Cane weaving, rush seating or basketry

Basket weaving is the art of weaving plant fibers to create a wide variety of objects: baskets, trays, mirrors…

In furniture, the first examples of caning appeared on chairs during the Regency and Louis XV periods. During winter, the caned parts—seat and backrest—were covered with fabric cushions to protect from drafts. Caning later extended to other furniture such as sofas and armchairs, bed panels, and then remained a decorative element in subsequent styles.

Rush seating consists of using straw or other materials to make part—generally the seat—of certain chairs or armchairs. Re-rushing involves replacing this original seat covering. We will first learn how to make a seat using marsh rush before moving on to rye straw.

Content and objectives:

During this 3-hour session, you choose your activity based on the technique you wish to learn and the time you want to devote to it, as restoring a chair seat can take quite a long time.

From a single session to learn basket weaving to a series of sessions for caning or rush seating a chair, you can start at any time of the year to:

– Learn basket weaving by making a basket, a mirror, or another object
– Restore your rush-seated or caned chair
– Learn the caning technique on a wooden frame (not provided)

For rush seating, bringing your chair is essential. To begin, choose a single chair that is not part of a set.
For caning, you will need a chair or a wooden frame drilled every 2 centimeters.
For basket weaving, you do not need to bring anything.

In short, whether to discover new techniques, create an object, or restore a chair seat, Nathalie will enthusiastically guide you!

Assessment:

Entry quiz:  Test your knowledge
Instructor observations throughout the course
Skills assessment quiz

Please note:

Between sessions, we store your chair or basket on site.

For rush seating and caning, a chair is required.