colonial overshot pricelist

It is a popular and well know weave structure with well known motif designs such as Honeysuckle, Snails trails, Cat’s Paw, Young lover’s knot and Maple leaf. Overshot means the weft shoots either over or under the warp.

The Treadling for Overshot is a 2/2 Twill. That is 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-1. Overshot is woven with a thick pattern thread alternating with a thinner tabby thread. The pattern block may be repeated as many times as you like to build up a pleasing block. So it will be pattern thread, tabby a, pattern thread, tabby b. Lift 1 and 3 for tabby a and 2 and 4 for tabby b.

Monks belt, so called because a monks’ status in the monastery was indicated by the pattern woven on the belt is different from the other Overshots motifs as it is woven in 2 blocks on opposites. A block will be either 1 and 2, or 3 and 4. The pattern is created by the varying size of the blocks.

It is not difficult to design your own overshot pattern. A name draft is just one of the ways to do so. The above tablecloth was made by a group of weavers, each wove a square and many of them designed their own name drafts.

RMD95KDP–Overshot water wheel turning the cam-shaft of a stamping mill being used to turn the crush ore to begin the process of extracting metal from the ore won from a mine. From "De re metallica", by Agricola, pseudonym of Georg Bauer (Basle, 1556). Woodcut

RM2A5YKXP–Overshot water wheel turning the cam-shaft of a stamping mill being used to turn the crush ore to begin the process of extracting metal from the ore won from a mine. From "De re metallica", by Agricola, pseudonym of Georg Bauer (Basle, 1556). Woodcut

1 HOTTER THAN HOT OVERSHOT BUY A SHIRT, SAVE A MILL I SSUE 4 M A R C H / A P RIL 007 AVINTAGE WEAVE Makeover Rugs Shawls Runners MEET THE Star OF weavecast.com!

3 MARCH/APRIL 007, VOLUME XXVIII, NUMBER AROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME... IS ASNOWBALL? by Lynn Tedder FOR STARTERS OVERSHOT FOR RUGS by Tom Knisely ELEGANT BOOKMARKS: MINIATURE OVERSHOT AND FINE THREADS by Syne Mitchell 40 VERSATILE MINIATURES IN LEE S SURRENDER by Karen Homann 44 WEEKEND WEAVER CUSTOM CHECKBOOK COVER IN CONTEMPORARY OVERSHOT by Liz Good 48 RIBBONS OF OVERSHOT FOR A SOFT SPRING SHAWL by Rita Hagenbruch 5 OVERSHOT GETS A MAKEOVER: IT S ALL ABOUT COLOR by Yvonne Stahl 5 FIESTA CLOTH: COLORING BY NUMBERS Leslie Killeen 0 FROM OVERSHOT TO DOUBLEWEAVE THE EASY WAY by Robert Owen 4 LA BELLE CREOLE FOR A RUNNER AND NAPKINS by DeeDee Woodbury 8 WOVEN SHIBORI: OVERSHOT ON THE EDGE by Catharine Ellis 7 NAME DRAFTS FOR OVERSHOT BORDERS by Susan Horton 7 OUR WEAVING DIVAS: A TRIBUTE by Karen Donde 78 HANDWOVEN S FABRIC FORECAST FASHIONS FOR FALL/WINTER by Daryl Lancaster with illustrations by Jessica Levinson ON THE COVER OVERSHOT SCARF IN SILK AND WOOL woven by Yvonne Stahl. See pages From the Editor 4 What s Going On Letters and Corrections 4 Getting Started: Beginner s Corner Yarn and Suppliers List Project Guide 0 Reviews 4 News and Views 8 Calendar 88 Product News 89 Classified Ads 95 Advertisers Index 9 Endnotes: Syne Mitchell of Weavecast.com

6 WHAT S GOING ON Weaving for the Home: A Popular Choice Our Internet-based surveys give us a snapshot of our readers tastes and preferences or at least those of the readers who use the Internet! We also rely on your letters, s, phone calls, and when we are lucky enough to be out and about face-to-face contact to let us know what you like and dislike about the magazine. In the January/February 007 issue of Handwoven, we asked you to take a look at the previous issue and tell us which parts of the magazine you read and put to use (you can still participate in this survey by visiting our homepage at wovenmagazine.com). Most of you said that the stories in News and Views are the features you read first. Letters, the Editor s page, and Product News are high on your list as favorite regular columns. You are most likely to weave the For Starters project in the issue surveyed, this is Robin Lynde s gorgeous bamboo shawl in shadow weave because it provides an opportunity to learn something new. You also regularly read the Fabric Forecast column but would like more details about how to weave the fabrics and fewer projects requiring sewing (stay tuned, we have some changes afoot). The type of project you are most likely to weave? Decorative fabrics for the home! If you are hosting an exhibit, don t forget to request a Weaving for the Home Award to give to the most beautifully designed and woven functional textile. For information about this award, contact us at handwoven@interweave.com. Cash and equipment available for your guild! FiberHearts 007 Applications due May, 007 Website only Bamboo for Babies Vintage-Inspired Scarf for Him or Her Create a silky, cuddly baby blanket with a bevy of blocks using monk s belt. Weave it in traditional blue or pink or pick from a wide array of available colors in the new bamboo yarns. 4 HANDWOVEN Inspired by a seventeenth-century coverlet, this overshot scarf is the perfect gift for anyone on your list. Independent Publishers Since 975 FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR CEO PRESIDENT CFO VP CONSUMER MARKETING VP SALES & MARKETING VP INTEGRATED MEDIA KIT VP HUMAN RESOURCES VP PRODUCTION Linda Ligon Clay B. Hall Marilyn Murphy Dianne Gates Bob Kaslik Linda Stark Kim Dail Suzanne DeAtley Trish Faubion MAGAZINES Fiber Group Cloth Paper Scissors Fiberarts Handwoven Interweave Crochet Interweave Knits PieceWork Spin.Off Quilting Arts Bead, Gem, and Jewelry Group Beadwork Colored Stone Lapidary Journal By Beads By Wire Jewelry Stringing BOOKS PUBLISHER Linda Stark EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Tricia Waddell ART DIRECTOR Paulette Livers For questions regarding our book program, call (970) 9-77 Monday Friday, 8:00 A.M. 5:00 P.M., or books@interweave.com Interweave Press LLC 0 East Fourth Street Loveland, Colorado 8057 (970) 9-77 Visit our website An Aspire Media company

