There's a video of a guy weaving a Wegner Wishbone chair and he just does a tight square knot and trims the ends close to the knot. This is how I do it on Wishbones.
On CH23s I have mostly just tacked the old ends to the wider side rail, then tacked the new ones over them as best i can so as not to take up any more space width-wise. This is easier to do using short wire nails than with upholstery tacks. I poke a starter hole in the cord with a sturdy T-pin or large needle first, then hold the little nail in place with needlenose pliers while tapping it in with a tack hammer.
I came up with my own joining method that I've mostly used on Yugoslavian folding chairs but recently on two Swedish chairs with the same kind of seats as the CH23. I splice the new end to the old end so that the entire splice is just over the wide side rail on the inside.
To do this, untwist the plies on one cord and cut one of them about 1 3/4" from the end. Do the same on the other cord but cut two instead of one. Apply some wood glue and twist the two ends together (do a dry run first!)---easier to do on better quality cord because it's stiffer and more dense. Then unfurl a slightly longer big of cord, smooth one ply flat, and spread it with glue. Wrap it around the splice making sure the cuts are covered. Pinch it smooth around the cord and let dry for 10-15 minutes, then continue weaving.
That might sound fussy and it's maybe a bit too much bother for a CH23 type seat but on a Wegner-style folding chair where the back is visible, it's a good way to get a knot-free look.
Cut them as you go. I start with about 20 yards (or meters, it's about the same). I don't bother to measure exactly since it doesn't matter---I simply determined that a point midway between my center front and shoulder, out to my outstretched fingertips, was about 3 feet. Then just measure the cord that way, pulling it off the spool as I go.
I use about 4 lengths like that to do the weft of the seat. After the third one, I might re-compute but only so that I don't end up short or way over. I hate having do another join when I am a bit short, and I hate having long piece leftover (because there's not a lot you can do with leftover bits).
I am having difficulty with the weft of my CH23 Hans Wegner chair.I have reached the point where there are only about 8cm to finish the seat but I realise it is not straight.I mean there is less space to manoeuvre on the side of the chair than on the seat of the chair.It is as if I had tightened too much the weaves (perpendicular) and at the same time I had pushed them back toward the back of the seat.The sides are also tight but seem to be a bit in an oblique line.I do not know if I am making myself very clear but the problem is I have quite a bit of seat to replenish and not enough side space.Perhaps I have tightened the seat cords too much .I suppose I´d better begin all over again 😢 . Also when I proceed with a new bit of cord I find it difficult to decide where to tack it down so that it doesn´t interfere with the new bit of cording.
Thank you
Nuria
It's very easy to let the side rails fill up with wraps before the seat is filled up with the weft (side to side strands). You have to push the side wraps towards your start point (I start at the back but others like to start at the front). Each time I attach a new strand, I first push the side wraps back as far as I possibly can; I use an awl but you can also use the handle of a soup spoon (near the bowl of the spoon). Just be sure you use something that will not slip and gouge the cord!
They do tend to slant a bit but it should not be more than a tiny bit.
Weft cords that are not tight enough might be part of the problem, too. I give mine a strong tug, then push them up against the woven area which will loosen them a little, then another smaller tug just to get remaining slack. I do that on every single row.
When you're finished, you can always even up the weft strands a bit. Look at them straight on to see where all the gaps are. Start at the front or back and work your way to the opposite side.
Attaching new strands neatly is a pain on these chairs. I think the originals were knotted...maybe? I haven't seen one with original weaving in quite awhile. I used to tack the ends of the previous cords to the rail on closer to the bottom edge, then tack the looped end of the new strand over them. I find 5/8" wire nails to be easier, less noticeable, and more secure than upholstery tacks. I make a starter hole in the cord with a sturdy pin, stick the wire nail into the starter hole, then hold it with needlenose pliers while I tap it in with a tack hammer (small head).
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com