Willow weaving for beginners step by step: technology, master class, diagrams, interesting ideas and recommendations. DIY wicker furniture

This type of furniture will fit perfectly into almost any home, bringing a special feeling of comfort to it. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many people who want to get their hands on it. The cost of the products is not small and even “bites”, which is why thoughts arise about it self-production. But how is weaving done correctly, what are the stages of preparing the material, what is the assembly sequence. This work is far from being as simple and easy as it might seem. We will consider all the subtleties of this matter further.

Do-it-yourself preparation for wicker furniture from wicker raw materials

Procurement of raw materials To assemble wicker furniture from wicker with your own hands, proceed as follows:

1. Most favorable time for assembling material - winter. During this period, the movement of sap inside the tree stops, which facilitates further processing of cut shoots and branches.

2. Before starting preparation, the material must stand outside (with sub-zero temperature) within a few days.

3. Next, the material is placed in special baths with lids (welded from metal sheets) and boil for about half a day. After this procedure, it becomes more pliable, and the bark is removed from it without extra effort(manually with a sharp knife).

simple textures of wickerwork
patterned texture of wickerwork

4. Thin branches are processed with pinches, which remove the bark from them. Next, they are split into pieces (four or three) with a splitter. To obtain high-quality tires, the broken parts of the rod are driven through a special machine. It scrapes off excess from their surface, thereby making all elements the same thickness and smoothness.

5. Thick boiled branches are placed into templates. Templates are made from chipboard sheet and pieces of thick bars stuffed onto it along the edges. A round element is installed in the center (for example, a piece of plastic sewer pipe), around which the parts will be bent.

6. The parts installed on the template are tightened. Their edges are connected with temporary ties (thin bars or strong thread attached to driven nails).

7. Without removing the screeds from the parts, they are sent to dry for three days in a special chamber.

After drying, the parts take the shape they were given and you can proceed to assembling wicker furniture from wicker with your own hands.

fashionable wicker furniture
wicker rocking chair

Assembling a rocking chair from wicker and its braiding

First, the rocking chair itself is assembled from wicker, and only after it is completely assembled are the “skis” mounted and the braiding made. The frame is made as follows:

1. First, the rear legs of the product are screwed to the wooden platform with self-tapping screws, which are connected to each other with a piece of the same diameter, then the front legs (they also need to be connected).

2. Afterwards, elements are installed to strengthen the structure (horizontal strips).

4. Removal of temporary ties occurs only after the elements are securely fastened in their designated places.

5. The places where the self-tapping screws enter, the back and seat are decorated with wickerwork made of tires and thin willow twigs.

6. The rods must be stretched before work. To do this they wrap themselves around cylindrical and stretch with tension from one edge to the other.

7. The place that will be braided is coated with glue. For example, after coating, three rods are laid on the armrest. Then their edges are tightly wound to the armrest with shredders. After simple winding, weaving begins.

8. From the bottom of the armrest, the bars are simply wrapped, from the top - they are pulled over and under the rods in a certain sequence (for example, in a checkerboard pattern).

9. After the braiding, the runners and supports for them are installed. The quality of the product's swing depends on the correct installation. At correct installation the product will move from the hand placed on the headboard.

10. After assembly and braiding, the wicker rocking chair is coated with furniture varnish in several layers (with a wide brush for easier application).

Wicker furniture is rightfully considered an exclusive piece of furniture, which at first glance surprises with its originality, reliability, delights with its elegant appearance and ease of use.

IN Lately a significant increase in its popularity has been noticed thanks to the passion of its owners summer cottages, private houses, city apartments with large balconies or loggias, interior design using natural items in an ethno-style.

The features of producing this type of furniture at home largely depend on the structural structure and type of each item.

For example, there are differences in weaving methods and frames of products, which can be combined, single, openwork, and so on. Already directly during the manufacturing process, you can combine different weaves, make unusual designs, or limit yourself to weaving one type.

Selecting materials

Wicker furniture can be made from any climbing plants with flexible or dense base:

• Willow raw materials. It includes willow, vine, willow, willow, sedge, shelyuga, willow. For the frame, twigs older than three years are used, and for the weaving itself, an annual vine is used. That is why two types of raw materials are popular in production - flexible stems-twigs and willow sticks.
• Roots of fir, spruce, pine, cedar. They are usually harvested from uprooting and cutting sites.
• Birch bark or layer of birch bark. Used for weaving decorative pieces of furniture. Raw materials are harvested in the spring and summer from trees that have just been cut down or intended for felling. This birch bark has a natural beautiful shade that goes well with cattail, vine and rattan.
• Rattan or rattan shoots.
• Bamboo– subtropical or tropical grass of the grass family.
• Linden bark. Used to decorate weaving and connect individual parts into a single whole.

