REVAMP REPAIR recycle

Give a standard bar stool, or any homewares with a woven cane detail, a handmade flourish with this sweet needlecraft idea

The cane backing on this chair makes the perfect blank canvas for a giant cross stitch design. This technique is a gorgeous way to add colour and personality to a vintage piece without any commitment to a permanent change, as the stitches can be easily removed. A little extra care is needed to make sure that the back is as neat as the front - remember that both sides will be visible.

1 Sand back the finish on the chair frame. Either do this by hand using a sanding block, which is more time consuming but prevents any damage to the rounded shape of the wood, or with an electric sander if your chair has a simpler design. Make sure the chair is free of dust.

2 Take a piece of graph paper and plan out your cross-stitch design using coloured pencils that match your yarn. You will need this plan to refer to as you make your stitches.