Silver River Chairs

2026 Traditional Craft Mentorship Program - Offsite @ John C Campbell Folkschool
2026-08-02 - 2026-08-15 | John C Campbell Folkschool, One Folk School Road, Brasstown, NC, 28902, United States
CLASS FULL – Click for More Info

Fall down the rabbit hole of traditional craft in this two week mentorship for chair weaving. Learn five basic styles of seat weaving–hand-woven and machine woven caning, splint, rush, and Shaker tape weaving–and get a good foundation for working with advanced materials and patterns. Beginners are welcome and experienced seat weavers are encouraged to attend to refine their methods and learn new patterns. Also, learn structural repairs and seat weaving for furniture design or as a business.

Shaker Tape Footstool Class - Sliding Scale - Afternoon Session
2026-08-22 12:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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New Community Footstool Weaving Class! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll spend a Saturday afternoon learning to weave a functional and stylish footstool with Shaker Tape. Choose from a variety of different patterns & colors. Explore the art of weaving while connecting with others who share a passion for handmade crafts. This class welcomes all skill levels and encourages community and creativity. Appropriate for ages 10+ with adult oversight.
Our sliding scale pricing attempts to make this rewarding experience accessible to everyone regardless of income.
Level 1: $50 – We’ll pay for materials, you’ve covered instruction.
Level 2: $100 – Helps us by covering ½ of materials + instruction.
Level 3: $150 – Pays for instruction & materials.
Level 4: $200 – Helps cover materials for a fellow weaver.
Stool Dimensions: 15″ x 13″ @ 12″ Height; 3/4″ Round Stretchers [Ash]; 1.5″ Square Posts [Red Oak]

Danish Cord Footstool Class - Sliding Scale - Afternoon Session
2026-09-12 12:00 - 16:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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New Community Footstool Weaving Class! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll spend a Saturday afternoon learning to weave a functional and stylish footstool with Danish Cord. Choose from a variety of different patterns. Explore the art of weaving while connecting with others who share a passion for handmade crafts. This class welcomes all skill levels and encourages community and creativity. Appropriate for ages 10+ with adult oversight.
Our sliding scale pricing attempts to make this rewarding experience accessible to everyone regardless of income.
Level 1: $50 – We’ll pay for materials, you’ve covered instruction.
Level 2: $100 – Helps us by covering ½ of materials + instruction.
Level 3: $150 – Pays for instruction & materials.
Level 4: $200 – Helps cover materials for a fellow weaver.
Stool Dimensions: 15″ x 13″ @ 12″ Height; 3/4″ Round Stretchers [Ash]; 1.5″ Square Posts [Red Oak]

Chair Weaving Intensive & Materials Study - Chairmaker's Toolbox
2026-09-14 10:00 - 2026-09-25 17:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
Applications Close: June 18 (Apply here)
Notification of Award: July 1
Who should apply: All applicants must identify as historically excluded or under-represented in the field of woodworking.
Chair Weaving Intensive and Materials Study will cover 5 basic styles of weaving: rush, splint, shaker tape, machine woven caning and hand-woven caning. These styles can be easily adapted to new designs for chair makers, or easily accessible to novice weavers. Those interested in exploring more advanced patterns and materials will have the opportunity to do so. Some hard to find materials will be introduced but due to supply issues will be a group exploration/demonstration. Small footstools and weaving kits are available for moving beyond chair projects. A presentation on the history of chair weaving and business skills will also be covered. We encourage all participants to explore chair weaving for people in their community to further their skills and experience the variation in chair frame shape/construction elements and the ever present “oddball” chairs that inevitably pop up once you scratch the surface of the traditional craft. After the class, students are welcome to check in with us by sending photos of their projects and getting advice on technique, pricing, or other elements of the practice. Each student will recieve a copy of our seatweaving book, The Woven Chair.
Sliding Scale:
This class is being offered at a special sliding scale rate for Chairmaker’s Toolbox. Please note: this is not a free class.
*Students are also responsible for travel and housing and chair frames (thrifted, borrowed, or bought)
In the interest of expanding our offerings and creating more opportunities for makers in the field, CMT is partnering with the Silver River Center for Chair Caning to offer their two-week bootcamp on a sliding scale.
Brandy and Dave credit much of their careers, and especially the rebuilding of their business after a flood, to the generosity of the chair/craft community. They are looking to pay it forward despite rising costs, tariffs, and expensive overhead costs. There is high demand for chair seat restorations – they often say, “You can be as busy as you want to be – there is no shortage of chairs to weave or people looking to restore their heirloom chairs. It’s a great way to earn money working from home – there are minimal tools and equipment.”
To help make this class as accessible as possible, we are offering it through a sliding scale model. Students may choose any amount $500 and above, and we’ve provided a few reference points below to help guide your decision.
Sliding scale works best when it’s rooted in honesty, respect for complexity of business costs, and shared accountability. Healthy communities grow when we trust one another to participate thoughtfully and with care. Teachers deserve to be paid for their knowledge and labor, and students deserve access to learning that acknowledges the wide range of financial realities people live within.
Taking a moment to consider your own financial position when choosing where you fall on the scale helps sustain both the teaching and the learning that make communities like this possible. If you are struggling with this concept we would be happy to have a conversation. https://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale also offers fantastic visuals and context on how to interact with sliding scale.
Minimum — $500 – Covers materials and basic overhead for the class.
Middle — $1000 – Covers materials, overhead, and contributes to the instructor’s time/instruction.
Full Price — $1500 – Reflects the full value of the class and instruction.
Beyond — Any amount above $1500 Helps support students who may not be able to reach the full price. It’s a generous way to pay it forward to the CMT community you’re becoming part of, while also supporting the instructors in making this offering possible.
*Note: Your choice of contribution will not affect your eligibility to participate in the class.

