Legacy Seat Weaving An Old-Fashioned Art Is Revived
My first venture into chair caning began in the early '70's, when I found a beautiful antique child's rocker with a curved back and irregularly shaped cane seat, done in the seven-step hand-weaving process. No one ever told me it was impossible, so I just determined to do it! Undaunted, I found instructions in a 1917 text book on seat weaving. It was a challenge, but incredibly fun and rewarding, and turned out beautifully!
A few years later, in the mid-70’s, I had the good fortune to meet a couple of blind fellows who were excellent caners, and they allowed me to apprentice with them.They could see more with their hands than most people can with their eyes!Over the years I learned the techniques of working with fiber rush, splint, and various types of cane, as well as some wicker repair.I also learned how to weave Shaker Tape seats, a design perfected by the Shakers more than 100 years ago, using sturdy fabric ‘tapes’ which come in a variety of rich colors, often woven in a herringbone or checkerboard pattern.
I also enjoy developing creative weaving designs.Many people don’t realize that they can use any of the various weaving materials on any chair with 4 rungs.While it may have originally been rush or splint, you can use whatever material you want when you re-cane the seat.You can also choose between the standard herringbone or checkerboard, or be more creative with diamonds, chevrons or other designs.I’ve even done chairs where I have pre-stained half the reed dark, so it made the pattern really pop!In other words, you can make your chairs as original as you are!
Legacy Seat Weaving was founded in 2008, in Hardy, VA, 15 minutes from Westlake.Recently we transformed an old tool shed into a charming workshop for our business.Boasting a salt-box cathedral ceiling, the walls are a warm yellow, decorated with mementos of days gone by, and samples of our work.The floor and wainscoting are made from oak flooring salvaged from an old farmhouse at the Lake.It’s a nice, peaceful place to work, tucked into the edge of the woods, surrounded by the sounds of nature, and over looking our gardens and lawn where our beautiful Buff Orpington chickens love to chase bugs and frolic!
It brings me such pleasure to transform people’s old, worn out chairs into things of beauty and usefulness!So many people have old chairs with damaged or missing seats tucked in their attics, basements and barns, and they have no idea what to do with them.But I do!