Cane Webbing Sample Pack, 4 Natural Weaves, 12 x 12 in Each

Cane looks different in a photo than on a real piece of furniture. The size of the holes, how much you can see through them, and how warm the color reads next to your wood are hard to judge on a screen. This pack lets you check all four natural weaves at home before you commit to a roll.

You get four 12 x 12 in pieces of natural rattan cane:

• Open weave, the classic pattern with octagonal holes, for chair seats, doors and headboards
• Square weave, also called radio weave, a tidy grid of small square holes
• Herringbone, a closed weave with no holes that hides what is behind it
• Diamond (V) weave, a decorative pattern of stacked chevrons

To compare them, hold each piece against the actual opening, once in daylight and again under your evening lights. Put it in front of the shelf it will cover and see how much of the contents shows. Lay it next to the wood, paint or fabric that will sit beside it.

The pieces are also big enough for a practice run. Soak one in warm water for about half an hour, staple it over a scrap frame, and watch it pull tight as it dries. If you have never worked with cane, a trial like this makes the real door or seat much less nerve-racking.

A 12 in square can even become a small finished piece: a drawer front, a little cabinet door or a tray insert. Allowing 1 in per side for stapling, each square covers an opening up to 10 x 10 in.

Use the pack to answer three questions. First, seat or panel: for a chair seat in a groove, open weave is the traditional choice and square weave the modern one, while herringbone and diamond are for flat frames. Second, how much should show through: open and square let you see shapes behind a door, herringbone hides them. Third, how lively the surface should be: square and herringbone read calm, diamond is the boldest.

Once you have a favorite, measure your opening and pick the matching roll.