cases out there as I have seensome extremely deformed
thumbs duringthe course of my work in clinic and out inthe field on
industrial visits. “What I am asking people to do is send
me a photograph of their hands, ideallyshowing the backs of both
hands with thefingers and thumbs in a relaxed position(see photo
example). A picture taken witha smart phone or digital camera at
homewould suffice. If there is evidence of anunusual distribution
of arthritis I couldmake arrangements with their GP to havetheir
hand x-rayed to see if the damage tothe joints is in a distribution
that is not likeordinary osteoarthritis.“If it could be proved that
the arthritis is
as a consequence of working as anupholsterer, and if there is
sufficientevidence to suggest this from the study, itmay even be
that we could put a caseforward to have this condition recognisedas
an industrial disease. It will certainly beinteresting to see if
the deformity ofthumbs, which I have seen among someupholsterers,
is more common than inother manual trades.”• If you would like to
take part in thestudy, then images – as detailed above– should be
emailed to Dr Poole [email protected]
!
! Anatomy of hand
Thumb joints in extension
Upholsterer at work
12_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:12_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:28 Page
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13_USF_0617:Layout 1 24/05/2017 11:05 Page 1
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14 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
It all started in 1953 on a market stall inBlackburn when Tom
and Bernice Plumbstarted selling stretch covers ( just 12different
styles suited all known chair andsofa shapes) and the very latest
thing inbedding – continental duvets.By the 1970s the company had
become
the best known name in stretch covers; andby the mid-80s it had
launched its made-to-measure loose cover service with a networkof
home consultants going in to measureup for covers – and often
matching curtains.Then, completing the ‘good’ and ‘better’cover
story came its most upmarket offer –bespoke tailored covers.In 2003
Plumbs embarked on an even
more ambitious project, offering a full re-upholstery service
direct to consumers. Todo so it needed to harness the skills of
anetwork of trained upholsterers to whichthe company could
outsource this work –the first and only time that this has beendone
on such a scale.Today, some 135 upholsterers across the
UK work as Plumbs TDs (TechnicalDesigners) on either a full or
part timebasis. Anyone applying to join the team isscreened and
tested for the quality of theirworkmanship and while the national
TDmanager Andy Earnshaw readily admitsanyone with an AMUSF badge is
prettymuch welcomed with open arms, he also
acknowledges that many members arereluctant to get involved –
often citing therate of pay as the main issue.“What they often fail
to take into
account is that, as a company, we spendabout £5 million a year
on advertising andmarketing to generate the leads andbusiness,”
says Andy. “We also supply allfabric, springs, foam and other
materialsneeded to complete a job so ourupholsterers don’t need to
hold stocks –everything needed is provided.”While the company
doesn’t purport to
specialise in full antique restoration work, itdoes do a
competent ‘building from theinside out’ repair, tackling where
needed,wooden arms and inlays, springs, webbing,foam and castors.
It stops short of restoringthe actual frame itself.For many
upholsterers, the Plumbs work
is good ‘bread and butter’ business which isflexible enough to
allow them to do aslittle or as much work with the company assuits
their own workflow and privatecommissions. For others – in fact
some40% – the Plumbs work is all they do.Said Andy: “Our way of
working
particularly suits people who are lesscomfortable with the
customer facing sideof working for themselves. They love thehands
on element of what they do butdon’t want to have to worry about
telling
people what they charge, preparingquotes, marketing their
business, holdingstocks and so on.” The company uses a matrix of
costs for
each job undertaken with set fees for everyaspect of the work
involved and ‘extras’ ifthere is more than anticipated. Last
yearPlumbs paid out £2.5 million incommissions to its network
ofupholsterers. While still sizeable, thenumber of TDs on Plumbs
books hasdeclined in the past 10 years, droppingfrom around 200
upholsterers to a figurethat currently hovers between 130 and140
with some work now having beenmoved to regional factories.“Our
biggest challenge is retirement,”
says Andy. “Unfortunately this is a bit of adying skill so
training up new people is verymuch at the forefront of what we
do.”To that end, Plumbs has long worked
with the North Lancs Training Group andamong its head office
team of 22upholsterers currently employs fiveapprentices who
undergo their NVQtraining in conjunction with a provider
inAccrington which specialises in thefurnishings sector. It can
take up to threeyears to complete the course and
successfulapprentices receive a Diploma in Upholstery.The company
is also keen to work with
and encourage its TDs to take on
PLUMBJOBSDespite going from market stall trader to multi-million
pound soft furnishings andreupholstery business, Plumbs doesn’t
always get the credit it deserves across the morecraft-based
upholstery fraternity. U&SF visited the Preston-based family
firm to find outmore about its network of independent upholsterers
– and how the company is doingits bit to keep upholstery skills
alive.
