overshot weaving tips manufacturer

Over 50 instructional videos that guide you through making a warp, dressing your loom, weaving, finishing your cloth, and troubleshooting. View product images for course outline.

Susan Kesler-Simpson, author of the popular Overshot Simply and Shadow Weave Simply, now explains Crackle Weave “simply.” Her teaching style is to break down the weave structure into its basic parts so that it is easy to understand, and then teach you how the parts work together to create the weave structure so that you can use any pattern or create your own.

Learning is not complete without practice, so there are 25 patterns to try for a variety of pieces in both modern and traditional effects. The projects are simple enough for any beginning weaver, and include shawls, scarves, rugs, blankets, towels, and table runners. Some are woven in the traditional crackle method while others introduce weaving crackle as overshot, summer/winter, and more.

There were ten of us in the class, and we rotated, weaving a new sample at each loom. Marjie shared her knowledge of the patterns we sampled, and I came away with an even greater interest in this subject in addition to a binder filled with samples. There really is no greater way to learn than a hands-on workshop. I am already preparing to wind a warp for a dimity project. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

One interesting piece of information I learned is that overshot is a fairly modern term. Originally this type of weaving would have been referred to as floats or floatwork. It seems that many people are returning to this original terminology, though the weaving world has thus far shown little interest in making the change back. Personally, I like it. Floatwork sounds a bit less frenetic than overshot – as though I’m peacefully hitting my mark rather than missing it in a wild fashion.

When I first considered writing this article, I wasn’t confident enough with my weaving vocabulary to write something that a true beginner might actually understand. The information out there assumed, and still assumes, a certain level of weaving knowledge. I learn best by seeing something demonstrated, not by trying to translate written instructions. So how does one write an article for people like me? Let’s start with some basic terminology.

Floatwork, formerly known as overshot which was originally known as floatwork, is a block design traditionally woven on four shafts where a heavier pattern yarn floats above a plain weave ground cloth and creates a raised pattern. Your plain weave background cloth is woven using a finer yarn in your warp and in every other weft pick (these weft picks being the ‘use tabby’ part of your pattern.)

This finer yarn is hidden in places by the thicker yarn floats, blended in places with the thicker yarn (as plain weave) creating areas that are shaded (referred to as halftone), and woven across itself to create delicate areas of plain weave. Most of us think of antique coverlets when we hear ‘overshot.’

For some reason the term tabby has always annoyed me. It made me think of cats (I’ve got two – one of whom decided to take my seat when I got up to get a quick snack – and I love them both dearly) not weaving until I looked up the origin of the word on etymonline.com.

Back to business. Tabby is a plain weave pick that anchors your pattern pick in place. When weaving floatwork, every other weft pick is tabby. Your pattern pick needs the tabby pick to stabilize the cloth and keep the pattern picks from becoming distorted. This also means that you are working with two shuttles, one holding your tabby yarn and one holding your pattern yarn. This two-shuttle thing can be a bit awward at first, but you’ll get the hang of it with a little practice.

Here is the thing about floatwork that really helped it to make sense for me. It is basically a twill weave. As Mary Black puts it, “An examination of an overshot draft shows it to be made up of a repetitive sequence of the 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4, and 4 and 1 twill blocks”.

Let’s look at the pattern picks only. When weaving, your pattern blocks should overlap by one thread. This creates a pattern that flows from unit to unit instead of making a sharp step. It also means that the last thread of a given block is the first thread of the next block, and as you are initially threading your loom, your threads will move from odd shaft to even shaft.

You can find it listed in the chapter or sub-chapter entitled ‘Notes on the Overshot Drafts.’ As someone who generally cheers on the underdog, I was drawn to this pattern without a name.

Here is a list of books and magazines that might be of interest if you’d like to learn more about floatwork/overshot. Many of these references include patterns in addition to thorough instructions.

