Suzy learned how to make willow chairs from Don King, a master chairmaker in Challis, Idaho. The chairs look fragile and bony, but they are very comfortable and are built to last generations. This is one of them.
Suzy’s chairs are made from local willow, mountain maple, and red twig dogwood. Suzy says that she’s partners with the beavers upstream, who keep the willow trimmed and increase the density of the new shoots; her renter Steve helps too. Here’s Steve harvesting willow,
and here’s a pile of pieces that might become chairs.
Sometimes working out of the house means turning the house into a workspace. This winter, Suzy took over the loft for chairmaking.
First she makes the chair’s frame, usually from willow. Then she covers the frame with willow twigs.
When the chair is new, the twigs are beet red and moss green. Over time, they fade to a uniform russet.
This chair has a peeled mountain maple frame, and oak rockers. It is specially made for a knitter, so it has a yarn pocket on the side. To me, the chair looks like it just walked out of the forest.
The chairs are surprising comfortable. (They even have lumbar support.)
If you want to order one of Suzy’s chairs let me know and I’ll put you in touch with her; she makes these beautiful things for $500.
I abSOULutley love my willow rocker… Not only is it the most comfortable chair I have ever sat in…it is a work of art, that is the centerpiece of my sweet little home…thank you to Suzy and Kristy and Steve! for bringing the sweet, simple pleasures back to us all…xoxo PR
Thanks for the affirmation on the rocker, Peg. Now THAT’s a chair! Alice
hey Suzy, looks like you have fun, I’ve been making willow furniture for 15 years, it’s alot of work prep wise, but the results are neat, when you have a pile of looks like fire wood and kinding and turning it into a piece of furniture is gratifying, I also do large stuctures that I use cedar that I cut in my mountains 45 minutes from where I live and I’ve been making so long that I grow my own that took about 4 years to do. the hardest to keep up with is the twig I go through that the fastest, but any furniture maker they say the same thing it’s the twig that is hardest to get. But me being in San Diego area it grows fast all long, check out my site. I do regional so I don’t get hits all over the world just my area and L.A. right now I’m doing a restaurant 145 chairs. so I have a 3 month waiting list. good luck keep it up it will keep you healthy.
Curt
You are right, these are wonderful chairs. I have the honor of owning the first one Suzy made, and I love it. When I can’t sleep, or if I decide to read, knit or just rock, it’s my very favorite place to be. My chair reminds me of Suzy and Hesperus. So when the Texas heat makes me melt, I come inside and rock in my rocky mountain Suzy-chair. Hugs to all of my Colorado friends, Alice in Texas.