Feature
14-15_USF_mar-apr-may.qxp:14-15_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:29 Page
14
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Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher 15
Feature
apprentices and would also be open toexploring apprenticeship
opportunitieswhen the new Trailblazer initiatives are upand
running.For a company which now employs more
than 500 people both directly and acrossits network of
upholsterers and homeconsultants – and which enjoyed aturnover of
over £25 million in 2016 –ensuring that it has the skilled staff
tomeet its needs going forward is critical –particularly
considering that thereupholstery side of its business nowaccounts
for nearly a third (31%) of sales.And it is clear that Plumbs,
which
remains resolutely family run (some 15family members have jobs
at the Prestonfactory; Geoff Plumb – son of founder Tom– is the
chairman; and his daughter SarahPage is the current md) continues
to moveits business forward. In addition to themassive 137,000 sq
ft head office facility inPreston, the company also runs
smallerfactories in Dover and Redhill to servicethose areas.Since
the demise of Lynplan, Plumbs is
currently unchallenged as the largestcompany operating on a
national basis inthe sector. Along with its new line ofmodern
stretch covers, plus the loosecovers and bespoke tailored/fitted
covers,in 2012 the company launched its‘Prestige’ service. This
offers fabrics fromsuch top brand houses as Ross, Warwick,Linwood,
Wilman, Sanderson, Swaffer,Clarke and Clarke and Jim Dickens. In
totaland across all recovering options, there aresome 800 different
fabric choices.More recently, and in a bid to ‘expand the
brand’ still further, Plumbs launched its‘Beautiful Bedrooms’
collection of made-to-measure bedspreads, bijoux top quilts,scatter
cushions, throws, curtains andvalances. The company also does a
range ofupholstered occasional furniture – including
a chaise and footstools – plus headboards.And it even offers
customers a choice ofelectric recliner chairs which can be
coveredor upholstered in a fabric to match or co-ordinate with
their existing upholstery. Asmarketing manager Emma Curtis
pointsout: “We need to give customers morereasons to return to us
by extending ouroffer to other areas of the home.”Interestingly,
Plumbs believes its average
customer profile is female and aged around72-plus. Considering
the rapid growth inthe reupholstery side of the business aswell as
the fact Plumbs handles around600 orders per week (and an order can
beanything from covers for a single chairthrough to an entire suite
plus curtains andso on), that may be an elderly client basebut it’s
also an affluent one.And it’s one that often owns good quality,
branded furniture which owners wouldrather recover, or better
still, reupholster,than replace with something new.Which all adds
to the ongoing need for
skilled upholsterers.Said Andy: “Re-upholstery is a growing
area for us and over the the past six yearswe’ve noticed a shift
in favour of re-upholstering. So we still need to recruit
more upholsterers and although staffturnover is very low,
finding people withthe experience and skill sets we need is
verydifficult. We regularly send out mailers toour database of
upholsterers to boostnumbers out in the field and our two
areamanagers visit the premises of anypromising applicants to check
out theirwork and facilities.“In the past 18 months we’ve also
made
considerable progress in terms ofintroducing new production
technologiesand have successfully digitised ourtemplate planning
and cutting processwhich has brought significant savings intime and
efficiency improvements. “However, you can’t mechanise the
reupholstery process which is why we arecommitted to an ongoing
programme oftraining apprentices within our in-houseteam in
Preston. We have some reallyskilled people working here,
capablebetween them of doing antiquerestorations, deep buttoning
work, QueenAnne chairs, Iron Spoonbacks and so on –although we
wouldn’t pretend that thismakes up the bulk of our work.“But our
determination to help keep
these skills alive has been recognised with aregional award
(large employer category)for our work with apprentices and we
arecertainly keen to do more with the AMUSF– and perhaps, going
forward – to set upsome sort of working partnership.”So while it
may not be involved in the
deeply specialist work which so many ofour members take such
pride in, Plumbsdoes have its place in the industry and it isdoing
its bit to secure some of those skillsgoing forward.There is, as
they say, room for us all.
