As weaving progresses difficulty will be experienced in inserting cane ends in the holes, due to their becoming filled. Force the scratch awl thru and turn it several times. This will effectively force an opening.

In many instances long ends of cane remain from one series to another. These generally, as previously mentioned, should be used in succeeding steps. There is one limitation. They should be used provided it is not necessary to carry them over more than four holes on the under side of the frame. The fewer loose ends left, the better, for the caning is thereby neater and better. It is generally advisable to use a full length strand to avoid a number of loose ends.

The amateur will find his greatest difficulty in properly weaving the diagonals at the edges; that is, immediately upon entering or leaving a hole. Many commendable pieces of caning are spoiled by ragged, improperly woven edges. Care must be taken to see that the cane goes over and under the proper strand or strands at these points. Fig. 6 clearly shows how the diagonals should run. Study it carefully.

The addition of a binder is generally a matter of taste. Perhaps 50 per cent of modern hand caned furniture does not employ a binder of any description. The series of regularly exposed holes are rather pleasing and in no way detract. However, in chair seats a binder is essential to protect the ends of canes, for they are subject to hard wear.

Binders of reed or of wood called “splines” may be used on hand-caned frames. If either is used a groove ¼ in. deep and ³/₁₆ in. wide is cut coincident with the holes before weaving is begun. After the area is caned the strips are fitted and glued in. Use little glue. Tap the splines firmly with a mallet used over a block of wood, until they are flush with the woven cane. Chapter IV gives the method in detail.

The size of the holes and the distance between them is determined largely by the size of the cane used. Some prefer coarse meshed areas, while others desire them closely woven. There is, however, what we may term a standard mesh. The individual may vary the dimensions given to suit himself. The Jacobean or early caning was invariably of coarse mesh.

Carriage and superfine cane require ? in. holes and ? in. spaces; fine-fine cane requires ³/₁₆ in. holes and ½ in. spaces; fine cane requires ³/₁₆ in. holes and ? in. spaces; medium, ¼ in. holes and ¾ in. spaces. Fine-fine and fine cane are the best sizes for shop use. A small amount of medium binder is desirable.

One hank of cane will ordinarily be sufficient for a half-dozen areas of approximately 12 in. by 12 in.

Most old pieces of period furniture utilizing cane employ a particularly narrow split horizontally and vertically, and a wider split diagonally. The opposite practice may be employed—a finer split of cane being used diagonally than horizontally and vertically. Both effects are pleasing.

In all illustrations of rectangular areas shown herein, corner holes are bored and utilized in the cane weaving. These are not absolutely necessary; in fact caned areas on many pieces of period and modern furniture do not utilize corner holes. In such instances two diagonal strands are run in each hole on either side of the corner. A comparison of the areas, the one employing a corner hole, and the other not, will lead the observer to conclude that the former appears complete while the latter appears unfinished.

It is frequently necessary or desirable to cover up the cane on the back or inside of an article. This is true of places exposed to view, and is especially advisable on such pieces of furniture as the wingback chair shown in Fig. 7. This chair of William and Mary design was made in a school shop, is hand caned, and of mahogany. The exposed cane is covered with strips of mahogany ¼ in. thick and 1 in. wide in which a groove ? in. deep and ? in. wide has been run. This groove may be made with saw, chisel, or combination plane. Fig. 8 shows a sketch of such a strip. It makes a neat, pleasing cover. Many pieces of so-called expensive furniture have ragged, exposed caning. This is unsightly and is not to be commended.

Wherever it is found desirable to leave cane natural, it is necessary that the frame be stained before caning is begun. Box fuming will not permanently color cane. Oil stains make no appreciable impression if rubbed off at once. But water, acid, and alcohol stains produce decided colors. If the worker desires to color the cane approximately the same shade as the article, the caning may be done on the white wood and the entire article stained at the one operation. Cane may be shellacked or varnished or left natural, as desired.Irregular Areas.—Fig. 9 shows a close view of the back of the chair illustrated in Fig. 7. This is a typical example of an irregular-shaped area for caning. The principles of weaving remain the same in areas of any shape, yet each requires slightly different treatment. Each has its individual problem. It is necessary to skip some holes altogether. This is never done in rectangular shapes. A close inspection of the photograph will reveal many skipped holes. This is necessary to keep parallel strands equidistant, and diagonals straight.

