Learn to make a woven cane seat during a three-part workshop on Thursdays, March 3 & 10 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, March 12 from 9–11 a.m., in the visitors’ center at Renfrew Park. Sponsored by Renfrew Institute, the workshop is open to persons age 15 and older and limited to 10 participants, with pre-registration required.
“For the first time we are offering gift certificates for our workshops,” said Melodie Anderson-Smith, the institute’s executive director. “This would make a great holiday gift for anyone interested in learning a heritage craft like caning.”
Local craftsman, Merri Tabor will provide expert instruction in the art of caning. Tabor has provided caning and rushing services for more than 35 years in her husband’s furniture restoration shop, Golden Eagle Cabinet Shop.
Tabor will guide participants in caning a beautiful footstool. The custom-made stools are high quality, hand-crafted by a local maker and finished except for the addition of the caned seat.
Participants may also bring their own furniture piece to cane instead of buying a stool. Tabor encourages all levels of participation, and will work with each participant individually as well as with the whole group for basic instruction.
The time-honored caning skills and methods taught in the workshop can be used later to replace worn, torn or missing caned seats on vintage chairs—whether family heirloom or flea market treasure. Hand-caned chair seats are beautiful, strong and durable.
The basic workshop fee is $25 for members of Renfrew Institute, $30/non-member. Materials fees are additional, as follows: $65 for the hand–crafted stool; $25 for a caning kit that includes all tools needed, cane and booklet; $17 for cane only, for those with their own tools and who are not buying a footstool.
Participants are required to attend all three 2-hour sessions and may register now. For more information about registration—or gift certificates—call the institute at 717-762-0373, or email to: info@renfrewinstitute.org. More details also at www.renfrewinstitute.org.
Parking is available adjacent to the visitors’ center.
This program is sponsored in part by Marge Kiersz, Lucinda D. Potter, CPA, Smith Elliott Kearns & Co., and by Today’s Horizon Fund Contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation, APX Enclosures, Inc., and the Carolyn Terry Eddy Family: Carolyn, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin. Facility support provided courtesy of Renfrew Museum and Park.