Plumb apprentices receive training certificates
14-15_USF_mar-apr-may.qxp:14-15_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:30 Page
15
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MyDecozo
16 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
HELPFUL HINTS FROMThe UK’s largest online soft furnishingsforum
turns its attention to trouble-shooting eyelet curtains.
�����������������������������
Unit 1 Whitworth Road, Frome, Somerset BA11 4BYTel: 01373 451415
[email protected]
A forum member was helping a customer with new curtains
aftermoving house. While there, she was asked for suggestions onhow
to help darken a bedroom which already had eyelet headedblackout
curtains.The customer had already added blackout blinds but was
still
concerned about light bleed around the sides and particularly
inthe middle where the pole had a central bracket.The solution was
two-fold: 1– one inch vertical battens werefixed to the wall
outside the window reveal. The return edges ofthe curtains were
then held in place on them with Velcro all downthe side; 2 - After
trying a clothes peg to test the effect a morediscreet solution was
needed to hold the leading edges togetherunder the central
bracket.The answer was to use sew-in magnets which were sourced
online. These were put inside little bags made from lining,
thenstitched up inside the leading edges of the panels. When
thecurtains were closed, they clicked together to close the gap.
Thelittle fabric bags reduced the magnetic ‘pull’ slightly so that
theypulled apart easily when the curtains were opened.
Before After
curtain magnets
16-17_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:16-17_USF_0617 31/05/2017 10:50 Page
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Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher 17
Fellows news
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Call 01942 825144 or visit: www.livedale.co.ukLivedale Foam
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2AG
Fellows lunch 2017
FELLOWSSTEAM AHEADIt was full steam ahead for the Fellowslunch
this year when members took asteam train from Toddington
toCheltenham Racecourse.
The April 5 event kicked off at Toddington Station whereearly
arrivals had a chance to look around the stationand museum. Then it
was all aboard with a carriage tothemselves with lunch itself held
at The Pheasant Inn.Said Mary Crack, clerk to the Fellows of the
Associationof Master Upholsterers (FAMU): “The food was good andthe
service excellent and after the obligatory groupphoto everyone
parted for home, quite happy andcontent with the day.”
The Fellows AGM and annual weekend will be held onJune 16 - 18
at the Holiday Inn Fareham, including a visitto the Mary Rose
Museum, Portsmouth.
16-17_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:16-17_USF_0617 31/05/2017 10:51 Page
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Member profile
18 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
How long have you been doing your job? I have been teaching
upholstery as thebusiness owner for 11 years. Before that Ihad a
small business taking on upholsterycommissions and also taught
alongside thefounder of my current business.
How long did it take to really learn theskill? Hopefully I
haven’t stopped learning yet. Ithink with a craft like upholstery
there isalways something new and unusualcropping up.
Do you consider yourself a craftspersonor tradesperson?A
craftsperson.