16 GETTING STARTED Projects, Suppliers, Guides BEGINNER S CORNER: FINDING RESOURCES If it hasn t happened yet, one day soon you are going to thread an overshot draft. They are usually fairly long, so you will suffer a little, checking to be sure it s right. You ll sit down to weave, put in your header and a little plain weave, and then you take your first pattern picks. Wow! There is nothing quite like the miracle of so much pattern! How could only four shafts only four different ways to move warp threads produce patterns so intricate and so varied? Your love affair with overshot begins. And your struggle. There is a lot to learn about overshot. It s counterintuitive that pattern shows where you leave shafts down and not where you bring shafts up. YARN CHART You ll need to learn some drafting theory. For overshot theory, see the sources listed in this issue on the page given after each author s name: Mitchell (75), Sullivan (75), and van der Hoogt (75). For overshot drafts, see: Estes (8), Strickler (40), Davison (44), Burnham and Burnham (48), Atwater (7), Bress (7), Wilson and Kennedy (7). Not cited in this issue is Mary Meigs Atwater s Shuttle-Craft Book of American Hand-Weaving, Shuttle-Craft Books, 95 (out of print). And for overshot drafting theory using innovative new methods, visit Rosalie Neilson at and Judie Eatough at Madelyn Use the yarn chart to identify yarns and make substitutions. The chart gives yards per pound, meters per kilogram, and a range of setts, from wide as for lace weaves, medium as for plain weave, and close as for twills (no setts are given for yarns not suitable for warp). Contact the list of suppliers for yarn stores nearest you. Wholesale suppliers are noted with an *. Size 0 sewing thread 4,000 yd/lb (48,40 m/kg), 48, 0 0/ pearl cotton; 8,400 yd/lb (,950 m/kg); 0,, 48 / unmercerized cotton,70 yd/lb (,50 m/kg) 4, 0, 0/ pearl cotton; 4,00 yd/lb (8,40 m/kg); 0, 4, 8 8/ unmercerized cotton,0 yd/lb (,775 m/kg), 0, 4 5/ pearl cotton;,00 yd/lb (4,8 m/kg);,, 8 8/ Tencel;,0 yd/lb (,780 m/kg);, 0, 4 40/ silk; 5,000 yd/lb (70,0 m/kg); 5, 7, 90 0/ silk; 4,880 yd/lb (0,08 m/kg); 40, 45, 0 0/ silk; 7,850 yd/lb (5,840 m/kg); 4,, 40 0/ spun silk; 5,000 yd/lb (0,00 m/kg);,, 0 8/4 cotton/poly rug warp (50% cotton, 50% polyester),00 yd/lb (,90 m/kg) 0, 5, 8 4/ lambswool; 5,90 yd/lb (,005 m/kg); 0, 4, 0 0/ wool; 5,00 yd/lb (,00 m/kg); 0, 4, 0 8/ wool/silk; 5,040 yd/lb (0,70 m/kg); 0, 4, 0 -ply wool (Rugby, Wilde Yarns); 70 yd/lb (,450 m/kg);, 8, 0 00% bamboo (Bambu ),00 yd/lb (,90 m/kg), 5, 8 00% bamboo (Bambu 7),00 yd/lb (,885 m/kg), 5, 8 00% silk floss (Premium Japanese Silk Floss for tying salmon-fishing flies by Alec Jackson) 59% polyester, 40% polyethylene, % metallic (Sulky Holoshimmer machine embroidery thread) SUPPLIERS Alpine Meadow Yarns, Green Mountain Dr., Livermore, CO 805, (970) , (970) fax, info@alpinemeadowyarns.com, (Good 44 4) Berlinbraids. berlinbraids@ cs.com. (Fabric Forecast 78) Cotton Clouds, 57 S. 4th Ave., Safford, AZ , (800) -7888, clouds.com. (Lynde, Web) Earth Guild, Haywood St., Asheville NC 880, (800) , (88) , (88) fax, (Ellis 8 7) Halcyon Yarn, School St., Bath, ME 0450, (800) 4-08, (Stahl 5 54, Killeen 5 58, Owen 0, Fabric Forecast 80 8) *Harrisville Designs, Center Village, Harrisville, NH 0450, orders: (800) 8-945, info: (0) 87-99, (Fabric Forecast 8) *JaggerSpun, Water St., Springvale, ME 0408, (07) , (800) (Homann 40 4, Hagenbruch 48 50) Lunatic Fringe, 008 E. Indianhead Dr., Tallahassee, FL 09, (800) , (850) , lunatic@talstar.com. (Mitchell 8) The Mannings, Green Ridge Rd., PO Box 87, East Berlin, PA 7, (77) 4-, (800) -7 (orders), (Knisely 4) Nordic Studio, 578 Third St., Katy, TX 7749, (8) , (888) 570, studio.com, tracy@nordicstudio.com. (Woodbury 4 7) PRO Chemical & Dye, PO Box 4, Somerset, MA 07, (800) 8-99 (orders), (508) 7-88 (technical assistance), promail@prochem ical.com, (Ellis 8 7, Fabric Forecast 79) Shel B. Yarn Company, N. Clinton St., Poughkeepsie, NY 0. (Fabric Forecast 8) Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins, 5 S. Broadway, Unit E, Boulder, CO 8005, (0) , (800) 8-4, (0) fax, spindlesandskeins.com. (Stahl 5 54) *Silk City Fibers, 55 Oxford St., Patterson, NJ 075. (Fabric Forecast 79) The Silk Tree, A Street, Maple Ridge BC, Canada VW C, (04) 4 0, (877) , (04) 4 5 fax, yarn.com, silktree@silkyarn.com. (Sundquist, Web). Treenway Silks, 50 Musgrave Rd., Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada V8K V5, (888) , (50) 5-47 fax, (Hagenbruch 48 50, Stahl 5 54) *UKI Supreme Corporation, PO Box 848, Hickory, NC 80, (888) (Owen 0, Horton 7 75) Walnut Hollow, 409 St. Rd., Dodgeville, WI 55, (800) , wallacec@walnut hollow.com, (Homann 40 4) Webs, 75 Service Center Rd., Northampton, MA 000, (800) 7-97, (4) fax, webs@yarn.com. (Mitchell 8, Killeen 5 58) 4 HANDWOVEN

