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Cheryl Valleroy of Cheryl's Custom Upholstery (Benton, IL)
What does being an upholsterer mean to you?
Being an upholsterer means serving others by doing what I love. I get to take fabrics, vinyl, and leather to create something that makes folks happy – whether restoring a family heirloom, redoing car seats for a 16-year-old’s birthday, or making boat seats new for a family day on the lake—it fills my cup. The fact that I can do it for a living makes it doubly special, as someone once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
How did you get started in upholstery?
I learned to sew in high school and found out I loved it. Almost every job I had from there on out was sewing related, which led me to working in an awning shop. When work slowed down, the boss asked me to reupholster his son’s Early American sofa in Sunbrella. It took me a week to finish the job, but when I was done, I found out I had a knack for upholstery. I decided to buy an industrial sewing machine and work from home. (My incentive then was to save the $80 a week daycare bill!) The rest is history.
What types of upholstery do you do?
Mostly residential and antique in recent years, but I have been getting back to my roots and doing more automotive and marine work.
How long have you been upholstering?
Since 1983, with sewing work before that.
What is your biggest consumer demand?
Custom work and repairs.
What is your favorite upholstery project you've done?
That’s so hard to say! I’ve done so many that I really loved. One that comes to mind is a two piece section with wide channels and a show wood top, bottom, and arms that required head to head decorative nails. The owner chose a beautiful multi-colored damask that happened to be in my favorite colors. Plus, I love doing decorative nails – I find it relaxing getting to set each nail!
What is the strangest item you've found in a restoration?
I was called out to find a lost diamond ring in a lady’s sofa… “And can you hurry up here?? My husband gets home at 5:15.” I later found out it was worth thousands.
Have you noticed any up & coming trends?
People are beginning to ask for soft color tones instead of grey.
What changes would benefit the upholstery industry?
Standardized training and educating the public on what this trade is really all about.
Have you ever been featured on television, online, or in another Publication?
I was featured in our regional newspaper a couple of times.
Some answers have been edited for clarity.
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