What makes up the bulk of your work? I spend the majority of my
time teaching. Istill complete some projects for myself
andobviously there is the administration sideof running the
business, which I also domyself.
What keeps you motivated? Seeing the increase in skills and
confidenceas students learn new skills.
What aspect of your work do you mostenjoy?I love passing on
age-old skills toenthusiastic learners, and being in theworkshop
with a different crowd eachweek. Every week is a different
dynamic,but always fun and interesting.
Professionally, what is your greatestfrustration? Seeing badly
upholstered furniture.
Tell us about the most challengingproject you have ever
undertaken.Not long after my initial training, I took onan enormous
Chesterfield sofa with deepbuttoned seat and back which at the
timewas a huge learning curve. I managed tocomplete it and the
customer wasdelighted with it, but in hindsight, it wassomewhat
ambitious.
And the most unusual/bizarre/funnyrequest you have ever dealt
with? My dairy farming neighbour asked me tomake a new seat for his
quad bike out ofan old tractor tyre.
What are the most pressing issuescurrently facing your business?
The financial climate and an increasingnumber of courses starting
up havecertainly affected business in recentyears.
How long have you been a member ofthe AMUSF and how important
has thisbeen to your business?The business has been a member for
25years. I became a member when I tookover the business 11 years
ago.
Professionally, who or where do youturn to for advice/ a second
opinion?It depends on the sort of advice I amlooking for. Emily,
who teaches with me,is always good to bounce ideas off.
When you talk to a fellow upholsterer/soft furnisher, the talk
always turns to? Often the latest very good, or very badupholstery
idea.
How do you keep your skills andtechniques updated? I try and
keep my hand in by completingpractical pieces on a regular basis.
Oftenstudents will bring ideas they want to try orbooks I haven’t
come across and followingother people’s work on social media can
beinteresting and informative.
What is the single most important pieceof advice you would give
to someonestarting out in this business? Learn your core skills
thoroughly and gainas much as experience as possible beforetaking
the leap.
Where do you see the future of theindustry? I hope there will
always be a place fortraditional upholstery. The number ofpeople
still wanting to learn the craft iscertainly encouraging.
What has been your proudestprofessional moment?Opening the
workshop doors to studentson my first day as owner of the
business.Contact details: Tel 01994
232124websitewww.upholsterycourses.com email
[email protected]
SCHOOLOF LEARNING
IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR BUSINESS TO BE FEATURED ON THE MEMBER
PROFILE PAGE, CONTACT EDITOR JAN TURNER AT
[email protected]
Name of business The Traditional Upholstery Workshop
When established 1992Owned by Liz MarksLocation Carmarthenshire,
West
WalesSpeciality Upholstery coursesNumber employed Sole
trader
Liz Marks, (left) with student
18_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:18_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:31 Page
18
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C. S. Osborne & CoQuality tools for Upholstery &
Leatherwork
www.hwebber.co.ukH Webber & Sons Ltd, 58 Dene Street,
Dorking, Surrey, RH4 2DP
01306 740 433 - [email protected]
Supplying the trade since 1902
� �� �� ��������
Ehrlich Leder-Handels GmbH D-88400 Biberach
Phone +49 7351 1980-0
Fax +49 7351 1980-70 [email protected]
www.ehrlich-leder.de