IN industrial production Today, willow and rattan raw materials are widely used.

For production full cycle independent preparation of rods is required, followed by drying and sanding.

You can also use ready-made raw materials, processed to give the desired shape and size (flat, round, billet rods).

Weaving technology

There are some nuances in creating this type of furniture, which depend on the design of the product and the structure of the frame. Moreover, the technology also differs in the weaving method.

Of course, wicker furniture must, first of all, have the following main qualities - safety, reliability in use and durability.

At a high level there must also be quality of fastening of elements, ensuring high level rigidity and strength. Parts can be fixed together using detachable and permanent connections.

The process of assembling the structure itself can be greatly simplified if there are detachable connections. Permanent connections are attached with glue or nails. The latter method is used much more often due to its strength and reliability, but its significant drawback is the difficulty of transporting the product.

More details about the technology in the video:

First of all, before you start sketching, soberly assess your capabilities. If up to this point you have never made wicker furniture and don’t even have an idea how to do it, it’s better to start with the most simple models.

Do not use expensive materials, in this case preference should be given budget option. Thus, if you spoil any part of the material, you will not suffer large material losses. Try, for example, making a standard model of a chair.

After the sketch has been drawn up and the material has been selected, you can start working on the workpieces:

• PVA glue,
• bolts,
• screws,
• metal corners,
• screws,
• pipes or channels.

The choice of the last two elements depends on what exactly you want to do. Make sure that the heads of the fasteners are recessed into the wood, this will prevent you from possible cuts and snagging on clothing.

Before you start assembling furniture, treat all wood with an antiseptic, this will help prevent rotting and the appearance of pests. After the product is ready, you need to cover it with varnish or paint.

Please note that the most comfortable furniture to use has a slight slope towards the back. To achieve this, it is necessary to use wedge-shaped parts for the side supports.

Let's start making furniture

The first step is to choose the material. If there is a park near your house where willow grows, this will be ideal economical option. Along the way, collect small sticks with a diameter of 2-3 centimeters for the frame. After you collect required amount vines, peel it from the bark and let it dry. Sand it afterwards to avoid picking up a splinter during use.

Decide on sofa size. Measure the width and length of the seat, the distance from the floor to the seat and the height of the backrest.

To make the frame for the seat, we cut 4 sticks to the appropriate size. For example, 2 x 80 and 2 x 60 cm. Then we fasten them with self-tapping screws.

To correctly determine the size of the rear legs, add the height of the back to the height of the front ones.

If the height is, for example, 30 cm, then the rear legs will be 70 cm high.

To make the back, we cut a stick along a length slightly larger than the length of the seat and attach it to the rear legs using self-tapping screws. Due to the fact that the middle leg is slightly higher, the back will look like an arc.

Now we divide the willow twigs into 4 parts. We make a cut in the form of a cross at the ends of the rods and divide them into parts with our hands. The resulting tapes will help hide the heads of nails or screws.

To give frame rigidity, using self-tapping screws we fasten the stick between the side legs. Do not forget that the stiffeners must be the same height. Now you need to attach 2 sticks to connect the rear legs. The poles should be attached diagonally.

We take a willow twig, roll it into an arc and attach it to the left side of the backrest. We attach the ends of the rod to the middle and outer legs, and the top point of the arc to the back. The same needs to be done with the second part of the back.

Now we take the rod bigger size and also roll it into an arc. We attach the ends with small nails to the front side legs, and the upper part to the seat.

We wrap all parts with protruding nails or screw caps with pre-prepared tapes. For durability glue them together with glue.

To make a seat, you need to cut a piece of plywood according to the dimensions of the frame. We nail it with screws or nails.

At the end we treat the entire sofa with stain or varnish in several layers. As soon as the coating has dried, we lay foam rubber on the plywood and cover it with the material we like.

Photo gallery of what we can get

Thus, thanks to new technologies and a wide variety of styles, wicker furniture is very popular. It is quite possible to say that she is now experiencing a rebirth. All items are original and beautiful in their own way; they will fit perfectly into any interior.

