Woven Chair Back
I am not one of those lucky people who happen upon a set of mid-century modern dining chairs on the side of the road, although I have found interesting ones. Sometimes what seems blah at first glance just needs an open mind and a little love to be completely transformed. I found the caned back of this chair interesting and loved the patina of the wood, so home with me it came. By weaving stash yarn and strips of fabric through the caned back, this has now become my favorite chair. The weaving can take some time (four episodes of This American Life, when I counted), but the rhythm of the process can really clear your mind. Or you could always put the kids to work.
Primary TechniqueGeneral Crafts
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You can find this project, as well as many more, in Wise Craft
Materials:
- Scrap yarn or string
- Chair with caning or something that will lend itself to weaving
- Fabric cut into 1-inch-wide strips
- All-purpose scissors
- Tapestry needle with a large eye
Instructions:
- Weave the yarn and fabric strips. Using a length of yarn threaded through a tapestry needle, begin on the bottom back of the caned area (I left the ends hanging on the back because I like the look, but you could knot and trim them off). Weave the yarn through the caning, creating an even pattern using any type of embroidery stitch you wish (backstitch, cross stitch, running stitch). Weave the fabric strips, using the same method. Alternate between weaving with fabric and yarn all the way across the chair back.