Wayne Sharp: Chair Caning

Mankato MN

Caned By Wayne

Wayne's father-in-law gave him, in the mid 1970's, encouragement and instruction on how to cane chairs. He was a patient teacher & Wayne enjoyed learning the craft. Over the years, he has caned many distinct styles of chairs. He now shares the art of caning at his Chair-Caning.com website, speaking to skills and wisdom borne of many years by his father-in-law and himself.

In his day job, he is a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Director of the Academic Computer Center.

Caned Chairs

Daisies and Buttons Rocker

Black Dining Chair

Child's Chair

Creating the Daisies and Buttons Rocker

At his chair caning site, Wayne describes Daisies and Buttons:

This is a more advanced chair caning technique. This is not for the beginner. I found this pattern on a trip through Iowa's Amana Colonies in the Fall of 2003, in a booklet by John & Lillian Peterka. About the same time, my daughter purchased a rocker from an auction for $17. She & I stripped it, repaired & refinished it. This rocker was similar to the one in the pattern book, so I took a deep breath & decided to take on this advanced caning challenge.