It all started with a handmade family heirloom ~ a beautiful wooden rocking chair with seat cane lovingly woven by my paternal grandmother. My father ran an upholstery workshop on Vancouver Island, where we would spend time as children, always surrounded by tools, materials, and the satisfaction of making things by hand. The desire to create and restore, you could say, runs in the family.

What drew me to cane furniture was its delicate beauty and the integrity of its natural materials. So many stunning pieces sit waiting in antique shops and second hand stores, in need of a little love and the right pair of hands. Inspired to learn, I set about acquiring the skills to restore them. After completing several online courses, I enrolled on a 4 day course with master craftswomen Rachel South at West Dean College in 2021. I gained hands on training in the traditional techniques of seat cane and Danish cord weaving.

Since then, I have taken every opportunity to develop and refine my skills, completing a growing number of traditional restoration projects, bespoke design commissions alongside weaving these techniques and materials into my wider creative practice.

If you have a piece of furniture in need of repair, or a commercial project calling for the addition of beautifully crafted cane or cord woven elements, I would love to hear from you.

Damaged cane removed and replaced with new cane, handwoven using the traditional 6-way weave method.

Damaged seat cane panel removed and replaced with a new, pre-woven cane sheet which is secured into a single groove located around the seat frame.

Damaged cane removed from the chair frame and replaced with new rattan cane using steam bending, weaving and binding techniques.