Atwater, Mary Meigs. The Shuttle-Craft Book of American Handweaving. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1928. Just scored a first edition on ebay for $9! I now have three copies and am seriously in love with this book (taken with a grain of salt as she is rather traditional.)

If you can find this issue anywhere, I’d recommend picking it up. It’s full of great information on historic weaving, but also has a super article on understanding and writing drafts by Debbie Redding (aka Deborah Chandler).

Lots of people think that overshot must be a complicated 8-shafts-and-above weave structure, but that is far from true. Most overshot designs can be woven on 4-shafts, and once you get into a weaving rhythm of pattern-tabby-pattern-tabby, weaving goes smoothly as the beautiful patterns emerge on your loom. That said, designing and weaving overshot requires a bit more concentration than plain weave.

Here are five tips from designer Pattie Graver, author of Next Steps in Weaving, to ensure great overshot results. The first three are probably ones you’ve already heard about weaving other structures, but the last two are about looking at overshot designs and color choices in a mindful way.

I follow the advice of Helene Bress in The Weaving Book: “Identify a diagonal line that appears in the cloth as you weave and try to keep that at 45 degrees.” I keep a protractor by my loom!

If warp and pattern weft are too close in value, the overshot designs will not appear in strong contrast. Remember, too, that the eye follows light, so bits of lighter pattern weft add interest to the cloth.

Debbi Rutherford used name drafting to create this overshot pattern and then used a variegated yarn for her pattern weft. Handwoven January/February 2017. Photo by Joe Coca.

By Susan Kesler-Simpson. Overshot can seem overwhelming if you haven"t done it before but don"t be daunted! Susan Kesler-Simpson"s book makes overshot very approachable. The first part of the book covers what makes overshot what it is structurally. Then Susan goes over ways to adapt overshot: creating your own design from an existing pattern, adding borders, and combining different threading and treadling sequences. She offers tips for making the process of threading and treadling easier. And then the projects! Thirty-seven different projects are given, with large charts for threading and treadling, photos of the finished pieces, and close-up photos showing the structure. The projects allow you to apply what you have just learned and explore the range of possiblities with overshot.

Amanda has been creating with fiber for almost twenty years. After taking numerous art classes in college including ceramics, intaglio printing, and wood carving, Amanda became a self-taught crocheter in 2003. She picked up the love of weaving and knitting over the last several years through classes at Alamitos Bay Yarn Company. Amanda has taught rigid heddle weaving with Carla since 2019.

Overshot: The earliest coverlets were woven using an overshot weave. There is a ground cloth of plain weave linen or cotton with a supplementary pattern weft, usually of dyed wool, added to create a geometric pattern based on simple combinations of blocks. The weaver creates the pattern by raising and lowering the pattern weft with treadles to create vibrant, reversible geometric patterns. Overshot coverlets could be woven domestically by men or women on simple four-shaft looms, and the craft persists to this day.

Summer-and-Winter: This structure is a type of overshot with strict rules about supplementary pattern weft float distances. The weft yarns float over no more than two warp yarns. This creates a denser fabric with a tighter weave. Summer-and-Winter is so named because one side of the coverlet features more wool than the other, thus giving the coverlet a summer side and a winter side. This structure may be an American invention. Its origins are somewhat mysterious, but it seems to have evolved out of a British weaving tradition.

Double Cloth: Usually associated with professional weavers, double cloth is formed from two plain weave fabrics that swap places with one another, interlocking the textile and creating the pattern. Coverlet weavers initially used German, geometric, block-weaving patterns to create decorative coverlets and ingrain carpeting. These coverlets contain twice the yarn and are twice as heavy as other coverlets.

Multi-harness/Star and Diamond: This group of coverlets is characterized not by the structure but by the intricacy of patterning. Usually executed in overshot, Beiderwand, or geometric double cloth, these coverlets were made almost all made in Eastern Pennsylvania by professional weavers on looms with between twelve and twenty-six shafts.