Wicker furniture is art, a piece of another reality in the house. She contains great human energy and vitality.

Wicker weaving originated in ancient times. Over the long centuries of its existence, from the production of objects necessary for human life, it has turned into real art. Weaving is practiced all over the world. Rattan and palm fiber, even pine roots and paper are used for this activity, but the most common material is willow twigs. The variety of materials has led to the emergence of various weaving techniques; objects created in different parts of the world are unique and different; they are united only by beauty and environmental friendliness.

Willow twig is an indispensable material for creating extremely useful household accessories. Containers woven from willow are good for storing cereals; they absorb and remove excess moisture and do not interfere with air circulation. In addition, willow contains bactericidal substances that prevent rotting. Since ancient times, wine bottles have been woven with willow to preserve it. Thanks to this “case” it is supported optimal temperature, the drink does not overheat or cool too much. Jugs braided with willow are also used for preparing fermented milk products. Fruit baskets, candy bowls, and bread bins are made from willow; they are very beautiful and functional. Items made from wicker are easy to clean without losing their shape.

Wicker Storage Boxes kitchen utensils- interior decoration Wicker vases and candy bowls - interior decoration Candy bowls, bread bins and vases made of wicker - table decoration

Accessories woven from willow are also very good for storing things. Their variety is impressive - these include small boxes and huge chests. Things in them do not cake and do not acquire unpleasant odor. Wicker boxes and storage boxes greatly decorate the interior.

Wicker baskets for storing things - beautiful and functional Wicker chests - interior decoration

Handicraft baskets allow you to neatly store numerous balls, spools, scraps, and ribbons.

Wicker furniture

Wicker furniture is an interior decoration. It is appropriate in the country or in winter garden, and in a luxurious living room. It is suitable for home and restaurant. Furniture woven from wicker was used both in palace interiors, surprising with its exquisite decoration of silver and gold, and in simple houses. Classic English and French interiors are unthinkable without it. But the willow vine allows you to create a wide variety of forms that will fit into the most radical interior without violating the concept. Wicker furniture includes cozy armchairs, majestic sofas, laconic stools, tea tables, bookcases, and even beds and playpens. Wickerwork is used as finishing for cabinets, cabinets, and chests of drawers.

Wicker armchairs, a table and a floor lamp - interior decoration. A rocking chair made of wicker and an openwork table - coziness in the interior. Wicker whatnot - lightness in classic interior A wicker table will decorate any interior

Wicker furniture goes perfectly with wood and stone, with animal skins. It makes any room warmer and closer to people. It is not without reason that it is traditionally used in rooms intended for recreation. Such furniture is very functional, it is very light, and you can rearrange it at any time. She is never cold. It is convenient for people of all ages - it’s a grandmother’s rocking chair, a cradle for a baby, and some strange object in a teenager’s room.

Wicker furniture - a cozy corner for drinking tea Wicker furniture - decoration of a garden, veranda, room Wicker chair - a feeling of warmth in the interior Wicker bed for a classic bedroom Original wicker chairs - the highlight of the design Original wicker chair for modern interior Wicker stool in the interior - beautiful and practical

Wicker houses for animals in the interior look very stylish, make the room cozy, and are usually very popular with pets.

Wicker cat house - interior decoration

Wicker decorative items

Lampshades woven from wicker for floor lamps, chandeliers, and sconces greatly decorate the interior.

Any painting or photograph in a wicker frame looks like a masterpiece.

Mirror frames made of wicker add solidity to the room without depriving it of coziness.

Floor and table vases made of wicker greatly decorate your home. They are ideal for dry arrangements, but can also be used for live bouquets on a special moisturizing base. Flower pots and tubs look beautiful in the interior and are comfortable for indoor plants.

Wicker floor vases- for different design styles Wicker flower pot and hanging vases for decorating rooms Wicker amulet for the kitchen - drive away evil spirits from the room

Wall panels made of wicker look very exotic, and floor mats are pleasant on the feet.

Wicker sculptures for home and garden

If your backyard country house will be decorated with wicker sculptures, it will become more pleasant and lively. Wicker sculptures are distinguished by size and design features models. These include: statues, columns, crafts of animal figures, people or characters from fairy tales.

