This stool is named for my mum who loved classic woven furniture and the fabric designs of Marimekko. The design has a Scandinavian feel to it and the finished stool works in many applications, and has the benefit of being super light.
Design variations
I’ve made the Toni stool many times upholstered in fabric or leather, or in Danish cord which also complements its simple crisp design. And of course it can also be made as an end table with a solid top.
In this article we’ll look at creating a woven seat. Danish cord is made by twisting three brown paper plies together. The unlaced one I am using is 4mm thick which gives a very smooth result to the weave; the laced version is made with a tighter twist that more resembles a twisted rope.
This new stool features bridle joinery on the side frames and the reason for this is not just aesthetics, but also addresses the tension that the weave places on the frame over time.
The wood
To get started you need at least 11 pieces of good quality hardwood machined to 35 x 25mm and 500mm long. Add in a couple of spares for setting up your machines and testing the joinery.
I’m using good quality air dried messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua), locally milled from bushfire damaged logs which are offcuts from a previous job.