17 PROJECTS IN THIS ISSUE FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION, SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS DESIGNER/WEAVER PROJECT PAGE WEAVE STRUCTURE SHAFTS LEVEL Catharine Ellis Runner 8 7 Overshot (for shibori) 4 All levels Liz Good Checkbook covers 44 4 Overshot and plain weave 4 All levels Rita Hagenbruch Shawl Overshot and plain weave 4 AB, I, A Karen Homann Gift box covers 40 4 Overshot 4 AB, I, A Susan Horton Runner 7 75 Overshot 8 All levels Leslie Killeen Yardage 5 58 Overshot 4 AB, I, A Tom Knisely Rug 4 Overshot 4 All levels Robin Lynde Baby blankets Web Monk s belt 4 All levels Syne Mitchell Bookmarks 8 Overshot 4 AB, I, A Robert Owen Runner 0 Doubleweave 8 I, A Yvonne Stahl Scarf 5 54 Overshot 4 All levels Wendy Sundquist Scarf Web Overshot 4 AB, I, A DeeDee Woodbury Runner, napkins 4 7 Tied overshot (star and diamond weave) 8 AB, I, A AB = Advanced beginner (some experience reading a draft, warping, and weaving); I = Intermediate; A = Advanced. All levels includes very new weavers. PROJECT INSTRUCTION GUIDE TWISTED FRINGE Divide the number of strands for each fringe into two groups. Twist each group clockwise until it kinks. Bring both of the groups together and allow them to twist around each other counterclockwise (or twist them in that direction). Secure the ends to prevent untwisting with an overhand knot or by wrapping. SIMPLE HEMSTITCHING Weave plain weave, ending with the shuttle on the right side if right-handed (or left side if left-handed). Measure a length of weft three times the warp width and cut, leaving the measured length as a tail. Thread the tail into a blunt tapestry needle. Take the needle under the group of ends above the fell and bring it up and back to the starting point, encircling the group. Pass the needle under the same group of ends, bringing it out through the weaving two (or more) weft threads below the fell. Repeat for each group of ends across the fell. Needle-weave the tail into the selvedge and trim. READING DRAFTS Read the threading draft from right to left. Floating selvedges are noted by bullets. (Floating selvedges are one or two warp threads on each side of the warp that are not threaded in heddles. They are sleyed in the reed and tied to the front Warp color order x Draft black 4 8 green 54 9 red 54 9 white = apron rod with the rest of the warp. They should be weighted. The shuttle enters the shed over the floating selvedge and exits the shed under it.) Brackets indicate repeated sections in threading or treadling. If there are two levels of brackets, repeat the bracket closest to the draft first. Sometimes with long threading drafts a second row is included. When this is the case, read each threading row from right to left unless instructed otherwise. For the draft above, for example: Thread the top row first: one floating selvedge, then -- 0x x / x cont"d / 4 4 / / / x 0x / x / = floating selvedges / / / / x / -4 two times (the brackets closest to the draft), then , and then repeat all of that (except the floating selvedge) ten times. Then move to the second row and thread , then two times, and end with one floating selvedge. Warp color order charts are read from right to left like a threading draft, except each row indicates a color, not a shaft (if there are ten colors there are ten rows). For the chart above: Wind 4 black ends, 8 green, 4 black, alternate 9 red and 9 white six times, and then wind 4 green and 4 black. MARCH/APRIL 007 HANDWOVEN 5

