During my last day in the U.K. last week, we crammed in as much as possible. It was like a hot dog eating contest. But instead of cased meats, we were consuming culture. And instead of a stomach ache, I became consumed by ennui (just kidding, I got Covid). One of the last stops before…
Read moreScholarship applications are now open for six spots in a special comb-back class in our Covington, Kentucky, workshop Sept. 15-19. The class is offered through The Chairmaker’s Toolbox, a non-profit organization that provides education and support to those who have been historically excluded from the craft. The six students will spend five days building and…
Read moreThis Irish armchair is one of the most comfortable chairs I make, and I built this particular example in elm and sycamore for an upcoming revised edition of “The Stick Chair Book.” This chair is an original design of mine, but it borrows heavily from the Irish chairs I studied in person during 2019 and…
Read moreI just finished up a stick chair inspired by old Welsh ones I study. This chair’s stretchers are particularly low and oval in cross section. The armbow is rounded throughout (using spokeshaves) and features elliptical coves on the ends of its shoe. Plus the stick arrangement is quite Welsh, with negative space between the short…
Read moreOne of the gratifying things about teaching others to build stick chairs are the woodworkers who embrace the craft and grow to work at the same level (or even higher) than the teacher. One of those woodworkers is Claire Butler, who lives outside Seattle, Wash. Claire has assisted me in teaching two chair classes during…
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