Working With English Ivy
Harvesting, Processing, & Weaving With Christi York
Online learning
You can enrol in just the talk or the course, or join both for 10% off.
Working with English Ivy
An Introductory Class With Christi York
Live Online On Tuesday 2nd September 2025 4-6pm BST
Ivy is fantastic for basket weaving projects and sculptural art; flexible, strong, and fairly easy to obtain. During this lesson, Christi will share how she harvests and uses fresh ivy two ways; weaving with the bark kept on for a rustic feel, or split and peeled into a material suitable for fine sculptural basketry work.
This class will cover what to look for, how to harvest, and a detailed demonstration on how to peel and split the vines into fine material. Christi has several finished projects to show how the vines can be used in different ways. Included in the live session is a brief intro into how to dye the peeled vines, followed by a question and answer period.
A PDF follow up with links and information is include.
Though not a weaving class, Christi will have several finished projects to show how the vines can be used in different ways.
Join live or watch the recording: The recording will be available for three months. You will need to sign up by the 2nd September to access the recording.
Open Weave Hanging Basket
An Online Course With Christi York
2.5 hours of pre-recorded video demonstrations and a live Q&A on Wednesday 12th November 4-6pm GMT 2025
Artist Christi York leads you step by step in how to create a beautiful, practical, wall hanging basket. Once you learn this open weave, twining technique, Christi will show several variations. Originally found in an out-of-print basketry book, this project is being taught with permission from the original author, Hisako Sekijima. You may be inspired to go on to create less practical, but no less beautiful, sculptural pieces to use as home decor.
If you have watched the previous Working with English Ivy demonstration, you can use your ivy vines for this project. Otherwise, a PDF will be sent out ahead of time with information on where to purchase commercially available basketry material. Depending on where you live, this material is known as “reed”, “centre reed” or “cane".
Video demonstration recordings are being made especially for this course and will be available on the 8th October
Join live or watch the recording: The recordings will be available until the 12th February 2026. You will need to sign up by the 12th November to access the resources.
Learn both about how to process ivy for weaving, and how to make a hanging basket
About Christi York
Christi York is a contemporary artist who has been studying basketry techniques for the past 12 years. Her focus is on ethical harvesting from her immediate landscape. As a materials driven studio artist, she is obsessed with plants and how humans fit into their world.
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