22 REVIEWS Books, Videos, CDs, DVDs FAVOURITE RAG RUGS Tina Inell Helsinki, Finland: Forma Publishing Group, 00. Distributed by Unicorn Books and Crafts. Softbound, 8 pages, $9.95. ISBN This inspirational and informative book reflects the friendly nature of ragrug weavers. A collaboration between Vävmagasinet editor Tina Ignell, Bengt Arne Ignell (the author s husband and an accomplished photographer), and over twenty weavers who designed and wove the rugs, Favourite Rag Rugs is a wonderful resource that will appeal to a wide range of weavers. The forty-five projects are grouped into six sections: Stripes and Checks; Strips, Chenille, and Rya; Crammed and Spaced Repp; Rosepath, Diamond Twill, and Dräll; Twisted, Thrown, and Patterned; and Five Rugs on One Warp. Each rug is beautifully photographed and accompanied by clear directions (the measurements are all presented in the metric system), a draft, and suggestions for finishing the rug. The tips found in the book are a treat, and experienced weavers may find themselves wondering, Why didn t I think of that? The variety of styles from simple to intricate will provide interest to both the beginning and advanced weaver. Rag-rug weavers will be delighted with this new resource. If you have never woven a rag rug before, this book should provide much inspiration and encouragement. Deb Sharpee THE BEST OF WEAVER S: THE MAGIC OF DOUBLE WEAVE Madelyn van der Hoogt, Editor Sioux Falls, South Dakota: XRX, 00. Softbound, 07 pages, $8.95. ISBN This book is a compilation of articles that originally appeared in Weaver s and Prairie Wool Companion magazines over a period of twenty years. More than thirty projects by twenty weavers are presented. The book begins with the most basic project how to weave something twice the width of one s loom. Enhanced by the designers personal experiences and perspectives, the book includes projects involving stitched doublecloth, doubleweave blocks and color, and overshot patterned doubleweave. This book is, however, so much more than just a project book. It provides a wealth of information beyond threading, treadling, and tie-up information. The numerous illustrations show how the weft travels through the upper and lower layers and also clarifies weft joins, garment The tips found in the book are a treat, and experienced weavers may find themselves wondering, Why didn t I think of that? assembly, pattern layout, color orders, and techniques for turning blocks. There are ample explanations of threading, treadling, and tie-ups as well as plenty of weaving tips and tricks. Doublecloth advantages, benefits, and limits are discussed. Color effects are demonstrated on four shafts, eight shafts, and beyond and there is an explanation of how to use a design key in patterns with many colors and multiple block sizes. As a member of my guild s doubleweave study group, I found The Magic of Doubleweave the perfect book to discuss at one of our meetings. Members immediately noted the convenience of having a collection of doubleweave articles at one s fingertips. The members of the study group have various levels of experience with doubleweave, but the book has something for everyone. All members agreed that it is a beautiful book with wonderful color photographs and detailed instructions. This book is a valuable asset to the weaver s library. As for me, a weaver of thirty years, I know what my focus is going to be for the upcoming year(s) and I can hardly wait! Dagmar Klos THE GARTNER MANUSCRIPT Gene Elizabeth Valk Cumberland, Maine: The Linen Press, Main St., Cumberland, Maine 040. Spiralbound, 4 pages, $9.95 plus $8 for firstclass postage or $5 for media mail. This work presents reproductions of German weaving drafts from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The drafts and the original manuscript, also 0 HANDWOVEN

23 reproduced here, were developed by a German weaver named Joseph Gartner. In 8 his son, Franz Xavier Gartner, immigrated to the United States, bringing with him his father s collection of weaving drafts. In this work, the pages of the original manuscript are reproduced, including the original handwritten material, which is still legible. Each drawdown is accompanied by a block-profile draft showing one repeat of the design. One-third of the drafts include pictures of contemporary adaptations woven by Valk. The book begins with text by Valk and editor Marjie Thompson that helps to place the Gartner family and manuscript in context. Included is a family chronology from 7 to 88. Their text concludes with an explanation of how to use the drawdowns. They can be woven in the eighteenth-century manner such as in turned twill or damask, requiring more shafts than most weavers have today, or they can be woven on four- or eight-shaft looms by using other structures such as lace and overshot. Valk and Thompson describe the process of converting one of the block-profile drafts to four-shaft overshot and explain the reason that some nineteenth-century overshot drafts contain errors. The Gartner Manuscript will appeal to an audience that extends beyond those interested in early weaving patterns and the weavers who used them. This is a useful resource for anyone who enjoys working with block weaves. Christina Hammel SHEILA HICKS: WEAVING AS METAPHOR Danto, Arthur C. and Joan Simon, and Nina Stritzler-Levine, editor. New Haven, Connecticut:Yale University Press,00. Hardbound, 4 pages, $45. ISBN Sponsored by Target (yes the Target), this astonishing collection of photographs of Shelia Hicks s miniatures was published by Yale University Press (Yale is the alma mater of Hicks) for The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture in New York City. The book is a catalog of the first exhibition organized by the Bard Center to examine the work of a contemporary artist. Included are photographs of 95 small-scale works by Hicks (she has created over,000 in her lifetime) that are centered between essays about her life in fibers. Fiber Enthusiasts Fa v orite Port of Call ASHLAND BAY TRADING COMPANY WE HAVE YARNS TO DYE FOR Create your own rainbow of colors with our new line of weaving and knitting yarns. NEW 00% Superwash Merino sock yarn is now in stock! WE VE MOVED! Write today for information on our products and how to establish your account. Wholesale inquiries only please. ASHLAND BAY TRADING COMPANY INC. 78 S.E. Jennifer St, Clackamas, OR 9705 Tel: Fax: If you re in business, you should be doing business with Ashland Bay! MARCH/APRIL 007 HANDWOVEN

