So it finally happened. I knew it would eventually as it has happened to all the other girls here at Spruce. And it is only fitting that my “initiation” into upholstery would happen only three days after my apprenticeship ended and midway through my first week of real production. I stapled my finger.
This was something that apparently happens to most upholsterers and I had been taunted at work for the fact that I was the only one in the group that has not gone through this rite of passage. Amazingly, Keegan had only just had her first stapler vs. finger encounter a few weeks ago meaning that she had gone about six months into the profession without having that particular injury – pretty impressive.
Luckily for me this happened while working on my grandmother’s wrap around dining room chair seats that were being done in an ivory leather-like vinyl so no blood stained the fabric (yes it bled). Also, I was glad to be working late with no one else at the studio so they couldn’t see what a baby I was about the whole experience.
I went home that night, put on one of my favorite unicorn Band-Aids to make it feel all better, thought about how thankful I was to finally be a real upholsterer. 