Animal figurines made from wicker are a wonderful decoration for the garden or large room. Made by hand, they seem to live: under the influence of conditions, they slightly change their poses and move.

Peacock made of wicker - the work of a Donetsk master

Wicker toys

A special place is occupied by wicker toys for children - sleighs, horses, carts. Unlike sculptures, they are woven from stronger rods; the ends of the rods are connected especially carefully so that the product does not fall apart and does not scratch the child.

Animals made from wicker - baskets for toys

All wicker items are made by hand, each of them is unique and each contains a piece of the master’s soul. Therefore, rooms filled with such things become very cozy.

A car made of wicker - to decorate the garden Did you like the article? Share on social networks!

Products woven from wicker can serve their owners for many years, performing not only a practical, but also a decorative function. They are successfully used as a piece of furniture both in the countryside and in the metropolis.

Making willow with your own hands is a science mastered by our ancestors several thousand years before our era. In historical documents different countries throughout the world there are references to various wicker boxes, fences, baskets and much more. The products that can be made by learning how to weave are beautiful and varied. Nowadays, willow weaving is not related to the everyday needs of a person; rather, it is a fashionable hobby and a way to bring beauty and style to the interior.

General information about wicker weaving

Modern willow baskets are not only accessories for the garden, they are full-fledged inhabitants of apartments. They not only bring practical benefits, but are also a highlight, a kind of accent in the design of the apartment.

It is important to note that collecting vines for weaving does not cause any harm to nature, but, on the contrary, rejuvenates the thickets.

Willow weaving is popular today both in rural areas and in large cities. Another advantage of this hobby is that there is no need to purchase materials for work. You can easily prepare them yourself. Willow is a very common plant and grows in almost all regions of Russia. If you love the outdoors, then going for the willow vine will be a pleasant and interesting adventure for you. In some large cities, shops that provide goods for various hobbies are beginning to sell wicker rods. There are not many such stores yet, but this great option for those who don’t know where to find willow thickets in a large city.

Blank for weaving

Not only willow vine is suitable for weaving, but also walnut vine and other flexible species of shrubs and trees. It is better to choose thin, long shoots. Take those twigs that do not branch.

For this type of hobby, both unbarked and peeled vines are suitable. Large products are woven from the unrefined wood: fences, large baskets for fruits and vegetables. Peeled vines are used to make vases, trays, laundry boxes, bread bins and much more. An unpeeled vine is called unrooted, a peeled one is called debarked.

The preparation of materials for weaving is carried out in autumn or spring. In summer, willow shoots from behind active growth They are very brittle and are not suitable for weaving.

Shoots harvested in spring are cleared of bark immediately, without additional preparation. Shoots harvested in the fall are boiled before cleaning. Harvesting and preparing vines for weaving is not a difficult task, but it requires time and effort.

But when willow weaving for beginners will captivate and draw you in step by step, and the finished wicker item will become a source of pride for you, the time and effort spent will be fully repaid positive energy, which you will receive.

Required Tools

What will we need during the work process? Willow weaving for beginners, described step by step in the article, requires at least a good amount of patience. Making a basket from wicker is more difficult than weaving it from newspaper tubes. Natural material less pliable in work and can break.

You also need some tools for the job.

Prepare:

• Awl.
• Secateurs.
• Side cutters.
• A spray bottle filled with water to spray the vines.

Technology

Classically, baskets are woven starting from the bottom. Then they weave the walls and the bend. Handles come last.

For beginners, it is advisable to start step by step with willow with round-shaped product models. To make it, you will need to learn just a few techniques:

• Round bottom manufacturing technology.
• Rope weaving.
• Layer weaving technique.
• Bending.

During the weaving process, the work must be compacted and pressed down so that the basket does not turn out to be too flimsy. The rods should be laid tightly and evenly, without covering each other.

Once the technique of making a round basket has been mastered, you can move on to more complex openwork products made from wicker. Experienced craftsmen They decorate their baskets with braids, weaving birch bark, straw and wooden beads into them. The design and shape of such baskets are limited only by the imagination of the master.

You can weave almost anything from a vine. Often landscape designers order wicker figures from vines to decorate the garden. Decorate personal plot fences, and on open veranda It is quite possible to place a rocking chair made of wicker. You can also weave stools and a small table made of willow for outdoor gatherings.

Even jewelry and new Year gifts. A cradle made of untreated twigs is suitable for a children's room. Children love to sleep in such natural, environmentally friendly cradles.

