Upholstery courses in Annecy, France

The 2-Day Upholstery Class

A Friday and a Saturday in a real French atelier to learn the essential upholstery gestures and leave with a finished piece.

Not everyone can take a full week off. This class gives you a real hands-on experience of upholstery in two days, with professional tools, in a very small group. You choose your project: bring your own chair and we work on it together, or build a square foam stool from A to Z, from the bare structure to covering and finishing.

2027 Dates

Six sessions a year, always on a Friday and a Saturday:

• January 15 and 16, 2027
• March 26 and 27, 2027 (right before Easter Monday)
• April 30 and May 1, 2027 (right before the Early May Bank Holiday)
• May 28 and 29, 2027 (right before the Spring Bank Holiday)
• July 9 and 10, 2027
• October 15 and 16, 2027

Each session is limited to 4 students, and once fully booked, no additional dates are added. Booking early is recommended.

Two Projects to Choose From

Bring Your Own Chair

You have a chair waiting at home? Bring it, and we work on it together. When you book, send me a photo of your piece: I will tell you honestly what can be achieved in two days, and what you will be able to finish on your own afterwards.

Build a Square Foam Stool from A to Z

The stool is the perfect project to go through the full upholstery sequence in two days: structure, foundations, padding, covering and finishing. You choose your technique, with or without traditional springs, and you leave with a finished piece that also makes a great workshop stool for your future projects.

Who This Class Is For

Complete beginners are welcome: you do not need any experience or tools. Enthusiasts can finally get answers to the questions tutorials cannot solve, on their own piece. And professional upholsterers can use these two days to refine a technique or discover a method they have never worked with. Tell me your level and your goals when you book, and I will adapt your project.

What You Will Learn

Depending on your project, you work on the key steps of upholstery: preparing the frame, webbing, springs, padding or foam, covering and finishing. You learn to use professional hand tools, to control fabric tension, and to understand why each layer exists.

How the Two Days Unfold

Friday: discovering the tools, preparing the structure and building the foundations and padding.
Saturday: covering and finishing, until your piece is ready to go home.

The pace adapts to your project and your level: a foam stool and your own armchair do not follow exactly the same rhythm.

Fabric and Finishes

You may bring your own fabric or choose one through our website. I can help you estimate the quantity you need. Decorative nails and trimmings are chosen on site, according to your project and taste.

Schedule and Language

Location

Le Boudoir des Etoffes
58 Route d’Annecy
74290 Veyrier-du-Lac
France

Near Lake Annecy, around 40 minutes from Geneva Airport. A perfect excuse for a long weekend in Annecy. View on Google Maps

Getting Your Piece Home

The stool is easy to take home, even by plane in most cases. If you bring your own chair and need to ship it back, packing materials are provided free of charge and I can advise you on the best option for your destination.

Book Your Place

To check availability, send a photo of your chair, or ask about fabric, accommodation and travel, contact me directly.Or email me at thegirlwithahammer@gmail.com. Travel, accommodation and shipping questions are answered in the course FAQ. You can also download the general terms (PDF). Want to go further? Discover the 5-day course or compare all courses.

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Keep Learning After the Class

Two days go fast. To keep progressing at home, class participants get 3 months of free access to the Hammer Club, with more than 80 step-by-step video tutorials filmed in this same atelier.