27 SPOTLIGHT ON TRAVEL: South Central Pennsylvania Pennsylvania has a long, hallowed history. Before it became a state, it was populated by members of the legendary Iroquois League of Six Nations (organized with their own constitution and currency). The state of Pennsylvania was named for the father of William Penn, the famed Quaker who established a colony there based on religious freedom. It is also home to the Liberty Bell and it was a battleground state of the Civil War. The south central part of the state is dotted with small townships settled by German and Scotch-Irish immigrants. The architecture resembles buildings from the native lands of the settlers, who built their towns among soft green rolling hills and timbered forests. Here you will find the small town of East Berlin, (population,400) home of The Mannings Handweaving School and Supply Center ( The Mannings (then under the name Creative Crafts) was established by Osma Gallinger and her husband, Milo. Osma was a driving force during the craft revival of the 90s and her husband designed the Gallinger loom. The business was sold in 90 to Harry and Katharine Manning. Carol and Ron Woolcock have owned the business since 985, and in 00 they completed a major renovation. Now the retail shop and school cover almost,000 square feet. Located in a peaceful setting along the Conewago Creek, The Mannings is a perfect place for a weaver s working vacation (and there is plenty for the family to do, too!). Students can stay on location in The Mannings s farmhouse or in nearby bed and breakfasts or motels. Tom Knisely, our tour guide, is The Mannings s resident weaver and a popular instructor. Knisely s passion is weaving modern interpretations of historical patterns, particularly in rugs (see For Starters, page ). If you happen to stop by the area in the fall, you can take in Colonial Day ( held the second Saturday in September. It is one of the oldest folk festivals in the region. Knisely often recommends a visit to Family Heirloom Knisely often recommends a visit to Family Heirloom Weavers... There the Kline family creates reproductions of historic textiles on looms that date back to the seventeenth century. Weavers ( in Red Lion, thirty miles to the east. There the Kline family creates reproductions of historic textiles on looms that date back to the seventeenth century. Right next door to Red Lion is the city of York, home base for Harley Davidson motorcycles ( son.com). Although it is a trek from East Berlin, 0 miles to the west in Bedford is The National Museum of the American Coverlet ( It will celebrate its grand opening in the spring of this year and house an extensive collection of coverlets in its 0,000-foot facility. Along the way you can visit the historic town of Gettysburg ( and its National Military Park where you ll find a full range of interpretive programs and exhibits concerning a defining battle of the Civil War. Another day trip will take you to the Home Textile Tool Museum ( in Orwell, 90 miles to the north. This museum houses an extensive collection of textile tools that were common prior to the industrial revolution. En route is the town of Harrisburg, home of The Doll House Museum, (77) -099, an interesting stop for anyone who is fond of weaving miniatures. Also along the way you ll find the town of Hershey ( home to the famous chocolate maker. For general tourist information, visit BRESS COVERLET COLLECTION HOUSED AT THE MANNINGS PHOTOGRAPH BY ANN SABIN SWANSON A stack of coverlet fragments from Helene Bress s collection. Coverlets are woven in a wide array of structures from doubleweave to overshot to summer and winter and beyond. Helene Bress has donated her extensive collection of coverlets and coverlet fragments to Tom Knisely, General Manager of The Mannings. Bress used these pieces (along with many museum coverlets) for writing The Coverlet Book (Flower Valley Press, 00). Knisely will incorporate Bress s generous donation into his own collection of American antique and international textiles, tools, and equipment. The collection will be housed at The Mannings Studio and will be accessible by appointment. Part of it will be on display at The Mannings thirty-ninth annual Spinning Seminar, June 9. Bress will be attending the seminar to discuss the collection and sign copies of her books. For more information, contact The Mannings at Green Ridge Rd., PO Box 87, East Berlin, PA 7. (77) 4-; MARCH/APRIL 007 HANDWOVEN 5

28 NEWS&VIEWS A CONVERSATION with a Designing Weaver Patricia Palson walked away from a lucrative corporate job in 985 to pursue a career in weaving. Using her background as an interior designer and her love of sales, she started by selling overshot baby blankets at a local gallery. Since that time she has launched a successful business designing garments in her bold signature colors. Because she works from her beautiful home studio in Contoocook, New Hampshire, and has a supportive family, finding time to weave has never been her problem. Stopping has. Handwoven: What a bold move to leave a secure job for the wilds of production weaving. Patricia Palson: I was working for a corporate architectural firm in Boston as an interior designer. At the age of thirty I was one of the oldest people in the office, so they gave me all the people jobs. I worked with clients and managed the staff. I was in way over my head. On the weekends instead of rummaging through architectural journals like I should have been doing, I wove. How did you learn to weave? I started my freshman year at Valparaiso University as an art major. I was totally overwhelmed with the first class I took. Thinking I could never be a painter or sculptor, I started looking around at other colleges. My roommate was in interior design and I liked what she was doing, so I headed in that direction. I took my first weaving class as an elective and, as so many do, fell in love. When I graduated I bought a Dorothy table loom and for years everyone I knew received scarves and placemats for gifts. When I married my husband, Eric, he gave me a forty-six-inch, eight-harness Schacht floor loom as a wedding gift. I was stunned! I gave him a canoe. I think the loom got more use. With the new floor loom, I couldn t believe how much faster I could weave. I went nuts with all that width and started weaving blankets. HANDWOVEN Patricia Palson s booth is a riot of color and texture. She calls her spaced-warp fabrics, Cool Squares. Once you made the decision to leave the corporate world, how did you get your weaving business off the ground? I received a few grants from the Massachusetts Arts Lottery to do research on weave structures. I got into the history of weaving in a big way, going to the Museum of American Textile History in Lowell, Massachusetts, with my newborn daughter, Molly, in tow. I would put her on a handwoven baby blanket on the floor of the museum and start counting threads. With the grant money, I created a book of weaving drafts complete with woven samples. Copies are in the Arlington Public Library and in the Weavers Guild of Boston library. Early on I knew I wanted a focus and a unique look for my work. Based on my research, I chose the wild patterning of overshot. I wove baby blankets, using lots of color in a structure that traditionally uses only two. How has your work evolved? The sales part of this business is almost as intriguing to me as the weaving. Feedback from my customers drives my design ideas. I have sewn all my life, so moving into garments was natural. The floats in overshot make it an impractical structure for garments so I started using fancy twills that mimic the look of overshot. Customers kept commenting on how light my garments were, so that also drove my designs. Recently I ve been fascinated with fulling fine merino in spaced warps for a look I call Cool Squares. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC PALSON What is a typical day for you? Because I don t have a typical day, I ll describe the optimal day. I start the morning answering s. Then I like to get into the studio and start weaving or cutting fabric. I don t do my own sewing anymore. I also have a few weavers who help me with cloth production. Then the afternoon evolves. My parents live a half hour away and I love the flexibility that my business provides me. I can spend time with my family and then weave until two in the morning if I feel like it. Do your children weave? My sons, Nathan and Alex, have wound many warps in their day. My daughter has her own line of chenille scarves that she has sold at shows. My husband is my best advisor. Because he is an architect, he has a wonderful design sense. Do you have any advice for handweavers? Find a small study group to be a part of. All throughout my weaving life I found the most value in small study groups. I meet with a group of women in my studio every Tuesday. They all work in different craft media. Their support and ideas are invaluable. Patricia Palson is represented by many galleries across the country including Ragazzi s Flying Shuttle in Seattle, Washington, Vivi of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Hands On in Key West, Florida.

