Sit on This!

Can you build a successful upholstery business without sacrificing your health? Or has stress, pain and burnout become accepted as part of the job? This week, Vicky and Ray sit down with Natasha Kenworthy , massage therapist and wellbeing specialist, to talk about the physical and mental demands of working in upholstery. From aching backs and repetitive strain to stress, overwhelm and the pressure of running a business, this conversation explores why so many upholsterers put themselves last—and what we can do to change that. We get into the real questions: How do we recognise the signs of burnout? Why do so many makers ignore pain until it's too late? Can looking after ourselves actually make us better craftspeople? And what simple changes can help us build healthier, more sustainable careers? Natasha shares practical advice, common mistakes she sees time and time again, and why investing in your own wellbeing isn't a luxury—it's an essential part of protecting your livelihood. This is an honest conversation about health, resilience and ensuring the most valuable tool in your workshop is looked after. Follow Natasha Kenworthy Instagram: https://instagram.com/nkmassagetherapy Book a treatment www.nkmassage.co.uk Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench, stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

Can upholstery innovate without toxicity? Or are we stuck between outdated regulations, industry habits and the fear of change? This week Vicky and Ray sit down with ⁠Delyth Fetherston-Dilke⁠, one of the leading voices challenging the UK furniture industry to think differently about flame retardants, materials, sustainability and the future of upholstery. But this conversation goes far beyond “toxic foam”. We get into the real questions: Are current fire regulations still fit for purpose? Why is innovation in furniture materials so difficult? Who really influences what upholsterers are able to buy and use? And can the industry evolve without losing safety, craftsmanship or trust? Delyth shares her experiences working across campaigning, regulation and industry conversations, alongside her belief that innovation, transparency and collaboration are essential if upholstery is going to move forward. This is an honest conversation about materials, manufacturing, health, responsibility and the complicated reality of change within traditional industries. FR Consultation Check out that amazing article in TheTimes https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/sofas-toxic-chemicals-cancer-9tz66br9c “Dark Waters” Movie: https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/dark-waters/umc.cmc.3topp2g12va4hj1i9v50f13g7 Fidra Charity The Environmental charity supporting sustainability & preventing pollution: https://fidra.org.uk Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench, stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this live episode of Sit on This! , we sit down with two key suppliers to the UK upholstery industry at the Furniture Components Show : Oliver from Tokyo Fabrics and Mike from Peak Converters , spanning both foam manufacturing and large-scale textile production. This conversation explores the materials used across the industry and the many factors that shape them and touches on wider discussions currently happening within the industry around toxins, material composition and future direction. Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

Has YouTube changed upholstery forever? Or are we just getting started? This week Vicky and Ray sit down with Neil Banyard of Facelift Interiors — the upholsterer who built a 100,000-subscriber YouTube channel while still running a busy workshop and online academy. We get into the real questions: Is online training replacing traditional routes, or expanding them? Does visibility equal credibility? Can you scale a craft business without losing quality? And what happens when a hands-on trade meets the algorithm? Neil shares how he went from DJ decks to directing cameras, why mindset and mentorship matter more than ever, and what the future might look like for the next generation of upholsterers. This is an honest conversation about growth, influence, craft and the tension between tradition and digital disruption. If you’re teaching, learning, scaling or quietly wondering whether you should press record, this one’s for you. Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this episode, Vicky and Ray sit down with Joanna Privett from the British Furniture Association to talk about the realities of the UK furniture industry, from small upholstery workshops to large-scale manufacturing and retail. We explore quality, standards, toxins, compliance and transparency, and how “cheap and fast” production shapes what ends up on the shop floor. We also discuss retail influence, including DFS and big-box expectations, and what that means for craftspeople who want to keep standards high. This is an honest, practical conversation about how furniture is made, who sets the tone for quality, and what it takes to protect good work in a changing industry. Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers. BFA FIESTA AMUSF

Join Vicky & Ray for a Live Podcast with Conservator Heather Porter from Festival of Upholstery held Oct 10th 2025 . Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this months Sit on This! podcast we sit down with Joanna Maeva (@maeva_and_daughters); Carpenter, Upholsterer and all-round legend. She joins Ray and Vicky for a chat full on bants, sawdust and stories from life on set. Jo shares a studio with five other upholsterers' (all running their own business) as part of a collective, sharing knowledge and space. Expect laughs, loud opinions and a proper peek into her journey. ⁠Albert Kennedy Trust⁠ Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This week Vicky & Ray head to Margate to step inside the bold, technicolour world of upholsterer and interior designer Jesse Du Preez (@jessedupreezdesign). From training at some of the UK’s top upholstery schools to appearing on BBC’s Interior Design Masters, Jesse’s journey has been anything but beige. We talk craft, colour, and what it really takes to make it as an upholsterer. Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠ ⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠ Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This month Vicky and Ray sit down with the brilliant Leigh-Anne Treadwell, founder of the Bristol Upholstery Collective, teacher, TV upholsterer, and all-round powerhouse. We chat about how she built her teaching practice, what it means to create safe learning spaces, and how ADHD shapes the way she works and teaches. From building a community to breaking down barriers in upholstery, Leigh-Anne brings heart, honesty, and a whole lot of wisdom to this conversation. https://www.bristolupholsterycollective.com https://www.instagram.com/leighannetreadwell Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠ ⁠BeA Group Follow Sit on This! for fortnightly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This season, we’re bringing you a series of mini video podcasts spotlighting the key suppliers to the upholstery trade. Each episode gives you insider info on the latest tools, materials, and innovations to help keep your workshop running smoothly and efficiently. This month, we’re chatting with Mirka, makers of high-performance sanding solutions with a difference. Tune in to hear what sets their kit apart (you might also see us trying the tools out 🤪) Mirka You Tube Sit on This!

