Rush Chair Weaving Information

Preparations

• When rush fibers deteriorate, the rope sections sag or become distorted. Over time these weaknesses will become gaping holes and the chair will not be usable. To save the chair, cut off the remaining rush using a utility knife or heavy shears. Remove the small tacks along the inside rails of the chair. Check the chair for further repairs or tightening before replacing the chair seat. Refinish the chair prior to installing the new seat.

Preparing to Weave

• Most chairs are wider at the front and narrower at the back. This creates two narrow triangles along the front and sides. These triangles are woven first. Place a straight edge parallel to the back rail and alongside the left rear leg post. Draw a pencil line on the front rail. This will show you the size of the triangle on the left side and how much half weave you will need to complete before you can do a full weave pattern. Draw a similar line on the right side as an extra guide.

Rush, Tacks and Half Weave

• Cut your rush into 30-foot sections and dip in water for 20 seconds to make it more pliable. Tack the end on the inside left rail near the front post. Use upholstery tacks and try not to nail into an old tack hole. The half weave is over the front rail, over the left side, over the right side and over the front rail. The rush is tacked off to the right inside rail even with the tack on the left rail. The next strand is tacked an inch behind the first tack and the same weave is used. This pattern continues until the entire triangle areas are filled. A wood block and mallet are used to shove rush tight together along the rails during the weaving.

Weaving and Figure Eight

• The full weave begins by tacking on the left inside rail right next to the rear post. The same pattern is followed except it continues with the rush being woven over the back rail, over the right rail, over the left rail and over the back rail. This takes the rush back to its starting position. When you are going to run out of rush you tie the rush together at the back left underside of the chair. This hides the knots. Weave until all that is left is a one-inch wide gap from front to back. Go over the front rail and over the back rail in a figure eight to fill in the gap. Tack off your rush end to the nearest inside rail. The seat can be sealed with one part boiled linseed oil, one part paint solvent and one part polyurethane applied every few years.