33 A Rose by any other name...is a Snowball? LYNN TEDDER O ne of the first things you notice as you flip through a collection of overshot patterns is that an awful lot of them have rose somewhere in their names. A tour through the overshot garden will find Velvet Rose, Indiana Frame Rose, and Wreath Rose (Atwater); Tudor Rose (Lou Tate); and Rose of Sharon (in several sources) among many others. This last, according to Atwater, is also known as Indian War (!). A Rose of Sharon also grows in Marguerite Davison s pattern garden, but it s a completely different species from Atwater s and looks nothing like it. You can weave Rose Valley (Davison), a Rose in the Garden (Wilson-Kennedy), a Rose in Dorn (Davison), or a Rose in the Wilderness (both Davison and Atwater, who also gives Lily of the Valley and Bonaparte s March as names for this same pattern). Rose Leaves seems to be a If rose motifs are grouped, it seems, they are snowballs. favorite name in collections compiled by Lou Tate, where you can find single patterns called Rose Leaves and Chariot Wheels, Rose Leaves and Snowballs, and Rose Leaves, Seashells, and Snowballs. Rose as a motif One reason rose is so common in pattern names is that it is also the name of a common overshot motif, an arrangement of two blocks that makes a rounded shape. To get this motif, the two blocks are woven in what s called rose fashion. If the same blocks are woven star fashion, the resulting square-shaped motif is called a star, even though it looks about as much like a real star as a rose looks like a real rose. (For more information about rosefashion and star-fashion treadling orders and overshot pattern sources, see Tom Knisely, pages 4; Susan Horton, pages 7 75; and Beginner s Corner, page 4.) The word rose in a pattern name in no way guarantees that the pattern contains a rose motif or that the blocks are woven rose fashion. Velvet Rose, Atwater s Rose of Sharon, and Rose in the Wilderness all lack rose motifs and are woven either star fashion or on opposites. So, weaver, beware! Probably the best known of the overshot rose patterns is Whig Rose (a central rose motif flanked by four smaller ones), whose name commemorates the nineteenth century Whig political party (how likely is it today to name a pattern after a political party!). The same pattern is also called Traditional Roses and Rings. Rose into snowball Just to make things interesting, roses are sometimes called snowballs. Twenty-five Snowballs with a Whig Rose Border (Wilson, Kennedy) has small roses in its border and larger roses grouped in rows in the center. If rose motifs are grouped, it seems, they are snowballs. Rose motifs are sometimes interpreted in even another way. In Cat Track and Snail Trail, the cat s paw tracks are rose motifs. Other examples of that draft are called Wandering Vine; the motifs morph Patterns from a friendship coverlet: Whig Rose (woven by Jody Anderson), Velvet Rose (Ruth Morrison), Rose of Sharon (Lynn Tedder). back into flowers. Still others are called Dog Tracks, although dog s paw tracks are usually stars. Sound confusing? Whatever the pattern is called, sleeping under a coverlet you weave is a weaver s version of sleeping in a bed of roses. Lynn Tedder oftulsa, Oklahoma, is Technical Editor of Handwoven. She plans to weave a full-size overshot coverlet any day now! MARCH/APRIL 007 HANDWOVEN

