how to weave overshot for sale

Woven by Rachel SnackWeave two overshot patterns with the same threading using this downloadable weave draft to guide you. This pattern features the original draft along with one pattern variation. Some yarns shown in the draft are available to purchase in our shop: 8/2 cotton, wool singles, 8/4 cotton (comparable to the 8/4 linen shown).

please note: this .pdf does not explain how to read a weaving draft, how to interpret the draft onto the loom, or the nuances of the overshot structure.

This is a digital .pdf. Please add this weave draft to your cart along with anything else you’d like to purchase, check-out, and you’ll be sent a link to download it.

From heirloom coverlets to dazzling contemporary household textiles and garments, overshot is one of the most handsome of weave structures. Whether woven in miniature on a towel or large-scale in a rug, overshot is striking. In this video, Madelyn van der Hoogt teaches everything you need to know to explore the many faces of overshot.

Along with Madelyn’s video workshop, this video download gives you a printable booklet on overshot weaving, complete with planning exercises, reference materials, and overshot projects you can learn from and use. Instantly download your copy of Weaving Overshot today!

You will also need to choose 3 cones of Zephyr for your weft and 3 skeins of 30/2 Bombyx silk for your weft. Jane used these combinations in her samples:

This post is the third in a series introducing you to common weaving structures. We’ve already looked at plain weave and twill, and this time we’re going to dive into the magic of overshot weaves—a structure that’s very fun to make and creates exciting graphic patterns.

Overshot is a term commonly used to refer to a twill-based type of weaving structure. Perhaps more correctly termed "floatwork" (more on that later), these textiles have a distinctive construction made up of both a plain weave and pattern layer. Requiring two shuttles and at least four shafts, overshot textiles are built using two passes: one weaves a tabby layer and the other weaves a pattern layer, which overshoots or floats, above.

Readers in the United States and Canada may be familiar with overshot textiles through woven coverlets made by early Scottish and English settlers. Using this relatively simple technique, a local professional weaver with a four-shaft loom could easily make a near-infinite variety of equally beautiful and complex patterns. If you’d like to learn more about overshot coverlets and some of the traditions that settlers brought with them, please see my reading list at the bottom of this article!

As it is twill-based, overshot will be very familiar to 4 shaft weavers. It’s made up of a sequence of 2-thread repeats: 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 1-4. These sequences can be repeated any number of times to elongate and create lines, curves, and shapes. These 2-thread repeats are often referred to as blocks or threading repeats, IE: 1-2 = block 1/A, 2-3 = block 2/B.

There are three ways weft appears on the face of an overshot cloth: as a solid, half-tone, or blank. In the draft image I’ve shared here, you can see an example of each—the solid is in circled in blue, the half-tone in red, and the blank yellow. Pressing down the first treadle (shafts 1 and 2), for example, creates solid tones everywhere there are threads on shafts 1 and 2, half-tones where there is a 1 or 2 paired with 3 or 4, and nothing on the opposite block, shafts 3 and 4. Of course, there’s not really nothing—the thread is simply traveling on the back of the cloth, creating a reverse of what’s on the face.

Because overshot sequences are always made up of alternating shafts, plain weave can be woven by tying two treadles to lift or lower shafts 1-3 and 2-4. When I weave two-shuttle weaves like overshot, I generally put my tabby treadles to the right and treadle my pattern picks with my left foot and my tabby with my right. In the draft image I’ve shared above, I’ve omitted the tabby picks to make the overarching pattern clearer and easier to read. Below is a draft image that includes the tabby picks to show the structure of the fabric.

Traditional overshot coverlets used cotton or linen for warp and plain weave wefts, and wool pattern wefts—but there’s no rule saying you have to stick to that! In the two overshot patterns I’ve written for Gist, I used both Mallo and Beam as my pattern wefts.

In the Tidal Towels, a very simple overshot threading creates an undulating wave motif across the project. It’s easy and repetitive to thread, and since the overshot section is relatively short, it’s an easy way to get a feel for the technique.

The Bloom Table Squares are designed to introduce you to a slightly more complex threading—but in a short, easy-to-read motif. When I was a new weaver, one of the most challenging things was reading and keeping track of overshot threading and treadling—but I’ve tried to make it easy to practice through this narrow and quick project.

Overshot works best with a pattern weft that 2-4 times larger than your plain weave ground, but I haven’t always followed that rule, and I encourage you to sample and test your own wefts to see how they look! In the samples I wove for this article, I used 8/2 Un-Mercerized Cotton weaving yarn in Beige for my plain weave, and Duet in Rust, Mallo in Brick, and Beam in Blush for my pattern wefts.

