Kirsty’s creative escape in furniture making

A mother to two children, Kirsty recently completed a Certificate II in Furniture Making Pathways (MSF20522) at TAFE Queensland’s Toowoomba campus.

She chose the part-time, one-day-per-week format for its flexibility, allowing her to balance work and family life. 

“I wanted to expand on my knowledge and the skills I already had. I've been upcycling furniture for a couple of years, and I wanted to learn more,” Kirsty explained.

Kirsty currently works in blinds and shutter installation, a role she commenced following her children’s (twins) first year at school. 

“I first picked up furniture upcycling when I was a new mum. My kids were young and it gave me something to look forward to. It became my escape – a creative outlet,” Kirsty explained.

“I was then inspired to pursue my qualification after seeing other women creating beautiful, sustainable furniture pieces on social media.” 

During the Certificate II in Furniture Making Pathways (MSF20522) Kirsty designed and built a statement side table inspired by image she found online.

“It came about via a Pinterest image, of which I loved the design and colour,” she said. 

“We did a rough sketch, and then we talked about measurements and how big we wanted the piece. Then it's putting it on paper, measuring it all, making sure all the dimensions work properly. There is a lot of preplanning when making a furniture piece.”

“We used a variety of joinery techniques for the piece. Before starting the final build, we headed into the workshop to create test pieces and practice, making sure everything fit together properly. Once we were confident, we assembled the base first, glued it, and then moved on to constructing the top.” 

“It’s definitely a long process from start to finish – actually making a piece of furniture. It's quite involved,” Kirsty said.

Kirsty enjoyed learning new technical skills and praised her teachers who supported her throughout the course. 

TAFE Queensland furnishing educator and mentor, Andrew Hanrahan, was immediately impressed by Kirsty’s natural talent.

“Kirsty is comfortable working in the workshop; she has a great eye for detail and is a natural furniture maker,” said Andrew.

“She picked things up really quick – she’s got a lot to offer the trade – I hope she’ll be back to complete the Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology (MSF30322),” he added.

Kirsty is currently balancing work and parenting but hasn’t ruled out returning to TAFE Queensland for an apprenticeship.  

“Having now completed the certificate, my son wants me to build ‘all of the things’, and he helps me out in the garage,” Kirsty beamed.

Kirsty is encouraging of other women to consider trade careers.

“I think women should definitely explore trades like furniture making through TAFE Queenland – it will open doors and build confidence.”

“This course would be a good place to start, even to see if you like it,” Kirsty finished.