34 FOR STARTERS Overshot for Rugs TOM KNISELY For many of us, overshot ranks high on our list of favorite weaves. Perhaps we re drawn to the kaleidoscopic patterns or to overshot s rich history associated with coverlets and things homey and old-fashioned. Overshot is my comfort weave. I ve discovered it s also a wonderful structure for rugs. Overshot has its roots in twill. Compare the drafts in Figures and. Somewhere, sometime, someone must have wondered how to lengthen and/or repeat twill s floats to enlarge the scale of twill designs without compromising cloth stability and overshot was born! In Figure, each pair of warp threads covered by weft floats in Figure (-, -, -4, 4-) are repeated to widen the floats (---, ---, etc.), and the weft pattern picks are repeated to increase design height, creating blocks of pattern (A, B, C, and D). Since odd and even shafts alternate in the threading, plain weave (-, -4) can be woven between the pattern floats to make a stable cloth. From this idea come the uniquely beautiful overshot patterns in our repertoire. As-drawn-in treadling orders Many overshot drafts (like many twill drafts) give the threading only. That s because it is often presumed that they are woven as drawn in, i.e., as threaded. That means you read the threading draft Tom Knisely of York, Pennsylvania, teaches weaving, spinning, and dyeing at The Mannings. Traditional weaves are his special interest.. / twill Figure shows a twill draft woven as drawn in. Figure shows an overshot draft in which the blocks are woven as drawn in (i.e., in the same order as they are threaded). To do this, the corresponding shafts for each block must be down for the pattern picks.. Overshot A B C D C B A A BC D but step on the treadle whose number corresponds to the shaft number. Figure is woven this way: The treadles are used following the threading,,, 4,,,. This won t work with overshot, however where would tabby be? To weave overshot as drawn in means to weave the blocks as drawn in, not the individual threads. Look again at Figure. Block A is threaded first, then B, then C, then D. The same order is followed in the treadling. Notice that the shafts for a block must be down to weave pattern: to show a pattern float in Block A, for example, shafts and are down. To learn more about how overshot works, see the resources given on page 4. HANDWOVEN

36 . Draft for rug STEPS FOR WEAVING THE OVERSHOT RUG border border x 7x x This draft is Orange Peel from Josephine E. Estes, Each working warp thread Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving, Part I, 95, p. 0. is strands of cotton/poly. floating selvedges plain weave (tabby) Wind a warp of 4 ends yd long. You can wind ends together, placing your finger between them to prevent twisting. These instructions are for warping front to back, though any method can be used. For detailed warping instructions, see Resources at Centering for " weaving width, sley ends/dent in a -dent reed and thread the heddles following Figure. Thread ends in each heddle; (each warp end in this rug is threads of cotton/poly). Note that the floating selvedges, which are not threaded through a heddle, are also doubled ends. Weight them behind the back beam (a " S-hook works well). Beam the warp under even and firm tension, packing the layers with paper or sticks. Tie the warp onto the front apron rod in small groups (about " per group). Using scrap yarn, weave a few picks in plain weave (treadles and ) to spread the warp. Allow 7 8" for fringe including amount used to tie on to the front apron rod. Then weave doubled picks (about ") for the heading using the cotton/poly weft (go around the floating selvedge for each pick and back through the same shed). For the pattern weft, wind strands Rugby on a ski or rug shuttle (the pattern weft is used doubled). Weave the body of the rug following Figure. The numbers in the treadling draft tell you how many times to weave the pattern weft using the same treadle. Use tabby means to weave a tabby pick (a single strand of cotton/poly) before each pattern pick, alternating treadles and. Beat firmly. End the rug with doubled picks cotton/poly plain weave as at the beginning. Weave a few picks with scrap yarn to hold in the heading. 4 " " x 0x tabby weft (cotton/poly) border border x Use tabby: before every pattern pick, weave a tabby pick ( strand of cotton/poly using treadles and ). Remove the rug from the loom allowing 7 8" for fringe. On both ends, taking out the scrap yarn as you work, tie each group of doubled warp threads in an overhand knot snug against the fell of the heading. (The last knot on each end will have 5 doubled threads.) Trim fringe evenly to about ". The fringe, made of tightly spun 50% cotton and 50% polyester, will keep its shape with wear. PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Weave structure for rug Overshot. Equipment 4-shaft loom, 7" weaving width; -dent reed; boat shuttle, ski shuttle. Yarns Warp: 8/4 cotton/poly rug warp (50% cotton, 50% polyester,,00 yd/lb), used doubled, taupe,,585 yd ( lb). Tabby weft: 8/4 cotton/poly rug warp (,00 yd/lb), taupe, 5 yd ( 5 8 oz). Pattern weft: -ply rug wool (70 yd/lb), used doubled, Midnight Blue, 5 yd (4 oz). Yarn sources 8/4 cotton-poly rug warp and -ply Rugby wool are available from The Mannings. Warp order and length 7 doubled ends (4 total ends); includes doubled floating selvedges, yd long (allows 4" for take-up, " for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). Warp and weft spacing Warp: doubled ends/inch ( doubled end/dent in a -dent reed). Width in the reed: 5 ". Weft: ppi (8 tabby ppi, 8 doubled pattern ppi). Woven length: 54". Finished dimensions Amounts produce one rug 4" 5" plus " fringe at each end. 4 HANDWOVEN

38 Elegant Bookmarks miniature overshot and fine threads SYNE MITCHELL I like to tackle my fears head on. When I realized I was intimidated by both overshot and fine threads, I decided to combine them in one therapeutic project. Going to my stash, I pulled out my finest yarn, a cone of 40/ silk (my previous thin-yarn experience was 0/ pearl cotton!), and began to plan a narrow project in case things went hideously awry. Inspiration was as close as my overflowing bookshelf: I would weave bookmarks. Aminiature overshot pattern would best suit the scale of my oh-so-fine warp, so I turned to Josephine Estes s Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving and settled on Star of Bethlehem. I chose it both for its basic star-shaped pattern as well as the additional wavy effect that can be created with a straight treadling. ( Warp once, weave many is my mantra.) As I began to wind the nearly invisible thread, I started to relax. The motions were the same as with any other thread. Using popsicle sticks as lease sticks, I threaded the shafts. The threads were hard to see at first, but I used the cross, just as I would with any other warp 40/ silk started to look almost normal! As I wove the header, the flat steel heddles began to cause warp threads to snap. Disaster loomed! I used the tabby treadling to put the cross back onto my popsicle lease sticks, removed the shafts, and placed polyester Texsolv heddles in the middle of each one (leaving the metal Syne Mitchell of North Bend, Washington, hosts WeaveCast, an Internet-based talk show for weavers: visit her at a. Texsolv heddles are kind to fine threads. heddles pushed to the sides so their weight would bring the shafts down after each pick). The weaving then progressed smoothly no more broken warp threads! I experimented with a range of pattern wefts: 0/ silk, rayon machine embroidery thread, and even a psychedelic hologram thread. Very 980s, my husband remarked of this last. My favorite pattern weft, though, I found in a fly-fishing store! Fishermen wrap silk to build multicolored bodies of intricate for show fishing lures (and you thought weaving was an esoteric craft). The fishing store sold tubes of Japanese silk floss made up of dozens of insanely fine filaments. The floss bloomed beautifully as an overshot pattern weft, and luckily, the amount in one tube is exactly enough for one 7" bookmark with only two yards of floss left over. HANDWOVEN

