Instructions for Weaving a Chair Seat With Rush

Cut out the old rush along the inside of the chair rails with a utility knife and discard. If you find pieces of cardboard, save them. Pull out the tacks along the inside rails with a pair of pliers.

Position the chair with the seat back upright and away from you. Place a straight edge against the left rear leg post. Most chairs are wider in the front. You should see a triangular space to the left of the straight edge. Draw a pencil line across the top of the front and back rails to indicate this triangular space. Repeat for the right side of the chair. The triangular space is woven first with half the full weave pattern.

Cut a ball of rush into 30-foot sections. Rush is sold in 150-foot lengths so you should end up with five smaller balls. Dip your first rush ball into water for 10 to 20 seconds, just enough to soften it slightly.

Tack the end of the rush 1-1/2 inches from the front left post on the inside of the left rail. Bring the rush over the front rail tight against the left front post. Take the rush under the rail and up through the center of the chair. Bring the rush to the left over the rush, then over the left side rail and to the underside.

Take the rush up and over the right side rail and to the underside. Bring the rush up through the center of the chair and forward over the rush and the front rail. Take the rush to the underside and toward the back 1-1/2 inches. Tack the rush 1-1/2 inches from the right front leg post with a hammer. Trim off the excess rush. This is half the full weave pattern.

Continue weaving the seat by tacking your next rush end 2 inches from the front left leg post on the inside of the left rail. Follow the same weave pattern to the right side. When you reach the line drawn on the rail, you should be within an inch of the back left post. Tighten your rush, as you work, with a wood block and mallet, tapping the rush toward the corner posts along the rails.

Tack the end of the rush next to the rear left post on the inside of the left rail. Bring the rush over the front rail. Take the rush under the rail and up through the center of the chair. Bring the rush to the left over the rush, then over the left side rail and to the underside. Take the rush up and over the right side rail and to the underside. Bring the rush up through the center of the chair and forward, over the rush and the front rail. Take the rush to the underside and toward the back.

Bring the rush over the back rail, tight against the right rear leg post. Take the rush up through the center and over to the right, going over the right side rail against the right rear leg post and to the underside. Bring the rush to the left, up and over the left side rail and to the underside. Take the rush up through the center and over to the back, going over the back side rail against the left rear leg post and to the underside. This is the full weave pattern.

Join the rush sections together by tying a knot in the rush on the underside left area of the seat. Stick a temporary tack into the rush at the back rail when you make your tie to keep the rush taut. Continue weaving the chair another inch. Cut cardboard trapezoid shapes to fit between the rush along each side to help support the rush. Continue weaving until you have a 1-inch gap from the back to the front rails.

Weave the last inch in a figure 8 pattern. Bring the rush forward and over the front rail, then under and up through the center. Take the rush to the back and over the back rail, under and up through the center. Continue weaving until the chair is finished. Tack the rush off at the closest inside front or back rail.