Okay, I warned you there would be more jute projects… and I’m just dying over this one so you’ll have to excuse my obsession! This woven bench turned out even better than I had imagined and it wasn’t nearly as difficult to make as I had anticipated. It’s the perfect little piece for an entryway or at the end of your bed… or just anywhere! I was originally just going to make a small woven stool, but I went all out and I’m so glad I did.
What you need:
-Three 2x2x8 Furring Strips
-Four Table Legs
-Tape Measurer
-Pencil
-Saw
-Sandpaper
-Drill
-Screws
–Jute (You’ll need a few rolls.)
–Cotton Cord
-Hammer
–Upholstery Nails
How to make it:
-Cut your furring strips. You’ll need 2 – 50″ pieces, 2 – 12″ pieces, 3 – 38.5″ pieces, and 2 – 11.5″ pieces
-Use your drill to make two holes (about the same size as the thread on the screws you use) right above each other on each end of the 50″ pieces, 5″ in from the end.
-Attach the 12″ pieces to the 50″ pieces by screwing them together through those holes. Now you have the frame for the top of the bench.
-(I started my weaving at this point, but you can wait until the entire bench is together if you want.) Use upholstery nails to attach the the jute to the inside of the bench and wrap tightly around the entire bench until you reach the other end and secure with more upholstery nails on the inside where they won’t be seen. You will probably have to use a few rolls of jute for this project, when you reach the end of one roll, tie the end securely to the beginning of the next roll and keep wrapping – just make sure the knot is on the under side of the bench.
-Repeat these steps with the cotton cord, but weave it in between the jute to create whatever pattern your heart desires!
-To attach the legs, you will need to drill a hole in the 50″ piece where it meets the 12″ [ieces so that the threaded bolt will fit inside. Drill two holes through the top for the screws to go down into the legs (Make sure you go around the screws already going through – See photo #3). Now screw them together. (The legs are a bit bigger than the furring so the hole you drill for the bolt will not be centered on the 50″ outside piece.)
-To create the rack on the bottom, you will want to measure out where you want your three bars across the two 11.5″ pieces. Drill a hole in those three place about the size of the threads on your screw and attach them to the three 38.5″ pieces.
-Measure up about 4.5″ on each leg and drill a hole through the middle of the leg from the outside. Attach the rack through these holes.
I had to include this little serious face… cracks me up!
What do you think? Do you need a woven bench for your space?
xo. Caitlin