America’s earliest coverlets were woven in New England, usually in overshot patterns and by women working collectively to produce textiles for their own homes and for sale locally. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s book, Age of Homespun examines this pre-Revolutionary economy in which women shared labor, raw materials, and textile equipment to supplement family incomes. As the nineteenth century approached and textile mills emerged first in New England, new groups of European immigrant weavers would arrive in New England before moving westward to cheaper available land and spread industrialization to America’s rural interior.

Coverlet weavers were among some of the earliest European settler in the Northwest Territories. After helping to clear the land and establish agriculture, these weavers focused their attentions on establishing mills and weaving operations with local supplies, for local markets. This economic pattern helped introduce the American interior to an industrial economy. It also allowed the weaver to free himself and his family from traditional, less-favorable urban factory life. New land in Ohio and Indiana enticed weavers from the New York and Mid-Atlantic traditions to settle in the Northwest Territories. As a result, coverlets from this region hybridized, blending the fondness for color found in Pennsylvania coverlets with the refinement of design and Scottish influence of the New York coverlets.

Southern coverlets almost always tended to be woven in overshot patterns. Traditional hand-weaving also survived longest in the South. Southern Appalachian women were still weaving overshot coverlets at the turn of the twentieth century. These women and their coverlets helped in inspire a wave of Settlement Schools and mail-order cottage industries throughout the Southern Appalachian region, inspiring and contributing to Colonial Revival design and the Handicraft Revival. Before the Civil War, enslaved labor was often used in the production of Southern coverlets, both to grow and process the raw materials, and to transform those materials into a finished product.

Because so many coverlets have been passed down as family heirlooms, retaining documentation on their maker or users, they provide a visual catalog of America’s path toward and response to industrialization. Coverlet weavers have sometimes been categorized as artisan weavers fighting to keep a traditional craft alive. New research, however, is showing that many of these weavers were on the forefront of industry in rural America. Many coverlet weavers began their American odyssey as immigrants, recruited from European textile factories—along with their families—to help establish industrial mills in America. Families saved their money, bought cheaper land in America’s rural interior and took their mechanical skills and ideas about industrial organization into the American heartland. Once there, these weavers found options. They could operate as weaver-farmers, own a small workshop, partner with a local carding mill, or open their own small, regional factories. They were quick to embrace new weaving technologies, including power looms, and frequently advertised in local newspapers. Coverlet weavers created small pockets of residentiary industry that relied on a steady flow of European-trained immigrants. These small factories remained successful until after the Civil War when the railroads made mass-produced, industrial goods more readily available nationwide.

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In its simplest form – overshot is a weaving technique that utilizes at least 2 different types of weft yarns and floats to create a pattern. These patterns are often heavily geometric.

Ground weft– plain weave pattern that is used between each row of your overshot pattern. This plain weave gives the textile structure and allows for large areas of overshot to be woven without creating an overly sleazy fabric. Without the use of a ground weft on an overshot pattern, the weaving would not hold together because there would not be enough warp and weft intersections to create a solid weaving.

They were most popular though in southern Appalachia and continued to be so even after textile technologies advanced. When other parts of colonial America moved to jacquard weaving, the weavers of southern Appalachia continued to weave their overshot coverlets by hand.

Since the overshot coverlets were most often woven at home on smaller looms they usually had a seam down the middle where two woven panels were sewn together.

The thing about overshot is that no matter the application, it is pretty impressive. Perhaps that is just my opinion, but due to how complex it can look, I feel that it is pretty safe to say.

Just because it was originally used for coverlets, does not mean it can only be used for coverlets. Changing aspects of the pattern like the colors used, or the way you use your ground weft can drastically change the look and feel of your weaving.

In the image below you can see the ground weft is not the same color throughout. Instead, I wove the ground weft as discontinuous so that I could add extra pattern and design into the weavings. In this case, you may be wondering how to deal with your weft yarns when they are in the middle of the weaving and not at the selvage.

