Shaker Chair Tape Weaving Patterns

Our Standard Patterns – Checkerboard and Herringbone

At Shaker Workshops, most customers prefer the traditional checkerboard pattern woven in either 1” or 7/8” chair tape. Our 7/8” chair tape is an exact copy of a very early (c. 1840) hand woven flamestitch tape from the Canterbury, New Hampshire Shaker community; it is available in only one colorway. These widths are appropriate for all Shaker chairs, rockers, and stools, and the pattern is easy to weave. The herringbone pattern in 5/8” chair tape was generally used on chairs made by the Shakers at their chair factory in Mt. Lebanon, NY. The effect is very beautiful and it, too, is easy to weave.

When you order our furniture, you specify the width and color(s) of the chair tape you’d like. The price of our kits include a sufficient quantity of chair tape to complete your project. If we are weaving your chairs, the checkerboard and herringbone patterns are our standard patterns. When weaving the chevron and diamond patterns, we charge an extra $10.00 for each seat and back. (For example, a No. 5 Tape Back Chair with a chevron or diamond on the seat and back would be $20.00 extra.)

If you’d like a checkerboard or chevron pattern, select 5/8”, 7/8”, or 1” chair tape. As the photograph below of the chevron pattern illustrates, it is possible to combine widths of chair tape. If you’d like a herringbone or diamond pattern, we strongly recommend that you select 5/8” chair tape.


Checkerboard Pattern, 1” tape on Low-Back Dining Chair	Checkerboard Pattern, 1” tape on Shaker Weaver’s Chair	Checkerboard Pattern, 7/8” tape on Shaker Straight Chair


Checkerboard Pattern, 5/8” tape on No. 5 Tape Back Side Chair	Herringbone Pattern, 5/8” tape on No. 5 Tape Back Side Chair	Herringbone Pattern, 5/8” tape on No. 5 Tape Back Arm Chair

Our Special Patterns – Chevron and Diamond

In response to customer requests, we have developed a whole series of diamond patterns that are shown below on various chairs. We do apologize for the informality of the photographs—most were taken in our weaving room; some sent to us by customers. You’ll note below that we can even do a double diamond pattern on the Mt. Lebanon Settee.


Diamond Pattern No. 1 on No. 7 Tape Back Rocker	Diamond Pattern No. 1 on No. 5 Tape Back Arm Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 2 on No. 5 Tape Back Arm Chair


Diamond Pattern No. 3 on No. 5 Slat Back Arm Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 3 on Straight Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 4 on No. 5 Tape Back Arm Chair


Diamond Pattern No. 5 on Weaver’s Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 5 on No. 5 Tape Back Side Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 5 on No. 5 Tape Back Side Chair


Diamond Pattern No. 5 on Foot Stool	Diamond Pattern no. 6 on No. 5 Side Chair	Diamond Pattern No. 7 on No. 5 Slat Back Arm Chair

Diamond Pattern No. 4
on Mt. Lebanon Settee

Chevron Pattern, 7/8” tape
on No. 5 Tape Back Side Chair

Click here to see our full range of Shaker chair tape colors and for instructions on how to measure your chair when ordering replacement Shaker chair tape.

Need help trying to visualize stain and seat color combinations on our Shaker chairs and rockers? Click here or on the image below to try our interactive program “VIRTUAL SHAKER CHAIR TAPE WEAVER” .

SHAKER WORKSHOPS
PO Box 8001
Ashburnham, MA 01430-8001
1-800-840-9121