19_USF_0617.qxp:19_USF_0317 31/05/2017 11:01 Page 1
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20 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
There are so many good words that canbe said about this man. To
me he was myfriend, mentor – even father figure – andI cannot
express my gratitude enough forthe support and advice he has given
tome over the last 27 years. He attendedand supported every award
ceremonyheld at London Met university. I will misshim
dearly.Malcolm Hopkins, president, AMUSF
An assessment visit from Bert gave us atremendous boost of
confidence when wefirst started up in business. He was alwayskind
and supportive to those starting outand generously shared his
knowledge andexperience, inspiring many hundreds ofupholsterers and
soft furnishers over theyears. His impact on our craft will be
feltfor many years to come.Martin Pickard, chairman AMUSF
We first met Bert and Joyce Chapmansome 40 years ago at our
first AMUconference and soon became firm friends.Always a
gentleman, he had a wry senseof humour and we often
laugheduncontrollaby together over the mostsimple and silliest of
things. Bert’sknowledge of the trade was second tonone and over the
years he proved to bean inspiration to everyone he met. Godbless
you Bert and thank you for allowingus to have been part of your
life.Michael (past president) and Wynne(past Master of the
WorshipfulCompany of Upholders) Gilham
When I first joined the AMUSF Bert waskind enough to ask me
along to a couple
THE IRREPLACEABLEBERT CHAPMAN
of visits he was making on behalf of theassociation to new
members. It quicklybecame apparent that here was a man,not only
with huge knowledge but anengaging manner, who gaveencouragement
and support to whoeverneeded it. Thank you, Bert, we will
missyou.Richard Ranklin, association manager,AMUSF
When I became board chairman, Bert hadalready rendered long and
distinguishedservice to the association and during mytime, he was
an outstandingly valuabledirector. I lost count of the number
oftimes a contentious discussion wastransformed into a harmonious
andconstructive exchange by his quiet andinvariably courteous
intervention.Outside the boardroom, he workedtirelessly in handling
complaints and inthe association's training activities. It wasa
privilege to work with him.Des Fanning, past president of the
AMUSF
I joined the AMUSF and aspired to achievecertain heights in my
career, admiringfrom afar members that were obviously‘out of my
league’. Mr Albert Chapmanwas obviously Premier League but Ibecame
to regard him as a friend, agentleman who never saw himself on
thepedestal that I built for him. I will sorelymiss him.Joan Milton
- J A Milton UpholsterySupplies
Bert Chapman was a 'star' in many ways.A friend and mentor for
20 years he lived
just 10 minutes away, so I saw himregularly and had the
privilege to get toknow his family. We first met when I was
astudent at London Guildhall University(now London Met) and he came
to assessme for membership of the AMUSF. He wasalways a perfect
gentleman and the calmvoice of reason. RIP Bert, with love.Wendy
Shorter, Wendy Shorter Interiors
Bert was an industry legend and yet hewas so kind to me in the
early days of mycareer. Hearing him talk to groups aboutsome of the
wonderful work he wasinvolved with was always an inspiration.He
will leave a huge hole in our industry.Penny Bruce, Denton
Drapes
Bert Chapman has been my hero since Ifirst asked if I could see
his workroom andfind out how to make a Roman blind –almost 45 years
ago. His wonderful smile,his gentle nature and his enormousamount
of knowledge - shared sowillingly – will always be remembered.