The discontinuous weft yarns will float onto the back of the weaving until you are ready for them in their next pick. This does make your overshot weaving one sided since it will have vertical floats on the back. Keep this in mind if you want to try this technique out.

Also seen in the image above, the overshot yarn that I used was not all one color! This is a really simple way to get extra dimension and interest in your overshot if that is something you are looking for.

This makes it simple to be able to only weave overshot in certain parts of your weaving. If you want to do this then you can continue to weave your plain weave across the entire width of your weaving, but only weave overshot in specific areas. This creates a overshot section that functions similar to inlay.

Since the overshot pattern is strongly influenced by the weft yarns that are used it is important to choose the right yarns. Your weaving will be set up to the specification needed for a balanced plain weave. Make sure you understand EPI in order to get the right warp sett for your overshot weaving.

The ground weft used is almost always the same yarn as your warp. This allows the overshot weft to really be able to shine without contrasting warp and weft plain weave yarns.

In order to get the full effect of the overshot, it must be thick enough that when you are weaving your pattern it covers up the ground weft between each pass. If it is not thick enough to do this, it will still be overshot, but the full effect will not be seen.

What this warp thread does is serve as an all-purpose selvedge that does not correspond with your pattern. Instead, you would make sure to go around this warp thread every time to make sure that you are able to weave fully to the selvedge. Without this, your overshot weft will float awkwardly on the back of your weaving whenever the pattern does not take it to the edge.

I have mentioned this book multiple times because it really is such a great resource for any weaver looking to weave patterns of all types. It contains 23 pages of different overshot patterns (among so many other patterns) that you can set up on your floor or table loom.

Like a lot of different types of weaving, it is possible to do it on almost any type of loom that you have. The difference being that it might take you a little bit longer or require a bit more effort than if you did it on a traditional floor loom.

Weaving overshot on a frame loom or rigid heddle loom will require the use of string heddles and pick-up sticks that you have to manually use to create a shed.

Weaving rag rugs is an immensely satisfying process that enables you to use cast-off remnants of fabric - and a favorite old shirt or two - to make something beautiful and functional for your home. In this book, you"ll explore the fascinating history of rag weaving, learn how to weave a basic rag rug, master some of the most popular traditional designs, and experiment with contemporary techniques for weaving and embellishing rugs. Filled with scores of colour photographs of rugs by more than 40 artists from around the world, this book is a delight for weavers and non-weavers alike.

Weaving with rags developed out of genuine necessity centuries ago, when cloth was so highly treasured that it was often unwoven in order to reuse the thread. Although fabric is now commonly available at very low cost, weaving rag rugs remains an especially satisfying process. Transforming fabric remnants and old articles of clothing into beautiful, functional rugs yields a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and it instills a sense of connection with history and tradition.

The basics of rag rug weaving have remained the same over the years, but the materials, designs, weave patterns, and color combinations have changed significantly. Today"s weavers have access to an abundant array of warp and weft materials, with a wide variety of fiber content, color, and pattern. There are few-if any-limitations on what you might incorporate into your design: plastic shopping bags, bread wrappers, nylon stockings, and industrial castoffs have all been included.

Once you feel comfortable with the basic techniques, you"ll want to sample the rag rug projects. There are a dozen in total, ranging in style from a subtle gradation of stripes to a vibrant tapestry inlay. You"ll find seaside motifs and square blocks, pale pastels and brilliant jewel tones. There is even a double weaving project chenille "caterpillars" are woven first, and these become the weft in a wonderfully textured chair pad. Each project is described in complete detail and accompanied by a weaving draft.

Throughout the book are full-color photographs of works by more than 40 artists from a dozen countries around the world. These images, together with how-to photography and detailed illustrations, will instruct you and inspire you to sample new directions in your weaving. A fascinating history of rag weaving complements this glorious collection of contemporary rugs.

