SketchChair is an application that allows novice users to control the entire process of designing and building their own chairs. Chairs are designed using a simple 2D sketch-based interface and design validation tools, and are then fabricated from sheet materials, cut by a laser cutter or CNC milling machine. This paper presents the concepts and details of SketchChair, and both miniature and full-sized chairs are designed using the application. We conclude with results and insights from a workshop in which novice users designed their own model chairs.