DIY: WOVEN STOOL

A while back I found this stool frame at a thrift store. I wanted to do something with it to replace the existing fibre rush weave that was in horrible shape. Originally, I was going to cover the stool with a piece of leather and call it good, but I never seemed to be inspired enough to get around to it. One day, while perusing the isles of target, I came across a beautifully woven bench that inspired me to do something similar with the frame that I had. So, I did it and here is how! 

Materials Needed:

Black Jute Twine

Leather Ribbon

Butcher's Twine

(one spool of each)

Stool Frame (To make it easier for you, I found footstool frame here and a saddle seat frame just like mine here.) 

1. Take the butcher's twine and wrap it around the front an the back of the seat frame (as shown above) and tie it as tight as you can get it. 

2. Continue to wrap the butchers twine around the frame making sure to keep the twine from overlapping itself.

It is also very important that you keep the string as tight as possible as you wrap it. My hands were a little cramped afterwards from pinching the string so tight during this process. 

Wrap until you count 115 rows

3. This is what your stool should look like now. Double check to make sure that you have 115 rows of string on the top section before tying the loose end. I tied mine to the left over string from the beginning knot that way it would be hidden inside the seat. 

4. Divide the rows into rows of five. Cut pieces of string to mark the rows (you can also use cardboard or yarn). 

Find the five rows that make up the center. This will be your starting point. 

5. Measure out pieces of the leather ribbon and the black jute. They should be long enough to tie if you were to attach them loosely. Give yourself room to work with. 

6. Here's where it might get tricky.

Remember, your starting point is the five rows in the center. 

ROW 1

• Take a strand of leather, bring the two ends out from under the center five rows. 
• Weave in and out ever tenth row. (As you can see, there are two rows of five left for the first row of leather to weave under. 
• Weave in a row of Jute followed by another piece of leather. Leave all ends loose for now. 

ROW 2

• Take another piece of leather (center point in mind) and add three stitches. In total, you will have eleven stitches as the center for the second row. This will begin to create the geometric effect. 
• Weave in and out of every ten rows from your starting points on each side of the eleven center rows. 
• Continue by weaving in a piece of the black jute and another piece of leather. 

Continue by adding three to each center point. 

6. To make the diamond in the middle, on the sixth row, start on top of the original center five rows. and work your out still adding three to continue the geometric effect out.

Add three to the center five, working your way out, to form the diamond.

7. When you are finished, there should be eleven on either side of the woven (leather & jute) center row (twelfth row from either front or back side). Now it is time to start securing all of the loose ends! 

Just because I thought it would be fun, I wanted to add a little bit of interest to the under side of the stool by incorporating two stripes

8. Take the string that you are securing under ten and then over ten and back under to tie.

9. Find the center point where your loose ends will meet, pull them tight an tie a knot. Tuck the loose ends into the inside of the stool. This will leave your stool looking clean and people will think it was made by a professional. 

This is just to show you the the clean finish of the under side. 

There you have it! You can now custom-make your very own stool! 

I had so much fun making this and hope you decide to conquer this project too! 

Once you start, you'll understand if you don't already. It is a very detailed project to describe fully. If any of these instructions are unclear, please let me know and I can try to find a better way to explain, even if I have to skype or facetime with you. ;]