I am attempting some upholstery fabric for the first time and decided on Brassard 8/2 cottolin for the warp and Harrisville Shetland for the weft. The structure is “Waldenweave” from Bertha Gray Hayes collection of miniature overshot…. I am developing a “thing” for overshot and really like all aspects of it.

The photo I’m sending is from my book, ” Weaving for Beginners” and it shows various sizes of yarns and their “names”– for example, the top one is 5/2 pearl cotton. You can see the size of it. Go down to the next to the last one and see 10/2 pearl cotton and see that it is finer. You can lay a thread or yarn on the image to get an idea of its size in relationship to other yarns. Pearl cotton is a bit softer. I imagine the 10/2 crochet cotton is about the same size as the 10/2 pearl cotton–both are pretty fine for a beginner. I always started my students with 5/2 pearl cotton.

I’m afraid this is more info than you wanted, but feel free to ask any more questions you have. I taught beginners at our community college for over 10 years. My beginners book is what I taught them the first semester and then after that. It’s a big book, but there are things that will come up in one’s weaving life and I wanted to have them available.

My book explains good techniques for weaving without tangles, explains what to do, and explains different weaves with the idea that you could make up your own projects/designs or understand a “recipe” in a book or magazine. There are over 600 illustrations.

Many of us have fond childhood memories of happy hours spent weaving potholders with colorful loops of stretchy fabric on a little square peg loom. But potholder looms didn’t start out as toys. They were invented as a way for sock factories to use up waste cut from socks and hosiery during the manufacturing process. The looms were packaged with the waste fabric "loopers" and sold to Depression-era housewives who used the kits to make potholders and hot pads.

Over time, the potholder loom became more popular with children than their mothers, and by the 1950"s, it was seen mainly as a toy. But in recent years, talented adult weavers have reclaimed the humble potholder loom as a valuable weaving tool. Check out Noreen Crone-Findlay"s great video tutorials on stretching the boundaries of these little looms, and take a look at this article where Syne Mitchell shows how potholder looms make a great tool for experimenting with color effects.

If you want to play with color-and-weave and design log cabin or pinwheels, or even your own plaids check out this fun (and free) design program from Harrisville yarns. Before you know it you"ll be graduating from weaving loop potholders and you"ll be designing and weaving overshot potholders like the ones in the top photo by Jean Korus!

Weavers-in-the-making and curious fiber artists can find loads of inspiration and technical guidance in weaving books. In addition, there are beautiful editions that will look absolutely stunning on your bookshelf!

Books on weaving are relatively easy to come across, but it is important to find an option to complement your goals and needs depending on where you are in your weaving journey.

Looking for new weaving designs to test out? Starting from scratch? Want to get a glimpse into how professional artists create textile magic? Here are our top picks for the best books on weaving!

Whether you want to hone your technique or find inspiration in fellow weavers, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite and best weaving books you can find!

If there’s a weaving book classic, this is it. A fantastic pick for beginners and experienced weavers alike, Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler combines weaving essentials and a handy set of tips to guide you as you evolve in the craft.

This 232-page book contains everything from illustrated step-by-step warping instructions, fundamental weaving techniques, basic weave structures, guidance on reading and designing drafts, and more.

On the Loom: A Modern Weaver’s Guide by Maryanne Moodie will give you an insider’s look into the ancient art of weaving through the lens of the modern-day crafter. Perfect if you’ve been searching for inspiring books on contemporary weaving!

CrazyShot — Creative Overshot Weaving on the Heddle Loom is an introductory book to the world of rigid heddle loom weaving: one of the most popular methods learned by home crafters.

While one of the shorter weaving books listed, this 50-page beginners book includes step-by-step instructions to weave 14 designs, guidelines on the single heddle overshot technique, reading charts, and tips to achieve the best results.

