Working on the cane gang.

One of the ongoing crafts here at the Plantation Camp Ground is learning the old art of chair caning. Cane in a natural product cut by machine from the outer bark of Rattan, a jungle vine that grows in Borneo, Sumatra and Malaysia. The same company that supplies cane also carries basket weaving materials. They have been in business since 1934.

Our friends Bob and Barb have taught caning for a couple of years now. Bob learned from his mother and spends his summer repairing a steady stream of chairs. Luckily for me Bob usually brings several chairs with them and I was able to learn on a very pretty one. Last year a number of chairs were caned then sold at auction raising about $1800 for the Escapee Care Center in Livingston Texas. The same is planned this year with the hope of breaking $2000.
Since I am still a novice at caning, there is no point in trying to explain more so a few pictures should help.

This is typical of a chair in need. Someone probably stood on it.

This is the chair I was given to learn on.

The caning material before soaking in water. Water makes it pliable.

The first step.

Me, hard at it.

Many steps later,almost finished

Detail.

Cane field

I really did do this chair. I may even do another one.