Rectangular wicker baskets placed on shelves and racks are suitable for storing clothes, magazines and newspapers, and all sorts of household items.

Any housewife can find use for wickerwork in her home. The ability to weave from wicker will definitely be useful to you in life, at least for arranging your own life, and maybe it will become a source of additional income for you.

Now that you have learned about what wicker weaving is and how to weave from willow, the master class below will teach you how to weave round baskets from wicker. With such a basket you can go on picnics with friends or to the dacha with children.

Weaving willow baskets for beginners (master class)

Let's start making the basket by preparing the willow vine. It is best to cut the vine in May, before the willow begins to bloom. You can also cut the vines in August, when new long shoots grow on the willow.

Preparing a vine from willow branches

We immediately remove the bark from the cut branches and leave our vine for five days in the shade in the open air.

After the vine has been prepared and rested, we begin weaving willow baskets. The technology is as follows: we weave the bottom and edges of the product with whole round twigs, and the walls with vines split into several parts.

How to split a vine

To split the vine into pieces, you will need a special cleaver made of hard rock tree. An incision is made at the end of the vine with a knife, a cleaver is inserted into it, and the vine is split into 2, 3 or 4 parts.

The split branches are soaked in water for several hours, and then the brown center is removed. It is recommended to use a plane to process split vines.

Before weaving from the vine, it needs to be moistened. This can be done with a spray bottle or by lowering the branches into water for a few minutes.

Having prepared a sufficient amount of vines, we begin weaving willow baskets.

Carefully consider the process of creating a basket in the figure. First, the bottom of the basket is woven, then the ribs are added and the sides are woven along them. At the very end the handle is done.

If you know the technology of making baskets from paper tubes, then know that willow weaving for beginners step by step is almost the same.

We carry out the work in this order:

1. To make the bottom of the basket, split five rods in the middle with a knife and insert five other rods into the holes. We insert the tips of the first two into the same holes.
2. We make a braid of the bottom. The first rod needs to cover the split twigs from above, and the second one needs to cover those threaded into the split twigs from the bottom.
3. We also perform the third and fourth turns.
4. We spread the crosspiece rods in the shape of a fan and braid them with two willow branches.
5. We press the twigs together using an awl.
6. When the bottom reaches the size we need, we install the ribs of the basket into our willow weaving. For beginners, we will explain this process step by step. For the ribs we use round twigs. We cut their ends obliquely to a distance of about 5 cm. We insert the sharp ends into the bottom braid. We cut off the excess ends of the vine. The edges of the bottom are woven from four round twigs, which are inserted 4 cm near the side ribs of the basket. To give the basket the required shape, we make a blank, as in Fig. 9. Nail the bottom of the basket to it using small nails.
7. We finish the braiding of the bottom and cut off the excess twigs.
8. Let's move on to weaving the sides. We cut off the ends of the new twigs. We take twigs of medium thickness. We insert new branches along each twig of the base.
9. We bend the new rods under the two adjacent ones to the left, down, and then up.
10. We also bend the remaining branches of the vine. The last two branches cannot be bent. We simply wrap them around the first ones. We weave the sides of the basket until they reach the height we need.
11. We begin to weave a handle. We take thick shoots of the vine, bend them and determine the length of the handle. We cut off the excess vine.
12. We sharpen the ends of the vine and insert them into the walls of the basket. We insert five branches next to the handle and wrap them around the handle. We hide the extra ends of the vine between the walls of the basket.
13. We take a thin twig and wrap it around the edges of the handle. We hide the ends of the twig and cut off the excess.
14. Weaving a willow basket with your own hands is completed. A simple round willow basket is ready.

Follow the procedure shown in the pictures. A little practice and you will succeed.

Conclusion

Having mastered the technique of weaving round baskets from wicker, you can then learn how to weave square and oval baskets and boxes, learn how to weave a willow fence for beginners step by step, then move on to making wicker furniture and more complex products. The growth of your skills and mastery depends only on the amount of your free time and desire to engage in wicker weaving. Willow weaving is an interesting and accessible activity for everyone.

How to make wicker furniture with your own hands? It can become an interior decoration or even bring profit to the master. The demand for this type of furniture is growing - it is beautiful, environmentally friendly and unique. We tell you what is required to make wicker furniture in your own workshop and why you can really learn it yourself.