Once you’ve got basic rigid heddle warping and weaving skills down, we suggest complementing your weaving book collection with the author’s comprehensive charted designs guide: Crazyshot Companion: Charted Designs for Overshot Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom.

Content covers everything from setup to creation, supported by step-by-step photographs. Tapestry, bead weaving, and basic and complex weaving techniques can all be found in this book — available for Kindle and paperback.

Available for Kindle, as well as in hardcover and spiral-bound editions, this classic book by Jane Patrick presents an array of patterns for the simple rigid-heddle loom and variations such as multishaft looms. Talk about books on weaving with a loom!

Throughout 240 pages, you’ll find different chapters focusing on weaving designs, demonstrated by photos of swatches to illustrate techniques. Some include leno, soumak, Brooks bouquet, and embroidery on fabric.

Released in 2020, The Art of Tapestry Weaving by Rebecca Mezoff is a comprehensive guide to mastering tapestry-making for fiber artists of all skill levels.

While many weaving books cover techniques for making images with yarn, this 320-page book revolves around enthusing fiber artists with contemporary, trendy tapestry creations with a thorough guide to everything you need to get started.

Also, Rebecca Mezoff is a renowned teacher of contemporary tapestry weaving, so you’ll be guided by someone who is not only an artist but knows how to navigate the complete beginner from the perspective of a professional instructor.

You’ll learn every part of the process, from developing color palettes and choosing yarn to warping a loom and weaving designs. This is more of a technical guide than a tutorial on weaving patterns. Hardcover editions can be purchased on Amazon (for Kindle, too) and Woolery.

Weaving by Mary Maddocks features 144 pages filled with detailed, easy-to-follow tutorials supported by lifestyle photography to teach you the fundamentals, along with 17 stunning projects to put to the test.

Recently released (2020), Weaving: Contemporary Makers on the Loom is a 224-page book anyone with a sweet spot for fiber art, weaver or not, will appreciate.

This book is by Katie Treggiden, a design expert and journalist who has beautifully documented a close-up look into professional weavers’ lives, studios, and works. It comprises in-depth essays on weaving, the history of the ancient craft, and where it’s headed today.

Unlike some of the other books on weaving listed, this edition is all about celebrating contemporary weaving and its makers and is not so much a technical reference for beginners. It is, however, filled with personal, inspiring stories that will bring you closer to the world of weaving.

Stunning photography fills the pages of this book, making it an incredible gift for anyone who collects craft books or has a love for weaving. There is only a hardcover edition of the book; you can find it on Amazon and Woolery for roughly the same price.

When searching for books on weaving with a loom, it’s always good to be as specific as possible and know how you want to approach the craft. That said, if circular weaving is your jam, this is the perfect beginner’s book!

Emily Nicolaides is the author of this 144-page book, released in 2022, and focuses on the art of circular weaving: it provides an extensive, detailed guide on techniques, project types, materials, and more. It’s ideal if you’re discovering circular weaving for the first time.

This is a fantastic pick if you’re curious about the potential of circular weaving; there are many projects to learn here. The book is also very straightforward and easy to follow, making it especially newbie-friendly. Know that besides paperback, a Kindle edition is available on Amazon.

Last up is one of my favorite books on weaving! Published in 2020, Woven Together is a wonderful take on real-life weaving stories that come from the heart.

This 224-page book features the stories and experiences of 20 DIYers, artists, designers, and craftspeople who have incorporated weaving into their work. You’ll get a privileged look into their creations, backgrounds, passion projects, and more.

You’ll get an eclectic overview of different references and inspirations, the production process, and, best of all, detailed patterns for projects. These include DIY textile weaving designs, like wall hangings and rugs, to rattan and basket weaving ventures with bamboo and grass.

That said, this book also appeals to both fiber artists and basket weavers. If you’re curious about basket weaving, we’ve written a guide on the best online basket weaving classes! You can purchase this book on Amazon, which is currently available in hardcover only.