Forgotten Crafts
Chair Caning
Natural Rush Seat
Repairing antique and modern chair seats – cane, rush, wicker & more.
Welcome To Our Shop
Located in Waco Texas, our home-based business has been repairing and replacing broken caned seats and backs for nearly 30 years.
Our Services
“Cane” is a catch-all phrase for many types of woven seating. Here are the descriptions of few. (Please, click the SERVICES link below for more.)
Cane
There are two main types of “cane” – hand cane and pressed cane. (Click the SERVICES page link for more details.)
Rush
We offer both Fiber & Natural Rush. Fiber Rush is made of tightly twisted brown kraft paper, and Natural Rush is made from twisted seagrass. (Click the SERVICES page link for more details.)
Porch Weave
Porch Weave refers to the weaving done on porch rockers, usually done in what is called “wide” or “binder” cane. It is typically a close-woven pattern such as basketweave or herringbone, using 5-8mm cane. Ash or rattan splints are also used for porch rockers.
Services
We’ve Got You Covered
Cane and wicker furniture come in a wide variety of styles and materials. Below you will find descriptions of the most common types. If you don’t see your piece among these, please send us some photos, and we will do our best to accommodate you. If you have something we’ve not tackled before, no worries, as we network with professionals around the world to fill in any gaps in our own knowledge and experience.
Hand Cane
In hand caned seats, each strand is woven individually. You can recognize hand cane by the holes drilled in the perimeter of the seat and the lashed binding which covers the holes.
Pressed Cane
Pressed cane, also known as cane webbing, is pre-woven on a loom – much like fabric. It is soaked in water to make it pliable and then ‘pressed” into the groove in the perimeter of the seat. It is held in place with a rattan spline.
Fiber Rush
Fiber rush is tightly twisted kraft paper made to resemble twisted cattails. Once woven it is coated with shellac to make a durable, long lasting seat. Alternatively, it can be sprayed with Scotch Guard to give a lighter colored, though not as durable, finish.
Natural Rush
We offer pre-twisted natural rush which is made from a straw-like seagrass. It’s varying colors of greenish-brown more closely resemble cattails than does the fiber rush. Since it is hand twisted, the thickness varies throughout. Over time, the colors will mellow out to look more like light straw.
Binder Cane
Binder cane is wide cane – usually 6-8mm in width – used for for a variety of seats, but particularly porch rockers. It is generally more coarse than the finer cane used in indoor lace-caned seats. The most common weave patters are herringbone twills and basketweave.
Danish Cord
Danish cord is a strong, 3-ply twisted paper cord used primarily in Mid-Century and Modern Danish furniture. The cord is wrapped around the chair rails and secured with L-shaped nails and woven in a basket weave type pattern.
Cabinet Doors
Caned furniture and home accessories have made a strong comeback, becoming a popular choice that beautifully combines traditional and modern styles. Cabinet doors with caning adds a touch of natural sophistication to your decor. We can work with you, your builder or cabinet maker to create a design that is right for you.
Wicker Repair
Wicker repair can range from simply rewrapping joints to more intricate spot weaving where a pet has chewed and damaged your furniture, or even reweaving an entire piece. We have successfully handled a variety of jobs. Just send us some pictures, and we’ll gladly provide you with an estimate.
SHOP
Basketry
In addition to chair seat weaving, we have a variety of hand-crafted baskets available for sale. We can also make custom baskets and will soon be available to teach classes.