How to Recane a Chair - dummiesHow To Re Cane A Chair Seat In Under 10 Mins - YouTube
Here are helpful and free chair caning instructions on how to cane chair seats by hand, lace or strand.Enjoy!
You may have seen lattice-look weaving on some chair frames at a flea market.
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For your first attempt, find a chair that is sound and not in need of refinishing.There should be holes in the frame.
The footstool is your best first practice piece.If you can't find one of those, a trapezoidal shape chair with fewer than 72 drilled holes is the next best thing.
Since the chair caning design is based on the square, the trapezoidal chair shape is the easiest to learn on.
The chairs with over 72 holes are not good for your first attempt.
If there is old cane in the seat, you will have to remove it with scissors or a knife.Start your caning project with a chair that is clear of old cane.
Measure the diameter of the drilled holes to make sure you are using the correct gauge or size of strand cane.Take the measurement from the center-hole of its neighbor.
Measure around the seat frame using a measuring tape.Some holes might have been drilled differently.
You can compare the different readings with the conversion table by writing down the measurements.
Measure a section of the seat rail for a six-inch span, then count how many holes are in that section.Count the partial hole if it is within the measurement.
If you have determined the correct size cane to use for your project, you can purchase it from the canes and basket supply companies on my website.
Most of the tools you will need to make your cane seats are already in your house or garage, and you probably already have several of them.Before you begin to weave, refer back to the list above.
The chair seat needs to be comfortable so your arms don't get tired.An anti-fatigue mat will help your feet and spine.
If you decide to sit instead of standing, try not to bend over while weaving and place the chair at a comfortable position.Do we want to cause a backache or tired feet?
Take frequent breaks from weaving.Stretch your legs, wrists, fingers, shoulders and neck.Drink lots of water and walk around.
Take a few strands of chair cane from the hank and put them in a dishpan of warm water.
You have a supply ready and waiting if you replace the soaked cane strands with new ones in the water.
Put pegs in the front and back of the chair seat to mark the holes.
If there are two center holes, peg either the right or left side.It doesn't really matter which one you choose, just be consistent.
Take a strand out of the water and look for breaks or weak spots.Cut off the inferior pieces if they are near the end of the strand.
While you are setting the foundation, choose the longest strands you can comfortably use.
The strand should be placed under the chair by placing it in the center back hole.To hold it in place, put a peg in the hole.
Make sure that the shiny, glossy side is facing you or facing upward.Put the long end of the strand into the center hole and peg it.
Take that long end that you just pegged and bring through the hole to the right, still on the front rail, coming up from the bottom.
Take the end of the strand and carry it over to the back rail in the next hole.
The cane underneath and between the holes on the bottom of the frame should always be facing you if you turn the chair upside-down.
Make sure the cane is facing you, not the other way around.The cane is on the bottom of the chair frame and goes from hole to hole.
Adding the rows with the trapezoidal chair will make you have some short rows.The seat stays symmetrical if you go into the same hole on the right rail as the left.
The short row strand should be parallel to the others.There is only one row on each side of the sample chair.
Don't put cane in the corners, they will be used later when you use the diagonals.
The four corner holes should be skipped at this time.Continue threading the long end of the strand all the way across the chair to the right.
If you start out too tight, the cane will shrink and break the framework right down the holes.
Continue laying the horizontal strands from side to side, on top of, or over step 1 that you just put in.
Don't add cane to the four corner holes just yet, and keep strands parallel, just as you did before.
The second vertical strands should be laid over the top of STEPS #1 & #2 and just slightly to the right of the first vertical.
To avoid tying knots with those ends and ending up with a messy underside of the chair seat.
The "No-Knot" System of Tying Off Canes video is an alternative method to eliminate chair caning knots.
The best way to finish off the cane strands is without tying knots.When you apply the binder cord, you can pick up any remainingtails after your seat is woven.
By practicing my "No-Knot" System of Tying Off Canes, your chair cane seats will have virtually no-KNOTS on the underside.
The weaving begins with the second side-to-side step.The alternating under-over weave is done through the double/paired front-to-back rows.
You can start weaving with a new strand in the back or at the front rail.It seems most comfortable to you.You can start on either side.
The strand should be parallel to the horizontal of the first step.It should be close to your body.
We will be weaving under the strands.Over the strand on the right, which was the first step, was Weave under it.Continue weaving until all the rows are done.
The first diagonal course starts in the left-hand corner of the chair.The diagonal strands will be woven from the lower left side to the upper right side.
Take a new strand and place it in the left front corner hole.We left this hole empty throughout the other weaving steps.If you want to leave a tail below the seat, peg it off.
Take the end of the strand and begin weaving over theVERTICALS or front-to-back pairs.
Unless you are weaving on a square seat, you will not end up in the back corner hole on the top right of the chair.If you end up in the hole to the right, go down into it.
There will be two diagonals in the upper right corner.There will be two diagonals on this step eventually.
You will need to make fish heads in each of the four corners, as well as on the side rails, where the two diagonal strands meet going into the same corner.
The opposite diagonal is at right angles to the first course.The diagonals from the lower right side to the upper left side will be finished here.
Start this course at the lower right corner, peg it and begin weaving upward to the left corner area.
The back-to-back pairs or side- to-side pairs are possible.You will be going over and under three strands at the same time.
When you come to the corner hole again, begin a new strand, weaving back and forth until you complete the entire second diagonal course.
The final step of the chair caning instructions is toew the wide binding cane.
There are separate lengths for front, back, and side rails.Each piece runs from corner to corner hole.
They can be put into corner holes at each end and pegged to hold temporarily if they are cut slightly longer than needed.
Put one end down the backside of the next hole to the right, using a long length of weaving cane.
On the bottom side of the chair, put the long weaver into the next hole to the right.
Pick up any loose "tails" and put them under the binder cord in the "No-Knot" fashion.
Adding the new length at each corner and securing it with a peg will allow you to go around the entire four rails of the chair seat.
Pick up any loose ends as you go around with the binder cord, so you don't have as many to tie off after.
There are more helpful hints and tips for working with the binder cord in my chair caning tips video.
The corners can be pegged with a wooden rod or a round rattan reed.Unless it is a little spot, there is no need for glue.You can fold the top strand over the bottom one inside the hole.
Thank you!You have finished your first traditional hole-to-hole cane seat weaving project with these chair caning instructions.