How to Make Primitive Chair Seats

Cut a 2- or 3-inch-long split in the middle of all 36 staves with the utility knife.

Soak the grapevines in water for 24 hours before using them if you purchased dry vines. If the vines are fresh, you can skip this step.

Fold an 80-inch piece of grapevine in half and feed it through the split in one of the staves, folded side first.

Slide all of the other staves onto the vine in the same manner, creating a stave fence. Start with the longest pieces and end with the shortest pieces. If the pieces are all the same length, it doesn’t matter what order you thread them.

Spread apart the pieces on the vine so that there is about 1 inch of space between each piece.
Weave a long piece of vine about 1 inch away from the left edge of the staves. Weave the vine through all of the staves along the left side, traveling over one stave and then under the next. Tie the vine in a knot around the top and bottom staves. Wrap three sets of vines around the side for stability. Repeat the process for the right side of the chair seat.

Dig a hole in the ground large enough to fit the large stick inside. Place the stick inside the hole, forked side up, and pack the dirt around the stick.

Loop the top loop of the center grapevine around the fork in the stick. Drape the seat down from the stick so that it hangs similarly to a hammock. When you sit in the chair, the seat will act like a surprisingly comfortable recliner chair.