Hi:
I have built a replica of Wegner’s lounge chair and am looking for advice on weaving the back with Danish cord.
Several weeks ago I stumbled across a video by Danish Weavers on the subject, but I was still in the joinery stage and figured I’d get to the video when I started the weave. The seat bottom weaving is pretty straightforward so I got that done; however, I’m ready to start the back now and it’s more complicated. When I go online to pull up the Danish Weavers video, it’s no longer there.
The chair is being reproduced, under license, by Carl Hansen, but they won’t help “due to our contract with the Wegner family”.
Does anyone have info on this topic?
Replies
The folding chair? For all things that have to do with caning I would suggest getting in touch with Jim Widess at the Caning Store in Berkeley CA. He also wrote "The Caner's Handbook" which could be useful to have. If you can show him a clear picture he could reproduce it himself or teach/ tell you how. I dont remember exactly the weave on that chair. They all seem complicated until you figure them out and then they just bore you to death doing it!
6 How do you get a license like that?
Oh I get it - YOU don't have a license Carl Hansen does! These weaves seem complicated until you figure them out then they just bore you to death doing them. The woven seat Wegner chairs that I have seen were corded and the pattern didn't seem that complicated. Isn't the back the same pattern as the seat?
It’s not the folding chair and it’s not caned. It’s referred to by Wegner as the Lounge Chair and Carl Hansen reproduces it as “CH25”. It’s woven with Danish cord.
The problematic part is the seat back, because the weave is on both sides (of the back).
"The Caning Book" has a whole section on Danish cord. I figured it wasn't caned- it's Danish and I do know probably which chair your talking about now. Wegner designed hundreds of chairs and many are still in production.
Two sided, so you can't get your hand behind it. One side then the other or is it just one continuous thing? As in ,both sides at the sametime? Some type of flexible needle? I've seen bendy knitting needles. I'd get in touch with Jim Widess at The Caning Store, Berkeley Ca. He's really helpful,has been with me anyway. Theres a trick, maybe he knows what it is. Like I said before , the different weaves seem tricky at first and once you figure it out ,about at the third try, it all falls into place.
I appreciate the suggestion, thanks!
Hi!
First off, The CH25 is a marvelous chair, and a fine one to make a replica off. I bet it will look beautifull when you finish it. I think you have multiple options. One is to, either find a chair in person with a dealer and study the back or search it up online at Carl Hansen.
Another option is to look up Caleb James. I think he made a reproduction of the CH25 a while back. Maybe he has something usefull on his youtube or Instagram. I know he wrote for a competitor of Fine Woodworking magazine about the Danish weave. There is also an article on a similar style modern lounge chair with a woven back at that same competitor. Maybe that one gives some insight.
I hope you will find the solution to your problem. Looking forwards towards your results!
I was going to mention Caleb James as well. I'm pretty sure he has some relevant stuff on Instagram.
I'm gonna email this to David Johnson. I don't think there is anyone who has woven more cord than him.
A friend just released this book, may be of some help.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/benches-stools-and-chairs-walter-turpening/1140151387
Oddly enough I just built and weaved a CH25 replica myself. Look for Caleb James' article for another popular woodworking magazine where he writes about the weave for a folding lounge chair. The back for that folding lounge chair is identical to the CH25. The article is sometimes free on the website, sometimes behind a paywall.
The key in the backrest weave is a passthrough hole in the top and bottom, this allows for an extra-wide warp (about 8 cord wide). Then you hide all your knots for the weave behind this huge warp. Also, there is no nails required for the back, the warp is wrapped around both sides at the same time the wraps are completed at the top and bottom.
Let me know if you have any questions.
I've attached a photo of my replica, good luck with yours.
Thanks to everyone who replied - I’m just finishing the seat weave and will probably tackle the back weave next week, “honey-do” list permitting.
I’ll be restoring a couple of CH25’s starting tomorrow and can post photos of the back as it progresses. Are you on the Discord server?
The Caleb James article suggested by Max Devries, john c2 and user-6834702 (nice job!) above was most helpful and got me through the warp & wrap of the seat back. All that’s left is the back weaving which is pretty straightforward. Thanks again to all.
Nice of Caleb James for sharing that. He spent a year studying pictures trying to figure out how it was done!
Finished it - thanks again for all your help.
Can you post a picture?
Picture please!
Agreed! Show off the hard work!
Here’s a picture; sorry it’s not a “studio shot”.
No photo visible here.
Trying again
That's beautiful, and it makes my fingers hurt just looking at it!
It looks great!
Well done! It looks great!
Very nice! My fingers hurt as well.
It's unfortunate that the video you found is no longer available. You might try reaching out to forums or woodworking communities where experienced weavers could provide guidance. Additionally, books or online courses on Danish cord weaving techniques might be useful for this specific project. Good luck with your Wegner lounge chair replica!
They finished it weeks ago. David Johnson offered his insight. I'm not sure you're likely to find more experience than that.
Hi,
I am desperately looking for good templates of the CH25 chair. The replicas posted here look beautiful! Could you help me out with getting the wood templates for the chair? Kindly, Philip
Philtree: I have paper templates from the CH25 I did last year (pictured above in this discussion). However, they are at my summer home and I'm not there yet. What's your time frame? BTW, I created them by projecting pictures I found online, onto thick paper taped to a wall, adjusting the projector distance until I got to a known dimension. It works OK, but there's no guarantee they are accurate. If you aren't in a hurry, I'll be with them in May. If you want to post a way to communicate offline, let me know.