Check out the tutorials on our Youtube channel!

Welcome Chair Nerds!

We are here to help you:

  • Repair a family heirloom
  • Complement your furniture making skills
  • Expand your furniture restoration skills
  • Learn a new hands-on hobby
  • Start your own chair restoration business

4 Class Styles Tabs

Bring your own chairs, or we can provide them for you for ~$50. Tuition includes all tools and materials, after-class assistance with related projects, and a "returning student" discount for future classes.

Click the class you’d like to explore:

Basic Boot Camp – a two week intensive geared toward beginners but also great for perfecting/expanding the skills of an intermediate seat weaver. Instruction in Laced Cane, Pressed Cane, Shaker Tape, Fiber Rush & Splint Reed.

Design Your Own Boot Camp – a more tailored experience ideal for furniture makers incorporating woven elements or weavers who want to learn advanced skills, materials, & patterns.

  • A total of 5 chairs can be completed in 2 weeks.
  • Learn tips to simplify the process, some history, and business skills.
  • Take all 5 classes within 1 year and still get the $200 discount.
  • All materials and tools provided.
  • Bring a friend and get an additional $100 off…for each of you!

Schedule a tutorial in 1-hour increments. Materials not included in the cost but we are glad to order materials for you. Examples of chairs that are ideal for tutorials include:

  • Porch Rockers
  • Danish Cord
  • Binder Cane
  • Hickory Bark
  • Natural Rush

We teach regularly at John C Campbell Folk School, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, The Island Farm, Penland, and at Public/Private/Charter Schools. We also do lectures for museums, guilds, clubs, and groups. Call for more information and we will tailor the presentation to your organizational mission. Examples include:

A Brief History of Chair Caning is a historically rich slideshow which spans the globe and 4,000 years of woven chairs. It can last 1-2 hours depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to travel.

A Taste of Seat Weaving & Chair Caning is a shorter presentation showcasing dozens of materials and chairs. It is intended to accompany a demonstration of chair caning and seat weaving. 30 min-1 hour + 2-4 hour demonstration with hands-on weaving time for students/members/visitors to experience the craft.

Shaker Tape Footstool Class – Hire us to teach larger groups of kids in a school or club setting. Recommended age ~4th/7th grade.