TO be able to cane or rush the seat of a chair is almost like picking money from trees! There is scarcely a town in the entire country that does not offer a chance for doing this particular kind of work. There are no limitations, either, of age or sex. Ten and eleven-year-olds can compete equally with men and women. The technique is simple weaving. Little strength is required. It can be done standing up or sitting down. About the only problem is that of transporting the work from the home of the customer. The way to solve that is to have the customer bring the work to you and pick it up when ready.

Prices for re-seating chairs range from five dollars on up, depending upon size of seat and the materials used. Rush, a dried grass, commands a higher price than cane and is quite popular for antique chairs. Heavy, natural-colored twine, Venetian blind tapes and small size rope or clothesline are also used for seats and backs of both indoor and outdoor chairs, stools and settees. The ways of using them are identical. The effects they create when finished are interesting and decorative.

Cane and rush, which must be dampened before working in order to keep them pliable, may be bought from handcraft supply houses. Later on, as your skill increases, you may want to try working with rush you have gathered and dried yourself. What is it? Cattail leaves, gathered and tied in bundles and allowed to dry in the attic. The leaves are rolled between the thumb and forefinger as you work. Try it sometime. It's a money saver.

The other materials are available in the hardware store. When buying twine or cord, be sure to get those with a hard tight twist and smooth surface. They work up better and last longer. Venetian blind tape comes in a standard width and may be had in colors as well as white. Interesting patterns and color schemes may be worked by combining the colors in simple over-and-under weaving patterns.

To learn the feel and handle of the materials and the necessary weaving technique, start with a footstool. The wood frame may be made in shop class or at home or bought from a handcraft shop. The simplest method is that in which all the strands are laid across from side to side. The second journey weaves the strands under and over the first set, thus completing the seat. Use twine or heavy cord for the first stool.

Mark the center of each top rail of the stool frame. There must be an equal number of strands on either side of this center point. Tie a knot in the end of the cord and tack it to the inside left-hand corner of the frame. Before starting to lay the strands, place a half-inch wood dowel across the top of frame. This regulates the tension of the strands and allows sufficient room for later weaving. Bring the cord up outside the front rail and wrap it around the rail twice, then carry it acros the dowel to the opposite rail. Wind around twice and carry it back. Do this until this side of work is completed. Check to see that there are an equal number of strands on either side of the center points.

Remove the dowel for the second stage of the work. Beginning at the right-hand corner, wrap the cord around twice, then weave it over and under the vertical strands, wrapping twice around the opposite rail when the journey is completed. Continue back and forth until the seat is completed. To secure the final strand, make a knot close up to the rail, then tack it to underside of rail. This method produces a simple crisscross pattern which may be varied by introducing stripes of contrasting color placed at even intervals or by laying the strands in groups of four and interweaving them with four strands. If the weaving groups are of a contrasting color, a checkerboard effect is achieved.