Hislife was dedicated to our industry and hisfamily. Maureen
Whitemore, Whitemore andThwaytes, Penrith, Cumbria
Bert first came to the University in 1990,representing the
Upholders company,since when he has continued to support all
aspects of the furniture and furnishingcourses undertaken here and
been aregular visitor, supporter and advisor to all.Andrew Stone,
head of Sir John CassSchool of Art, Architecture and Design,London
Metropolitan University
Special tribute
Tributes have been pouring in for Bert Chapman, one of thebest
loved and most respected figures in the upholsterybusiness. To many
it was the genuine, thoughtful andhumble nature of the man himself
that counted for morethan anything else. In this special feature,
U&SF offers a fewpersonal memories of a man considered so
gifted andspecial in his field he can never be replaced. Bert
Chapman seen talking with Michael Gilham
20_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:20, 22_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:32 Page
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21_USF_0617.qxp:21_USF_0317 31/05/2017 11:08 Page 1
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Feature
22 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
launch a national hunt for surviving olderand unusual upholstery
tools, particularlythose more than 100 years old. The ideawould be
to track how they have changedover time and put that into
asocial/historical context; and thirdly, tointerview upholsterers
who are eitherretired or nearing retirement age, torecord their
stories and experiences. Said Yvette, “We would like to work
with existing, well establishedinstitutions, such as Geffrye
Museum, theFrederick Parker Collection at London Met,the V&A
Museum, The Furniture HistorySociety, Wycombe Museum and a numberof
stately homes, for example. “As far as we can see there is
nothing
specifically dedicated to combining theheritage of upholstery
with developingskills. Our idea is to apply for funding
fordifferent projects, bringing together avariety of groups or
individuals interestedin specific areas. “We’re in this for the
long term and
know that what we are setting out on isquite ambitious, which is
why we knowthat much of what needs doing will be inconjunction with
other bodies. Our aimwill be to build up different partnershipsand
links with people and organisations.“It’s all about helping to
promote the
sector: about getting people’simagination going and bringing it
alivewith inspiring ideas and innovation.“At the moment we would
love to hear
from anyone who would be interested inworking with us going
forward, forexample with skills – such as videoing,researching or
curating; or about anyprojects or research that currently
exists;
or perhaps loan us tools which are old andinteresting. The
AMUSF, while not directlyinvolved in the project is very
encouragingand interested in what we are doing.“Ultimately our
dream goal would be to
have a dedicated building where we couldhave workshops with
people learningtraditional and lost skills and exhibitionsrunning,
including videos showing how itonce was; a display of tools used
throughthe ages; images of lost pieces of furniturebrought back to
life; and a timeline of thetrade showing techniques, skills
andmaterials related to upholstery andfurniture making in different
parts of theUK and across different periods of time.“Although our
initial aim is to focus on
upholstery our ultimate ambition is toencompass and celebrate
the wider worldof British furniture.“The idea is to benefit people
wishing
to learn about the UK’s rich history andheritage of furniture
and upholstery. Thiscould include young people wishing togain new
skills or those involved inconserving and restoring historic pieces
offurniture. Even people wanting toenhance their skills and
experience withinthe sector could benefit from such aresource.”
When Yvette Dearden, along withpartners Paul and Mark Marshand
David Popkin establishedthe Upholstery Skills Centre at
StaplefordAbbotts in Essex in November 2012, theydid so knowing
that many of the trade’smost skilled and experienced
upholstererswere either retired or on the verge of it.And what
really worried them about
this fast retiring resource was that it washappening with barely
a trace of theindustry’s heritage left behind.Said Yvette: “We have
been conscious
for a long time that there are gaps inresearching and telling
the story offurniture making, and in particularupholstery, and have
wanted to make acontribution by filling some of these gaps. “Ours
is a craft where people who have
retired or are near to retirement are takinga lot of the skills,
tradition, experience andknowledge of the trade with them and
ifthis isn’t captured very quickly we are indanger of losing all
that valuable heritage.What we want to do is combine learningabout
that craftsmanship with developingskills.”In order to turn their
idea into a reality,
the Upholstery Skills Centre set up a not-for-profit Community
Interest Companycalled The Furniture Skills and HeritageCentre. It
was incorporated at the end ofMarch.Acknowledging that what they
are
doing is no small undertaking, Yvette and‘the chaps’ have set
themselves threeinitial and realistic goals: a gap analysis ofwhat
currently exists to ensure they donot duplicate work but build
uponexisting projects and research; to secondly
SOS PLAN TO ‘SAVE OUR SKILLS’With traditional upholstery skills
a fast fading commodity,U&SF talks to four AMUSF members on a
mission to saveand celebrate the UK’s rich heritage of furniture
making andupholstery crafts.
Anyone interest in helping or finding out more about the
Furniture Skills and Heritage Centre Community Interest
Companyshould contact Yvette at [email protected] or
phone 07721 909 838.
