The Woven Chair by Brandy Clements and David Klinge

Seat weaving is not a dying art.

Nor is it lost.

These sentiments are ones that Brandy and David are seeking to eliminate, and the anticipation for this book is clear evidence that their campaign is working. One only needs a small prompt of interest in chairs to experience their enthusiasm and how quick they are to share their knowledge, which is vast. They operate Silver River Center for Chair Caning in Weaverville, N.C., a museum and school dedicated to the preservation of the craft of seat weaving. It’s natural for them to write a book on seat weaving.

Brandy and David acknowledge in their introduction that there have been books written on seat weaving already, and the topic is so large it cannot be condensed into one book. Not mentioned is that many of these books are no longer in print or are difficult to source. While not attempting to cover everything there is to know, they’ve recreated in print what it’s like to take a class from them. While learning in person is ideal, it’s not feasible for all, and this book achieves its goal with clear writing and beautiful photographs. From the beginner to the experienced, everyone will have something to learn. In addition to the instructions, it covers terminology, how to set up shop, and safe work habits. (It’s underestimated how hard seat weaving is on the body, so that chapter is a must-read.) The appendix is chock-full of resources for you to take a deep dive in the craft. Be careful, however—you may never come out.

Full disclosure: I make an occasional appearance in the book.

This book covers Danish cord, rush, Shaker tape, splint, and many of the variations of these. When Brandy and David set out to write a book, they wrote enough for two. There is no publishing date yet for the next one, but it will cover more patterns and materials. Until then, this book has enough to keep you busy for years.

The Woven Chair is published by Blue Hills Press and is available on their website.

-David Johnson is a woodworker and furniture restorer in Los Angeles. 

Build a Contemporary Stool with a Woven Danish Cord Seat

Watch David Johnson’s woven-seat stool being built in this 5-minute video that goes from rough lumber to woven seat.

How to weave a rush seat

Using pre-twisted rush, which mimics the look of the genuine rush used in the past, David Johnson lays out the process of weaving a traditional rush seat.

Weaving Shaker Tape Seats

Inexpensive cotton tape makes a strong, comfortable seat.