Design and Build Custom Upholstered Headboards
Instructors: Jonathan Bennett & Glenn Murdoch
Friday, October 16 – Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:00 am – 5:00 pm, with a 1-hour lunch on your own
Class size: Limited to 6 students (minimum 4)
Prerequisites: Intro to Sewing Soft Furnishings, or equivalent demonstrable experience required
Learn to Build Custom Headboards Using Professional Workroom Methods
If you're ready to move beyond soft furnishings and into upholstery, this hands-on class with Jonathan Bennett and Glenn Murdoch will teach you the construction techniques behind two of the most requested headboard styles in the business. Over two days, you'll build two sample boards of your own — a clean-lined flat headboard and a show-stopping diamond-tufted headboard — learning the framing, padding, and finishing methods that separate professional upholstery from a DIY project.
Jonathan and Glenn split their time between production upholstery and teaching, and they bring that dual perspective into the classroom — not just how to execute each technique, but how to troubleshoot the problems that come up when a client's fabric, frame, or timeline doesn't cooperate.
Class Projects
- A flat upholstered headboard with clean-tailored borders
- A diamond-tufted headboard with buttons
What You'll Learn
- Building and squaring a headboard frame
- Selecting and cutting foam and batting for upholstery
- Layout and math for diamond tufting
- Marking and setting tufting buttons
- Pulling and securing fabric with a pneumatic staple gun
- Achieving clean, tailored corners and edges
- Attaching a finished headboard to a frame or wall mount
What to Bring
Each student will have use of a worktable, a pneumatic staple gun, and the tools needed to build and upholster both sample boards — all provided. Foam, batting/Dacron, and hardware are also provided. These will be demonstration pieces utilizing stock fabric at Workroom Tech.
Note: Students are encouraged to bring their own fabric scissors. If you do, be sure to comply with all travel regulations regarding carry-on versus checked bags.
Who Should Take This Class
This class is designed for students who've completed Intro to Sewing Soft Furnishings, or who have equivalent demonstrable experience, and are ready to take on their first upholstery projects.
Seats are limited to 6 students to ensure hands-on instruction time with Jonathan and Glenn, with a minimum of 4 students required to run the class. Reserve your spot today.