Upholstery Skills Centre - l-r Mark, Yvette, Dave, Paul
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23_USF_0617:00_IM_1116 05/06/2017 15:47 Page 1
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24 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
Expert advice
Springs in upholstery are laced forthree reasons: – (I) The top
coils ofthe springs are held firmly in such aposition that the axis
remainsperpendicular; (2) any given row of springsmay be compressed
independently of theothers; for instance the back row may bekept
lower than the two front ones, asshown in the side elevation at
FIG. I25; (3)the friction and wear on the hessiancovering
subsequently used is reduced toa minimum by the process of lacing.
Once springs have been securely sewn
in to the webs of a seat, the nextprocedure is to reduce their
resiliency bytying or lacing them down to a givenheight. There are
two ways of doingthis: by covering with hessian, asshown in FIGS.
I27 and I29, or bylacing with cords, as in FIG. I23. Forlacing the
springs a stout cord isused, called laid-cord, and the topcoil of
each spring is knotted.FIG. I2I shows the front row of
springs on a seat with temporary tacksfixed ready for lacing.
The tacks are placedexactly opposite each spring in the centreof
the rails. The length of cord required isdifficult to gauge with
accuracy, and it is agood plan to lay the cord loosely over
thesprings, as from A to H, FIG. I22; allowingsufficient for
knotting and the returncords, indicated at A and GQ FIG. I23. The
return should be long enough to tiefrom the tack to the top coil A,
FIG. I23.Such return cords are not always necessaryin small work
where 5in. or 6in. springs areused, but in large work they
areimperative. Before lacing starts all cordshould be cut and laid
ready to hand.
Cords are then looped over eachtemporary tack on the back rail,
and onone of the side rails A and C, FIG. 126, andthe tacks are
driven in securely leavingsufficient cord for the return. The
lacing of the springs of small chairs
and easy chairs should start from the siderail, tacking the
centre cord first andworking from left to right; the others arethen
laced in rotation, as indicated by theNos. I to 6, FIG. 126. In
settees andcouches the short cords running fromback to front are
laced first and thelengthwise ones afterwards. In knottingthe
procedure is as follows : Hold the cord
in the left hand and make thefirst knot on the second coil
ofspring with the right hand, see A,FIG. 122, drawing the spring
alittle out of the perpendicular.Repeat the operation on the
topcoil of first spring at B, and so on asindicated. The distance
between B-C and D-E should be a little morethan the corresponding
distancebetween the springs on the web. Thesprings should now
appear as shownat FIG. 122 before being straineddown to a given
height. Hold the endof the cord G with the right handpressing the
springs with the left. Tomeasure the height required, place arule
between C and D on to the web,and when the right height is
obtainedthe cord should be strained taut andlooped round the
temporary tack H,which is then driven in. A six inch springshould
be compressed to four inches inthe centre and the back row
alwaysslightly lower - on seats of all kinds. FIG. 128 shows two
methods of
knotting for the lacing of springs. FIG. I24 shows the result of
incorrect
lacing. From this it is clear that afterspring No. I loses some
of its resiliencyowing to wear, the top coil will touch thecoils of
the spring No. 2 when in use. FIG.I23 shows a row of springs
correctlyplaced, the spring in the centre perfectlyupright, those
on either side strainedslightly out of the perpendicular.
THE LACINGOF SPRINGSFrank Palmer's famed book, 'Practical
Upholstery'has long been considered the 'bible' of the craft. Inthe
first of a regular new series featuring extractsfrom the book, we
take a look at the lacing of springs- the reasons for doing it and
how best to tackle it.
24_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:24_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:33 Page
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25_USF_0617:00_IM_1116 05/06/2017 15:51 Page 1
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26 Upholsterer & Soft Furnisher June/July/August 2017
Q & A
How would you like to be remembered?Having just turned 60 I
guess the time Imay or may not be remembered is gettingcloser! All
I can hope for is that peopleremember me as a decent bloke who
lovedhis family and friends. I also hope thatthey remember how I
loved making thingsand making them well.