The Bloom Table Squares are an excellent example of what weavers usually mean when they talk about traditional overshot or colonial overshot, but I prefer to use the term "floatwork" when talking about overshot. I learned this from the fantastic weaver and textile historian Deborah Livingston-Lowe of Upper Canada Weaving. Having researched the technique thoroughly for her MA thesis, Deborah found that the term "overshot" originated sometime in the 1930s and that historical records variably called these weaves "single coverlets’ or ‘shotover designs.’ Deborah settled on the term "floatwork" to speak about these textiles since it provides a more accurate description of what’s happening in the cloth, and it’s one that I’ve since adopted.

Long out of print, this fabulous book covers the Burnham’s extensive collection of early settler textiles from across Canada, including basic threading drafts and valuable information about professional weavers, tools, and history.

This book contains the collected drafts and work of Frances L. Goodrich, whose interest in coverlets was sparked when a neighbor gifted her one in the 1890s. Full of charming hand-painted drafts, this book offers a glimpse into North Carolina’s weaving traditions.

Amanda Ratajis an artist and weaver living and working in Hamilton, Ontario. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design University and has developed her contemporary craft practice through research-based projects, artist residencies, professional exhibitions, and lectures. Subscribe to herstudio newsletteror follow her onInstagramto learn about new weaving patterns, exhibitions, projects, and more.

Weave structures often have specific threading and treadling patterns that are unique to that particular weave structure and not shared with others. This book takes you out of the traditional method of weaving overshot patterns by using different treadling techniques. This will include weaving overshot patterns as Summer/Winter, Italian manner, starburst, crackle, and petit point just to name a few. The basic image is maintained in each example but the design takes on a whole new look!

Each chapter walks you through the setup for each method and includes projects with complete drafts and instructions so it’s easy to start weaving and watch the magic happen! Try the patterns for scarves, table runners, shawls, pillows and even some upholstered pieces. Once you"ve tried a few projects, you"ll be able to apply what you"ve learned to any piece you desire!

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!

Consider putting on at least an extra yard of warp in order to get a feel for the draft. This will allow you to test for proper beat, colors, and other “what-ifs.” I often put on a 6-yard warp and use at least half of the warp for sampling.

You may wish to choose a different starting/stopping point than the one specified. As you study the drawdowns, you will discover that some drafts have small sections that can be woven separately from the overall design.

A small portion of the overall pattern makes a nice border on this Primrose Table Runner designed by Norma Smayda and woven by Ann Rudman, Handwoven November/December 2017. Photo by George Boe.

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.

There’s more to overshot than coverlets, and delving into this book will go a long way to dispelling your fears and misconceptions of a structure that looks more complicated than it really is. The author offers an in-depth discussion of the threading, treading and tie-ups for overshot, along with ways to manage selvedges and create borders. Twenty two projects offer much to inspire.

Weave Structure:overshotYarns:Perle 5/2 and Perle 10/2Equipment needed:4-shaft loom; 10" weaving width; 12 dent reed; 2 shuttlesFinished Dimensions:one scarf 9" x 60" with 3" fringeInstructions needed: Overshot Simplyby Susan Kesler-Simpson. (sold separately)

Note:  This kit includes all yarns needed to weave this scarf.  The pattern can be found in the Overshot Simplybooknoted above.  You will need to purchase this book if you don"t already own a copy.

Overshot is known as a coverlet structure, but it’s also ideal for placemats, runners, blankets, fashion accessories, table linens, rugs, and much more. Just about anything you want to weave can be done in overshot.

Our class project is a series of coordinated placemats and table runners, woven in inexpensive, easy to get materials you may already have in your stash. You’ll choose from three different threadings composed of classic overshot motifs, then treadle them in star fashion, rose fashion, and many other ways.

Don’t feel like weaving placemats, runners, OR samples, or don’t have a loom available? No problem! You can still participate in the class without weaving at all. The lessons, videos, Q&As, and pen and paper exercises will help cement your understanding of overshot even if you don’t take it to the loom right away.

In order to weave the class project, you"ll need a shaft loom with at least four shafts. Table or floor; direct tie-up or lamms and treadles; jack, counterbalance, or countermarche – it doesn’t matter! They’ll all work!

Don’t have that kind of loom? No worries! You can still read, watch, listen, and do all the pen and paper exercises. Your deeper understanding of overshot will be beneficial when you do have a loom to use it on or decide to explore how to weave it on the loom you already have on your own.

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