In this episode Vicky & Ray meet Patricia Alban, founder of The Bespoke Footstool Company and the heart and soul behind Sammy’s Foundation. Patricia shares her journey and found love of upholstery & soft furnishings and through personal tragedy and is building a powerful legacy for a new generation of neurodiverse craftspeople. In this inspiring and moving chat we talk about the therapeutic side of making, the importance of bespoke craftsmanship and the community-driven spirit at the core of her work. Whether you’re in the trade or simply curious about creating furniture Patricia is a shining example of how lifes adversity can create inspiring stories, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of craftspeople of all ages and abilities. To make a donation to Sammys foundation please click on this link: Oakleaf Enterprise Heritage Crafts Sammys Foundation The Bespoke Footstool Company Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors ⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠ ⁠BeA Group

In this episode Vicky and Ray talk with the Young Upholsterer of the Year (2024), Libby Payne. Libby offers her valuable insight and thoughts on how to encourage young people to the craft as a career option. Bob Folds Scholarship Heritage Craft Lawson Wood Sponsors Links ⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠ ⁠BeA Group Ray Clarke Vicky Grubb Sit on This!

We’re back! And in this first episode of Season 2, Ray and I dive into some of the most exciting conversations we’ve had with the makers, suppliers, and innovators shaping the upholstery industry today—and tomorrow. This episode is packed with snippets from our live podcast recordings and interviews at the Furniture Components Show in Telford and the Hire Interiors Show in Cumbria. We talk to the people behind the products we actually use in our workshops and ask: where is upholstery headed next? *A heads-up: some of the audio isn’t as crisp as we’d like (live recording vs studio life!), but we’ve polished it as much as possible—we promise the content is worth it!* Huge thanks to all our brilliant guests: Chris from Enkev John from Pathfinder Tony and Paul from BeA Rachel and Clive from Cable & Blake Rhys from AE Sewing We got so much out of these chats, and we hope you do too. Sponsors Links Martins Upholstery Supplies BeA Group

In this final episode of the season, recorded at the HIRE Cumbria event in the Lake District, Vicky and Ray sit down with Stephen Ball of Cumbria Upholstery who' s incredible story proves that resilience knows no limits. After serving a horrific life-threatening climbing accident, Stephen rebuilt his future, turning determination, ingenuity and pure grit into a successful upholstery business in the North of England. Listen along with us in front of this live audience to his inspiring journey. Cumbria Upholstery https://sites.google.com/view/hire-cumbria/home Our heartfelt thanks go out to our sponsors for this episode https://www.bea-group.com/en/ https://martinsupholstery.co.uk

In this month’s Chair Stories, Vicky sits down with student Sam, who shares her deeply personal journey through upholstery. After losing both her mother and father to COVID, Sam brought in her father’s cherished Parker Knoll wing chair, hoping to restore it. Join us for a heartfelt conversation about grief, resilience, and how the craft of upholstery—along with a love of books—has helped Sam find healing. Grab a cuppa and listen in. Fiction Prescription

In this episode, we chat with Linda from 7 Upholstery. Unlike most upholsterers who are self-employed, Linda has spent the last 18 years working a 9-to-5 in the trade. So, what’s it like being employed as an upholsterer? How has her skill evolved over the years, and what has she learned along the way? Join Ray and Vicky as we talk shop and dive into Linda’s unique experience in the industry. 7 Upholstery ⁠BEA Staple Guns⁠ ⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies

Ray and Vicky took a trip to Sheffield, UK, to visit the legendary William Whiteley & Sons , one of the world’s oldest scissor manufacturers. In this fascinating episode, we dive into the history, craftsmanship, and surprising details behind this essential upholstery tool—everything you never knew you needed to know about scissors! Also available as a video podcast on our new YouTube channel, Sit on This! Productions . Tune in and watch the full experience!

In this episode, we sit down with the legendary Cristina Venegas, the Dame of Drapery behind Drapes of Wrath. If you've ever wondered what it’s like to be an upholsterer in the film industry, this one’s for you! Cristina has worked on some of the biggest productions, including The Crown and Marvel’s Loki. We dive into the artistry of drapery, the pressures of deadline-driven upholstery, and what it takes to be one of the few female Drapesmasters in the industry. Don’t miss this fascinating peek behind the curtain! Thank you to our Sponsors BEA Martins Other interesting links connected to this podcast Kays Directory Royal Scottish Conservatoire of Scotland Sit on This website ARC The Upholstery Cabin

This month Vicky has a coffee and a chat with Anita, a more recent upholstery student, who works in a creative field, teaching embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework. Royal School of Needlework Restoration of a Bon Marche Chair

In episode 9 of the Sit on This! Podcast, Ray and Vicky chat with Rachael South, a third generation upholsterer and chair caner, who's currently the AMUSF stage 1, 2 & 3 course leader in upholstery at London Metropolitan University and widely regarded as the "Queen of Caning". Rachael shares her journey through the world of upholstery and textiles, her passion for preserving traditional skills, and what it's like to go from the art of hand-caning to educating the next generation of craftspeople. From the art of hand-caning to the challenges of modern upholstery education, this episode is a must listen for anyone who loves craftsmanship, heritage and all things upholstery related. London Met Uni Rachael South Upholstery Rachael South's New Book! Warner Textile Archive BEA Staple Guns Martins Upholstery Supplies