Hand Stitched Lampshades with Joanna Heptinstall

Pleated Lampshades Masterclass with Joanna Heptinstall

Overview: On this busy and creative two-day course you’ll learn all the techniques for making a super-precise knife-pleated shade. Your tutor Joanna will take you step-by-step through the key stages: binding the frame; measuring and cutting; accurately folding, pinning and hand-stitching the pleats; applying a traditional informally-pleated lining; and then trimming using a useful and versatile bias binding trimming or your choice of decorative braid. Throughout the course Joanna will give masterclass demonstrations showing how the method can be adapted for other styles of decorative pleating, including fan, sunray and box pleats.

At the end of the course, you’ll take home your own finished pleated lampshade in your own fabric, plus the skills to make many more. Suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

Tutor Bio: Joanna trained as an upholsterer 25 years ago and has enjoyed a successful career restoring furniture working from her studio at home. In 2016 she set up her own training centre Traditional Upholstery School which is based in rural Wiltshire. She is proud to be a member of the Association of Master Upholsterers & Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) and to deliver its three-stage diploma. Traditional Upholstery School also delivers a range of shorter vocational and creative upholstery courses.

Alongside upholstery, making and restoring lampshades is a major part of Joanna's creative output. She is author of Sewing Lampshades, a best-selling craft book published by Search Press.

Additional Costs: A selection of frame shapes will be available for students to buy and then work on. These will be specially chosen to be ideally suitable for the pleating technique, and manageable in the two-day course. Prices start at £14 for a 10in French drum frame. Payments to be made in person on the day.

Accommodation: The hotel have generously offered a limited number of rooms at discount for students of the courses. Further information about this will be in the booking confirmation of your course.