Furniture Design: Introduction to Danish Cord Weaving

By weaving surfaces, you can give a personal touch to new furniture as well as breathe life into old pieces. Designer Heide Martin runs her own studio in Maine where she practices her passion for handmade woven surfaces. She has sold and exhibited her work internationally and been both a resident and visiting artist at various institutions.

In this course, Heide teaches you how to restore furniture by weaving a unique and comfortable seat with Danish cord. Learn how to use traditional techniques to make creative and durable furniture designs. Weave any surface and balance functionality with art.

Begin the course by getting to know the designer and your teacher for this course, Heide Martin. She talks through how she went from studying architecture to running her own furniture and houseware design studio along with the influences that inspire the pieces she creates.

Take a look at the advantages of weaving on furniture, from its flexibility to its tactile qualities. Then dive into Danish cord in particular, as well as some of the other materials Heide uses in her workshop. Explore a variety of weaving techniques and patterns you can use to create unique furniture.

Gather the tools and materials needed to start weaving, then choose a frame to weave upon. Prepare your frame by laying out your pattern and l-nails. Begin weaving the initial framework of your design, also known as the warp. Then wrap the rail tightly for a professional end result before weaving the design itself. Finish off by securing the tail of your cord under your nails.

Hear Heide’s advice on pursuing furniture weaving as a career before seeing what to look for when choosing furniture to restore. Then, explore the key design attributes you should consider when designing a piece of furniture with a woven surface. To finish the course, Heide talks about how to care for Danish cord furniture.