Africa-Press – Eswatini. This week on What’s Your Hustle I got the opportunity to chat with a gentleman by the of Zuzumuzi Lungelo Dlamini.
I have been following him on his special social media and what intrigued me was his passion for his work.
So I sent him a message via his direct messenger requesting to profile his amazing work and he gladly agreed. So today we are going to be inspired by his story which I have headlined ‘Juggling being a teaAcher with upholstery’.Based in Mpholi, Manzini region Dlamini said that he is a high school teacher.
“I teach mathematics and physics and have side hustle that is upholstery, whereby I repair and cover sofas. I also make and sell cushions” he said.
“I started doing upholstery back in 2008 when I was in high school during school holidays. My grandfather taught me how to repair and cover sofas.
My grandfather does upholstery for a living, and I was helping him at his workplace when I started learning this craft” Dlamini shared.
Dlamini said that he was doing upholstery on the side as while continuing with his studies as well working as a teacher.
“Upholstery is a good skill to have. Both males and females can learn the skill. A person should not be afraid to get their hands dirty.
To start, a person can volunteer to assist anyone who does upholstery and learn in the process. This requires being humble, and being curious; asking anything you don’t understand during the job so that you learn in the process.
Another option would be to apply in a vocational learning institution to study the craft” He said. If you’ve got a piece of furniture that’s looking a bit tired, by learning to upholster you can breathe new life into it. Or if something doesn’t quite go with the decor in your room, upholstering can give it a brand new look.
With this skill, you can also snap up bargains that are a bit of an eyesore and transform them into stylish and unique pieces, Dlamini said.
Quizzed on who is his role model Dlamini said that his grandfather is his role model in relation to the craft.
“Also Steve Jobs in relation to business, an entrepreneur who always made his company creates products that were aesthetic and useful” Dlamini said in closing.
His tips;
One of the most important things to know about upholstery is that it’s often a lot easier than it looks.
You might have seen people on TV or online effortlessly reupholstering furniture and transforming dowdy old chairs into trendy seats in a matter of minutes. But upholstery is a skill, and like any other, it takes time to master properly.
But with a bit of patience and practise, anyone can learn how to upholster furniture.
There isn’t any special skill needed to get started – and you don’t even need to be especially crafty or have any experience with DIY or art.
Once you’ve learned the basics, you can start practising on more complex pieces, but it’s always best for beginners to start small. Trying to tackle a full armchair or sofa on your first attempt, for example, probably isn’t the best idea.
Instead, starting off with smaller, simpler pieces can help you to gradually work your way up to more ambitious projects. So what are the best pieces for beginners to start with?
Anything with straight lines is always a safe bet – things like footstools, ottomans, bench seats, dining room chairs, and headboards.
With curved pieces of furniture, you’ll need to make a pleat to tuck the fabric in. But with straight lines, you usually only need to fold the corners over in a process that’s similar to wrapping a present.
Once you’ve got to grips with the basics, have reupholstered a few simple pieces, and learnt how to use your tools, you can branch out and experiment with bigger challenges.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