How did you get into this business?I kind of fell into furniture
after gettinginvolved with an old family firm that madechair and
sofa frames. Originally it was tohelp my dad out when I returned
fromAustralia, so he could retire but businesshas a way of taking
over your life and I amstill here, 20 years on!
What’s the best thing about our industry?Like most things
British we are really goodat it with the best designers and
buildersanywhere – and so much so that we arecopied all over the
world.
What’s the worst thing about our industry?I have seen this
industry decimated overthe 20 years I have been in it. I have had
topush further and further to the top end justto be able to
survive. There is no middleground for us anymore and
successivegovernments have allowed cheap rubbishfurniture into this
country with no real dutyto pay and no standards to meet.
What would you change?If I had the power I would force all
retailers(online or not) to state exactly what isinside the sofas
and chairs they sell andwhere they come from. I would also wantthem
to state in writing that the timbersthey use are conforming with at
least FSCor PEFC and also EUTR. I would also forceall imported
product to be tested for FireRegs compliance as much of it
complieswith nothing and impose a tax on allimported furniture to
be returned to tradeassociations such as the AMU to grow
ourindustry through training young people tokeep this industry
alive.
What would you class as your greatestachievement?In the late
80s, I designed and built arange of motorhomes and campers usinga
composite fibreglass foam sandwichconstruction. It revolutionised
the industryand was so ahead of its time that many ofthem are still
on the road in Australia 30years later.
Your perfect day?At work it would be seeing new designscoming
together: from drawing board tofinished chair is satisfying. At
home,spending time with my partner and family,seeing my kids
develop, walking the dog, abeer or two at the pub.
Your desert island disc?One would just not be enough!
So,Australian bands that none of my mateshave heard of and then the
classics: Floyd,Stones, Eagles, Steve Miller, Springsteen,Dire
Straits, Bowie, George Benson, Madnessetc. Oh and I love a bit of
Country.
Who has been your greatest inspirationand why?The greats:
Hepplewhite, Chippendale andSheraton or Le Corbusier and Eames.
Myfather was also one of the greatestunknown designers and I have a
uniquecollection of his chair and sofa designs
which I call the ‘Chair Vault Originals’ andwe release a few at
a time into the‘Chairmaker’ brand every year.
If you weren’t doing what you do now,what would you be
doing?Probably back in Australia buildingcampers or custom
motorcycles. Just adream though – too many mouths to feedhere and a
lot of chairs to make!
What winds you up?Lots of things but only one that matters atthe
moment: Brexit, the biggest destructionof a good thing I have ever
seen in my life.This single issue will dominate politics foryears
and the effects are already being felt:I am seeing a big slow down
in London andthat is spreading; I buy most of my timberin France
and Germany and the effect ofthe damaged pound has put costs up
byover 20 per cent.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction?Although I spend much
of my life in theoffice I am happiest making stuff, it’s whatI do
and love. I also have a big smile on myface when I see my daughter
doing well atuni and my son buying his first flat – sohappy they
are both on track.
Doer or talker?I’ve never been much of a talker andwould rather
get on with the job thanstand around talking about it. I
guessthat’s the old school in me – plus theexperience of going to
Australia, aged 19,on a two-year working visa.There was no mobile
or internet to callhome for help in those days so I soonlearnt that
the only way was to get a joband work hard if I wanted a bed and
food.
Best piece of advice to someone startingout?Learn your trade
well. You can’t sell yourselfif you don’t know what you are
talkingabout. If you can’t find a good job, work onyour own and
become self-employed.
IN THE HOTSEAT...… WITH KEVIN BAKER OF CVOUK CHAIRMAKER AND
FWUK FURNITURE WORKS
Kevin Baker
26_USF_jun-jul-aug17.qxp:26_USF_0317 24/05/2017 11:34 Page
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