Weaverville Art in Autumn - Street Festival
2026-09-19 10:00 - 18:00 | Weaverville – Main Street, S Main Street, Weaverville, NC, 28787, United States
2026 is our 19th annual Art in Autumn Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival. This much loved event is held on Main Street in downtown Weaverville, North Carolina, located in Buncombe county 7 miles from downtown Asheville.

The event features over 100 juried artists and craftspeople, and live music performed by beloved local artists.
Every year, we invite a Judge from the local Art scene to join us. During the show, artists are juried by our esteemed Judge to receive awards of $1000 for best of show, $500 for second place, and $250 for third, as well as 4 $50 honorable mentions.

Hand-Woven Caning - 5 Sessions
2026-10-12 10:00 - 2026-10-16 17:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to weave a hand-woven cane seat with rattan strands threaded through holes drilled into a chair frame. No experience necessary. Moderate hand strength and the ability to work standing up is required. Modifications can be made for various conditions.
IMPORTANT: Please read through the Detailed Class Description and our Classes FAQ before signing up for a class.
Don’t have time for a 5-day class? Buy an Instructional Book. Watch our YouTube Video(s). And/or Schedule a One-on-One Tutorial. In-person, Zoom & FaceTime available!

2-Week Seatweaving Bootcamp - 10 Sessions
2026-10-12 10:00 - 2026-10-23 17:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to weave traditional 6 way pattern, pressed cane, splint weaving, paper rush and Shaker tape. Includes 2 weeks of of instruction, and all tools/ materials necessary to complete your project. [Moderate hand strength required]
Class Length: 10 Sessions
BYOC: Bring your own chairs or we can provide them for the cost of refurbishing (Generally $50-60 each)
IMPORTANT: Please read our General Class FAQs and Specific Class Information.

Fiber Rush Weaving - 2 Sessions
2026-10-19 10:00 - 2026-10-20 16:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to weave a chair seat with paper/fiber rush. Rush is one of the easiest patterns to understand, but the hardest to make look good. Rush is the most physically demanding of all of the styles of weaving. You must have moderate to strong hand, shoulder, arm strength and be able to work standing up. Modifications can be made for various conditions.
IMPORTANT: Please read through the Detailed Class Description and our Classes FAQ before signing up for a class.
Don’t have time for a full class? Buy a Book. Watch our YouTube Video(s). And/or Schedule a One-on-One Tutorial. In-person, Zoom & FaceTime available!

Splint Weaving - 1 Session
2026-10-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to weave a chair seat with ½” splint reed in a twill pattern. No experience necessary. Moderate hand strength and the ability to work standing up is required. Modifications can be made for various conditions.
IMPORTANT: Please read through the Detailed Class Description and our Classes FAQ before signing up for a class.
Don’t have time for a full class? Buy a Book. Watch our YouTube Video(s). And/or Schedule a One-on-One Tutorial. In-person, Zoom & FaceTime available!

Shaker Tape Weaving - 1 Session
2026-10-22 10:00 - 16:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to weave a comfy woven seat with cotton strapping. Feeling bold? Try a fun colors or a more advanced pattern! No experience necessary. Moderate hand strength and the ability to work standing up is required. Modifications can be made for various conditions. Note: This is the best beginner class!
IMPORTANT: Please read through the Detailed Class Description and our Classes FAQ before signing up for a class.
Don’t have time for a full class? Buy a Book. Watch our YouTube Video(s). And/or Schedule a One-on-One Tutorial. In-person, Zoom & FaceTime available!

Pressed Caning - 1 Session
2026-10-23 10:00 - 16:00 | Silver River Center for Chair Caning, 32 N Main St, Weaverville, NC, 28804, United States
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Learn to remove and install a pre-woven sheet of cane. This project is more “woodworking” and less weaving with minimal or no weaving involved. No experience necessary. Moderate hand strength and the ability to work standing up is required. Modifications can be made for various conditions.
IMPORTANT: Please read through the Detailed Class Description and our Classes FAQ before signing up for a class.
Don’t have time for a full class? Buy a Book. Watch our YouTube Video(s). And/or Schedule a One-on-One Tutorial. In-person, Zoom & FaceTime available!

Explorations of Pattern & Design in Chair Seat Weaving - Offsite @ Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
2026-11-01 - 2026-11-06 | Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, 150 Baskins Creek Bypass, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, Gatlinburg, TN, 37738, United States
In this workshop, students will dive deep into materials and pattern study while focusing on common types of chair seat weaving. Designed for furniture makers, fiber enthusiasts, and crafters, this all levels workshop explores a variety of natural and manufactured materials. The curriculum covers several key weaving styles: the Rush pattern (using paper, cotton, and grass cords), the Warp & Weft process (as seen on Mid-Century and Mexican folk chairs), and weaving with flat materials like splint reed, shaker tape, or braided cord in various patterns. The class will also introduce the intricacies of caning, including traditional and alternative patterns like the star, honeycomb, and daisy. Furniture makers are welcome to share their designs for assistance, and students will leave with the skills to fashion their own fibers and ideas into a fun and functional woven chair seat or footstool.
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