Wood weaving is a rare skill

The production of wicker furniture from willow and other materials is a traditional Russian craft. In this way, not only furniture was created, for example, rocking chairs and cradles, but also other useful household items - baskets, various household utensils and even fences. Weaving was a very common skill.

But during the 20th century there were so many changes affecting the entire population that many traditional skills seem to be a thing of the past forever. The ability to weave wood is now considered something rare and even exclusive. A master who has mastered this craft will not only be able to create his own unique interior, but with a little effort, you will receive a flood of orders.

The production of wicker furniture from willow and other materials is a traditional Russian craft.

Wicker furniture is a new hit in interior design

Nowadays, do-it-yourself furniture weaving from wicker attracts everyone more people. Wicker furniture has a whole range of advantages over its “mass” counterparts. It is made only from environmentally friendly materials, without glue and other not very useful chemicals. Such furniture weighs significantly less than traditional furniture and is easy to transport, transport or rearrange inside the house.

The appearance of such products will always be unique, original, and special. High-quality weaving ensures long term use of such furniture while maintaining all external characteristics.

Furniture does not require complex care, for example, polishing: it is enough to remove dust from it with a dry cloth and treat it with anti-moisture agents twice a year. The cost of wicker interior items is also low. This entire list positive qualities and explains the popularity of wicker furniture.

As for the disadvantages, these include low temperature resistance: humidity or heat are equally harmful to products, the damage from them is very difficult to eliminate. Therefore, if you plan to use wicker furniture in your own garden, it is better to provide a “shelter” for it - a place where the furniture can be easily hidden in case of bad weather.

What is required for weaving - preparation of willow twigs

Now let's take a closer look at how to make wicker furniture with your own hands. The quality of the finished products will depend on two factors: the characteristics of the harvested wood and the skills of the craftsman. Skills can be improved over the years, but learning to collect quality material better immediately.

The most common products are made from two materials: willow and rattan. Willow is considered a less strong and durable material. It can be harvested throughout the year, although the rods collected will be stronger late autumn. Before cutting a willow rod, you need to bend it in several places or even wrap it around your finger - it should bend well, not crack or break even when bent up to 180 degrees. Trimming is done at an angle of 40 degrees.

The optimal solution would be to prepare rods of approximately equal thickness from 1.5 to 2 meters. The cut rods are grouped on site in bundles of 300-500 pieces depending on the thickness - thin, medium, thick. They will be needed for manufacturing different parts furniture.

Weaving is done by hand, but it requires templates and a frame.

How to process cut willow twigs

In the workshop, all the bundles are untied and given the opportunity to warm up in warm room before starting work. This is especially important for rods prepared in the cold season. Some craftsmen soak the workpieces in warm water. Before starting work, all the rods must be kept in boiling water for 1 hour and the bark removed from them.

In addition, the rods can be processed to change color. For example, if cleaned and soaked rods are held in hydrogen peroxide, they will acquire white shade. A solution of manganese will make them brownish, vitriol will make them gray. In addition, aniline dyes will give the rods any shade you are interested in.

What tools are needed for the job?

If you collect the rods yourself, you cannot do without garden shears, pruning shears, a tape measure or a tape measure. Weaving is done by hand, but it requires templates and a frame (wooden or metal). Also, to soak the rods you need a capacious tank (resistant to high temperatures). With experience, each master creates his own list of necessary tools.

Is there an alternative to willow twigs?

Not everyone who wants to try their hand at making wicker furniture has the desire and ability to prepare willow twigs themselves. In this case, there is a way out - you can try to weave products from modern artificial materials.

An increasingly popular alternative to willow is rattan.- These are specially processed stems and shoots of palm trees. This material is considered more durable, flexible and moisture resistant. However, such trees do not grow in Russia, so you will either have to purchase the source material or choose to produce furniture from artificial rattan.

Artificial rattan is a material based on polyurethane tape. Of course, such furniture cannot be considered natural or completely environmentally friendly. But weaving from rattan for beginners is much easier than from willow twigs, because artificial material more flexible, it does not break. In addition, there is no need to prepare rods - you just need to purchase the necessary batch for work.

In addition, there are a lot of other materials suitable for weaving - bird cherry, raspberry, willow, alder, grapes, hazel (walnut), broom, abaca (banana leaves), bamboo, birch bark, water hyacinth and even seaweed. But all these materials are significantly inferior to willow and rattan in terms of quality characteristics, especially flexibility. In addition, some of them are not available in Russia - for example, banana leaves. For this reason, it is better to focus on more affordable willow and rattan.

