Do-it-yourself twig chair

Cochrane and Anne Roberts, creators of internationally acclaimed willow structures, hold workshops on building classic willow furniture. It's an intense weekend of work, but the end result is a chair that you will cherish for many years to come.

Follow these instructions to make a rustic willow chair on your own.

Tips:
• Work with a partner.
• To avoid splitting wood, drill pilot holes and drive nails in at a slight angle.
• You can harvest willow twigs and shoots along streams, rivers and lakes. Pussy willow is what you're looking for; weeping willow, a tree, is too brittle to use.
• Choose straight, pliable twigs without gnarls that range from 3/4 to 2-1/2 inches in diameter.
• To prevent damage to plants, cut twigs by pruning shrubs or trees (be careful not to pull or cut out the roots).
• Collect extra twigs in case you break some, and store them in a bucket of water until ready to use.
• Cut twigs only after you have the permission of property owners.

Supplies
• Galvanized framing nails, 2-1/2 to 4 in
• Finishing nails, 1 in and 1-5/8 in, for armrests, headrest, seat/back
• Measuring tape
• Small bow saw, rasp and hammer
• Garden shears and 2-handed pruning shears
• Cordless drill, selection of bits
• Bristle paintbrush
• Linseed oil, turpentine

Instructions
1. Using small bow saw or pruning shears, cut shoots to length (see Cutting Chart).

2. To make sides: On work table lay out side beams and front and back legs. Using corner of table as a square, position 1 back leg on table parallel to and along side edge of table; move bottom (foot) of back leg in 3 in from side edge of table, ensuring that it touches bottom edge of table. This is back slope of chair. Place 1 front leg 20 in from bottom of back leg parallel to side edge of table (not sloped).

3. Place top and bottom side beams (parallel to bottom edge of table) across front and back legs, with bottom beam 4 in up from leg bottoms. Position front end of top side beam approx 1 in down from top of front leg. Adjust front and back legs to appropriate width. Using 2-1/2-in nails, fasten beams in place. Repeat for other side, making mirror image of first side (Photo 1).

4. To join sides: Lay top front beam on top of top side beams; adjust width between sides and using 2-1/2-in nails, fasten in place. Place bottom front beam on top of bottom side beams; adjust sides and nail in place as above (Photo 2).

5. Working at back of frame, determine desired width at top between 2 back legs and adjust. Nail top and bottom rear beams to back legs as in Step 4 (Photos 2 and 4).

6. Place headrest beam on top of back legs so that it extends same amount on both sides; using 2-1/2-in nails, fasten (Photo 2).

7. Eight inches above top rear beam, measure distance between back legs and cut stretcher beam to fit. Using 3-1/2- or 4-in nails, fasten stretcher to back legs, nailing through each leg into centre of stretcher beam.