Yes you can quite easily ST but choose spring time, and a vigorous upright fuchsia. Let one shoot go up and pinch out the side shoots and keep the leaves. When it's as tall as you want, pinch out the growing point. Let the leaves stay on the stem until the top is well set up, then slowly take them away from the bottom up. Over wintering is difficult. You can protect the stem with pipe insulation. The pot with bubble wrap. The whole thing with fleece and a protected place or start over next season the same way.

many thanks thats very helpful

I am just entering the second year of doing the same. It seems to be taking so long...but this is normal...YES? I kept it in the greenhouse last winter. I remove all the flowerheads as they appear...is this correct?

Hi Izzy. To get to a standard you let one stem grow up to the height you want. As it grows you pinch out side shoots from the leaf axils. Leave the leaves on the stem. When it bushes out at the top. Nip out the tips to get it to bush out more with side shoots. When there are plenty of leaves at the top. Slowly take the leaves from the stem. Usually it only takes one season.

many thanks everyone
is it possible to use an existing plant that is already approximately 9" tall and take the side shoots off it? or should i take cuttings from the existing plant and try to shape those as standards?