Invasive Basketry

Vines and Withies

Online Course

If you're already registered, access the course here!

Weave with Me!

'Tis the season to harvest vines and withies for all of the year's weaving to come! Join me as I walk you through my process, exploring the wild and invasive vines outside my door, selecting appropriate weaving material, and processing it for baskets! I'll introduce you to some of my favorite vines and show you how I incorporate them into baskets - honeysuckle, bittersweet, wisteria, English ivy, and the infamous kudzu! Withy is a fun, Old English word for a sprout from a tree or shrub, mainly willow, but in this case refers to the many kinds of flexible woody shoots growing along the roadsides and field edges. Learn to choose appropriate withies, and weave them into baskets to add strength and vibrant color!

The first part of this course is focused on harvesting, drying, and processing material. In Part II, I show you how to weave three useful and beautiful baskets with the material you've prepared:

Appalachian Egg Basket
Hen Basket
Wild Vine Backpack

The class is composed of written instructions as well as immersive videos. In part 2 I show every step of the weaving process, broken up into smaller videos so you can return easily to the place where you left off and rewatch sections again. The course also includes an online forum where you can connect with other students, share your progress, and ask me questions! Also, all of my returning students are able to sign up in advance for in-person classes, to continue their weaving journey. This will apply to online course participants as well!

Price

$100-200 sliding scale.

You may choose what you would like to pay within that range.

Schedule

Part I: Harvesting Vines and Withies begins February 2024.

Part II: Weaving Vines and Withies begins March 2024.

This is a self-paced course, with instructional videos and written material, as well as a group forum to ask questions and share progress. Students will have access to all of the material and community forum forever.

Registration

The Baskets

Photo by Corie Marie Photography

Appalachian Egg Basket

Also called a booty basket, this mountain basket holds eggs in two separate pockets to prevent them from rolling around and cracking. Students may weave the traditional heart-shaped bottom or a larger flat-bottom basket for herb and veggies harvests.

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Wild Vine Backpack

This is a basket for everyday life, whether you use it for foraging hikes, trips to the coffee shop, or to carry your cat. You may weave a more standard shaped pack basket, or a fun round basket like this one. I will cover various decorative weaves and techniques to make your backpack unique!

Photo by Corie Marie Photography

Hen Basket

A traditional Scottish design, originally meant for transporting broody hens from one croft to another. Now they serve as useful harvest baskets, handbags, and can even be hung on the wall.

A few good questions:

Do I need to live in Southern Appalachia to weave these baskets?

No! If you live where any of the above mentioned vines grow, or there are other vines growing close by that are flexible enough to wrap around your finger, you will be able to make these baskets. This includes most of North America and Europe, even East Asia which shares many plant species with Appalachia.

Can I start the course later in the year?

Yes, BUT, now is the ideal time to harvest vines and withies for basketweaving. They are easier to access in winter, when much of the other plant life has died back for the season. The vines will be stronger and more pliable harvested this time of year, with the bark fixed tightly, and less leaves to remove when processing. I do still harvest vines and withies at other times of the year, especially if I want to peel off the bark, or when it's the only time I have access to certain plants. However, late winter when I do most of my harvesting for the year's baskets!

What if I try the course, and it just isn't for me?

I'm happy to give you a full refund if you decide it's not your thing, and let me know within a month of giving it a go!

Will you show the entire process in your videos?

Yes! There are no 30-second overviews here. Sit back, relax, and watch me sweat in the kudzu patch, make a cup of tea while I tromp along the roadside cutting withies and dry my material by the wood stove. But then it will be your turn to explore and weave along with me (and I want to see photos of all you are doing too)!

Is your book coming out soon?

The book is nearly finished, but will take another year and a half to two years to make its way through the long publishing and printing process. When released, the book will be a great companion to the online course and your basketry exploration!