To clearly understand how the holes are located on a wing of this chair refer to Fig. 10. The left upright and lower rails are at right angles to each other. The upper rail is curved and the right upright slanted. Measurements are begun at the lower left hand corner and proper distances spaced on the left upright. With the arm of a try-square against this upright, points are marked on the opposite upright in line with those on the former. This operation is repeated on the lower rail and the upper curved one. Strands of cane will then obviously run parallel. Inasmuch as there are five holes in the base and eight in the top it is necessary that three vertical strands be run into the slanting upright in any holes which will permit the strands to run parallel to each other. The photograph of the caned wing, shown in Fig. 11, should make very clear the foregoing explanation. Experience with several unusual shapes is necessary before the weaver feels confident of readily caning any area of odd shape.

In weaving the diagonals it is frequently necessary to run several in one hole in order to keep the canes as straight as possible. Just when this should be done can only be determined by the worker. A diagonal should never be permitted to swing to any great degree out of a straight line. A close observation of the photograph of the wing will reveal many diagonal canes in one hole, and several holes skipped entirely.

Five-Step Caning.—Cane weaving of five steps is not common. It may be done in many cases where it will not be subject to hard wear. It is neat in appearance and is much simpler than seven-step caning. The presumption should not be made that this weave will in any way supplant the regular weave, but in instances where decoration is the object, and not service particularly, this weave will prove sufficient and effective.

Fig. 12 illustrates a frame caned with the five steps. The distance between holes was purposely made greater than usual, to show the weave clearly. The first strands are strung in, in the same manner as described in the seven steps. The second series of strands are interwoven with the first. The over and under weave is used. Each alternate row of each series is either over or under. The first diagonal strands run over the preceding two series. They are not woven as in seven-step caning. The second diagonal strands run over the first diagonals and under the intersection of the other strands, including every alternate first diagonal. This resolves itself into simple over and under weaving. Note that but one strand of a diagonal enters a corner hole. This is not true of seven-step caning, as elsewhere indicated. It is advisable to utilize a wider cane in the first two steps, than is used in the subsequent ones.

The Design Element.—Caning is not a fad. Cane was commonly used in Carolean furniture in England about 1660, and has continued in use for seating purposes thru the various subsequent periods. The application of cane as used today on French furniture, as in panels, is historically wrong. However there can be no valid objection to its use in panels if no attempt is made to name it a true period style. Also it must be conceded that period furniture was not always well designed, and there can be no well sustained objection to the use of cane in panels, provided it is in keeping structurally and decoratively with the particular piece of furniture. The introduction of cane at first was undoubtedly brought about by a desire for something light, substantial and serviceable, and it blended well with the oak of the period. Cane is much used on modern furniture, and without doubt it adds to the beauty of the given pieces. In many cases the decoration is overdone and instead of improving the article the cane in reality detracts. Properly used, it enriches by breaking up flat uninteresting areas, and lightening the appearance of otherwise massive, cumbersome articles.

Under proper correlation with wood in school shops it promotes an appreciation of constructive design in which the element of beauty is a prime consideration. It is a practical medium in which the aspect of design as an element of utility is paramount. It has distinct commercial value, for the boys who have had training in the shops may do chair seating outside and earn considerable money. By such work they come to see a distinct relation between the commercial field and their shop experiences. This is a point of view which is very desirable in present-day industrial education. Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 17 show pieces of furniture made in manual training shops by eighth grade boys. These pieces comprise a group, with the addition of the leg rest shown in Fig. 2 for a library or living room. The cane in each instance adds materially to the artistic effect of the problems; they have tone. The cane forms pleasing groups well related to the wood mass. The cane is natural, the wood fumed and finished flat. The two tones of color are in perfect harmony.

Fig. 16 shows a library table of oak constructed by an eighth grade boy. The lines are very pleasing and the long vertical caned panel adds a distinct note to the structure even tho purely decorative.

Many modifications of the standard weave in caning are in vogue, but are more or less fads. A “rotary” weave is rather prevalent on certain types of furniture, as is what may be termed the “spider-web” weave. These are mentioned merely to suggest that caning is subject to variation. However, the standard weave, of seven steps, will not be supplanted to any appreciable degree, for it adapts itself to almost all types of furniture both decoratively and structurally. It must not be presumed that the method described in Chapter I is the only one which may be employed in weaving this standard weave. There are several methods of weaving which arrive at the same ultimate result, but the one described is the simplest, and the most direct, and withal the one best adapted to general use, particularly to school-shop pupils.