Often wicker elements complement upholstered or cabinet furniture, being an element of their decor.

Types of structures

When weaving furniture from artificial rattan with your own hands, as well as from similar materials, it is better to start with the manufacture of simple products. Wicker furniture comes in two varieties:

1. Frameless. These products are based on several wooden sticks fastened together, acting as ribs, which are braided with willow twigs. This option is suitable for light chairs and armchairs, tabletops, and bedside tables.
2. Frame. At the core frame products- full-fledged structure made of wooden planks or even metal slats and poles. A frame is required for complex types of furniture that must withstand heavy weight. These can be sofas, large chairs, beds, shelving.

What kind of furniture is most often woven from wooden rods or their artificial analogues? Often wicker elements complement upholstered or cabinet furniture, being an element of their decor. However, there are also completely wicker products, most often these are:

• chairs, stools and benches;
• armchairs, including rocking chairs;
• tables;
• bedside tables and shelves.

Weaving options - from simple to complex

Production garden furniture it is better to start from wood by making simple structures yourself simple type weaving. For example, a chair or armchair. The fact is that by starting immediately with complex products with a frame, the master will definitely make mistakes, will not be able to produce an item of the required quality and will be disappointed in the entire craft.

Therefore, start by studying all the weaving options and move from simple to complex:

Type of weaving	How to do it
Simple	Single rods are passed through the frame posts.
Rope	Each frame post is surrounded by at least two rods on each side.
Checkers	Each rod in a checkerboard pattern passes through 2 frame posts at once, the next one passes inside the first strip.
Pigtail	Decorative weaving, in which pairs of rods (possibly more) are spiraled in turn around a frame.
Openwork (ring, spiral, diamond-shaped, geometric)	A complex type of weaving, which should be studied after mastering all the simple ones. The rods are wrapped around the frame in the form geometric shapes and spirals.

In practice, these types of weaving are combined with each other: using simpler and faster options, the main part of the product is completed, and a decorative braid or other pattern decorates individual elements(handles, backrests, armrests).

It is better to start producing garden furniture from wood by making simple structures of the simplest type of weaving.

How to make a frame for wicker furniture

The most simple option frame is a simple design made of wooden slats, fastened together horizontally or vertically. Usually this is a frame and 4 legs. This option is suitable for making stools, chairs, poufs, and tables.

Frame models for more complex products can also be found on the Internet or developed independently. Some craftsmen buy finished products in construction or furniture stores, and then “braid” them entirely or decoratively. This option is more expensive, but also has a right to exist.

Do I need to treat products after weaving?

Wicker furniture will last much longer if it is treated after production. Ready product should be inspected for defects, such as uneven weaving, and corrected if possible. All roughness of the rods must be smoothed out with sandpaper.

The furniture is then painted (if necessary) or bleached with lime. Actually, wickerwork looks good even without painting. If the master believes that the color of the furniture needs to be changed, but wants to preserve its naturalness, it is worth using natural dyes, for example, a decoction of onion peels. It is a good idea to apply a varnish to your finished furniture.

Tung oil and products based on it will protect wickerwork from their main enemy - moisture. Treat finished furniture with this product, and then repeat the procedure at least twice a year. The product will remain perfect appearance much longer.

Where to learn to weave furniture

However It is now possible to master the skill of weaving furniture completely independently. Firstly, on the Internet it is easy to find a variety of educational articles and videos, the authors of which explain all the basics of this matter in an accessible and step-by-step manner.

Secondly, weaving furniture is largely a creative process. Therefore, having learned the basics, most masters develop their own techniques, discover their own subtleties and constantly improvise. Do not forget that furniture weaving is not an exact science, but a craft where there is room for trial and experimentation.

Conclusion

Learning to weave furniture with your own hands is an activity accessible to self-study. It is important to remember that the quality of wicker furniture depends not only on the professionalism of the craftsman, but also on the quality of the raw materials. Therefore, the preparation and processing of rods must be taken very seriously.

Wicker furniture is beautiful, environmentally friendly, lightweight and has a relatively low cost. Its main enemies are moisture and bright sunlight. To protect products from them, it is necessary to treat furniture with tung oil at least twice a year.