Seagrass Seat Weaving Kit, 2 Coils of Twisted Cord with Tacks

Seagrass is a natural grass twisted into a firm cord. Woven across a chair seat or a stool top, it makes a textured, slightly irregular surface in a green-to-wheat color that mellows with light. This kit gives you two coils in the same size and 20 upholstery tacks, the material for one seat or stool top.

It suits cottage chairs, footstools and simple four-rail stools. The classic way to weave it is the rush pattern: the cord wraps over and around each rail in turn, so the seat fills in from the corners toward the center. On square stools you can also wrap the cord in one direction and weave across it in a simple over-under.

You will also need:

• Sharp scissors and a measuring tape
• A spring clamp or clothespins to hold your place
• A smooth wooden paddle or ruler to pack the rows
• A spray bottle, if you want to mist the cord lightly

Work with dry cord, or mist it lightly if it feels stiff; seagrass is not soaked. Tack the starting end to the inside of a rail, keep an even pull, and press every round against the last so no gaps open up. Tie new lengths together under the seat, where the knot will not show.

New seagrass has a slight grassy smell. Unwrap the coils and let them air out in the room before you start weaving.

#1 is 3 to 3.5 mm thick and #2 is 3.5 to 4 mm. The thinner #1 gives a finer, closer texture and is easier to handle on small stools and tight corners. The thicker #2 fills a seat in fewer rounds and has a bolder, more rustic look.

If you are replacing an old seagrass seat, cut a short piece of the old cord and compare its thickness with a ruler or calipers.

The two coils are meant for one chair seat or one stool top. For a long bench or an unusually large seat, add a coil of twisted seagrass cord in the same size, ordered together with the kit so the color is as close as possible.