Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to cane or rush-seat a chair
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Weaving a new seat of cane, rush or cord brings an old chair back into use, and you learn on your own chair. Short workshops and evening classes have run in the UK and US, so check for the next dates.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
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Cane, rush or cord
Seat weaving uses several materials: cane, rush, willow and paper cord at West Dean, and binder cane, French cane, fibre rush, flat reed and pressed cane at the John C. Campbell Folk School. The caning pattern taught at West Dean is the standard six-way. West Dean's weekend course lets students complete a rush dining chair, or complete or partly complete a caned bedroom chair.
Preparation matters. For a caned seat, West Dean asks you to cut the old strands underneath, knock out the pegs and keep the old cane. For rush, you cut inside the frame and ease the old seat out. The frame should be repaired, polished or painted beforehand. The tutor, Rachael South, was taught chair caning by her father, who learned from his father.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey Adult Learning, Guildford | One Saturday, 10am to 3.30pm (November 2025 run); cane a small frame, or rush or cord your own chair | £62, plus materials paid to the tutor |
| West Dean College, West Sussex | Weekend course; materials for one seat in cane, rush or willow included | Fee not shown on the course page |
| Finger Lakes Community College, New York | Six Tuesday evenings, 6pm to 8pm (April to May 2026 run); hand-cane your own chair | $30, plus cane bought once the size is known |
| John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, North Carolina | Week-long class; cane, fibre rush, flat reed and pressed cane; all levels | $950 tuition, plus a $50-$150 materials fee |
The Finger Lakes course asks students to bring an awl, scissors or clippers and a small tack hammer.
How to start
- Find a chair or stool that needs a new seat but whose frame is sound. Courses ask that the structure and finish are in good condition.
- Book a seat-weaving workshop or evening course at an adult-education service, a craft college or a folk school, and ask which materials it covers.
- Before the course, take out the old seat as the tutor advises and bring it along, in case it is an unusual pattern.
Where to go
- West Dean College: Chair seating with cane, rush, willow or cord (West Sussex) UK
- Surrey Adult Learning: Chair caning, Danish cord and rush seating workshop (Guildford) UK
- Finger Lakes Community College: Chair Caning Workshop (New York) US
- John C. Campbell Folk School: Caning Chair Seats & Backs (North Carolina) US
We opened these links on 11 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can a beginner learn to cane a chair?
Yes. Surrey Adult Learning's one-day workshop needs no previous experience, and the John C. Campbell Folk School class is open to all levels.
What materials are used to reseat a chair?
Cane, rush, willow and paper cord are taught at West Dean, with Danish cord or seagrass if you contact the tutor at least three weeks ahead. The John C. Campbell class also uses flat reed and pressed cane.
What chair should I bring to a caning class?
One that needs a new seat but is structurally sound. West Dean asks for a chair or stool in sound condition, and the John C. Campbell class asks that structure and finish are in good condition.
How long does it take to cane a chair?
It varies with the chair and material. On a West Dean weekend course, students may complete one rush dining chair, or complete or partly complete a caned bedroom chair. The Finger Lakes class runs over six evenings.
Where this comes from: West Dean College, Chair Seating with Cane, Rush, Willow or Cord with Rachael South; Surrey County Council Adult Learning, Upholstery - Chair caning, Danish cord and Rush seating - Workshop; Finger Lakes Community College, Chair Caning Workshop; John C. Campbell Folk School, Caning Chair Seats & Backs. Opened 11 November 2026.
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