40 . Draft for bookmarks STEPS FOR WEAVING THE OVERSHOT BOOKMARKS Wind a warp of 9 ends 40/ Sapphire silk yd long. Warp back to front with two crosses (see Weaving Resources at for specific warping steps). It is a good idea to keep tension on the threads at all times, either with an AVL warping wheel or a kite stick as recommended by Peggy Osterkamp; see Resources. Thread the loom following Figure and Project at-a-glance. x pattern weft plain weave / (tabby) / Wave pattern Star of Bethlehem. Wave treadling plain weave (tabby) use tabby / / use tabby repeat Wind a bobbin with 40/ silk for the tabby weft and one with a selected pattern weft. Weave picks plain weave with 40/ silk without beating, then beat them together. Weave a few more picks of plain weave, if needed, until the warp is completely spread. (Reed marks will wash out later.) 4 Insert a cardboard spacer for fringe. Cutting the 40/ silk weft and leaving a " tail, weave picks plain weave. With the tail, hemstitch around groups of warp ends and the first weft rows. Weave the pattern following Figure. Use tabby: before every pattern pick, weave a tabby pick, alternating treadles and. Repeat the pattern until the bookmark measures 7" (8 0 times, depending on the pattern weft). End with 5 balancing picks. Weave plain-weave picks and hemstitch. Insert two spacers between bookmarks for fringe; weave each bookmark the same way. To weave the wave pattern, follow the treadling in Figure. Remove spacers as they reach the cloth beam. Remove the bookmarks from the loom. Handwash in warm water with liquid detergent. Rinse well. Iron on low heat, Sewing thread sold on long spools can be loaded directly into a boat shuttle. Slip rubber O-rings onto the boat shuttle s spindle to keep the " spools centered (I added spacers). To keep your place, list the treadle numbers in groups of 4 and slide along a paper clip as you weave. pressing hard. With a rotary cutter and ruler, trim fringe to ". Resources Estes, Josephine E. Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving. Part I. Boston: Josephine E. Estes, 95 (out of print), p.. Osterkamp, Peggy. Warping Your Loom & Tying on New Warps. Sausalito, California: 995, p. 7 (using a kite stick). repeat balance PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Weave structure for bookmarks Overshot. Equipment 4-shaft loom, " weaving width; -dent reed; shuttles; cardboard spacers 4" x ". Rotary cutter and mat (optional). Yarns Warp: 40/ silk (5,000 yd/lb), Sapphire, 87 yd ( oz). Tabby weft: 40/ silk (5,000 yd/lb), Sapphire or bottle green, 4 yd/bookmark; yd ( 0 oz) for nine bookmarks. Pattern weft for each bookmark, yd. 0/ silk (4,880 yd/lb), white and handdyed; Alec Jackson s Premium Silk Floss, tangerine #0; Sulky Holoshimmer machine embroidery thread (59% polyester, 40% polyethylene, % metallic). Yarn sources 40/ silk is available from Lunatic Fringe; 0/ silk from Webs (handdyed), Sulky machine embroidery thread from fabric stores, Alec Jackson s Premium Japanese Silk Floss from fly-fishing stores and the Web. Warp order and length 9 ends yd long (allows 4" for take-up, 0" for loom waste). Warp and weft spacing Warp: 7 epi (/dent in a -dent reed). Width in the reed: 4 5". Weft: 58 ppi each pattern and tabby. Woven length/bookmark: about 7 4". Finished dimensions After washing, amounts produce nine bookmarks each " " plus " fringe. 8 HANDWOVEN

42 Versatile Miniatures in Lee s Surrender KAREN HOMANN Overshot designs evolved as patterning for coverlets, and for that purpose they tend to be large in scale. Some coverlet motifs like wheels and tables can be as large as ten inches square and are created by threading repeats with hundreds of ends. These designs can be miniaturized by reducing the numbers of threads in the blocks while maintaining their proportions. I ve found miniature overshot coverlets to have many decorative uses. In addition to removing threads within blocks (and blocks within motifs) to reduce design scale in overshot drafts, you can reduce the sizes of the threads. I have been using the miniaturized Lee s Surrender draft (a blooming-leaf and table design) from Carol Strickler and Barbara Taggart (see Resources). The draft exactly as they show it contains 5 warp ends. In sewing thread, the weaving width is under eight inches, a good size for a dollhouse coverlet. But coverlets, lovely as they are, are not the only uses for these drafts. I ve been using them for decorative, padded lids for gift, sewing, or jewelry boxes and for simple bags, but other possibilities abound. Choose shorter repeats for great bookmarks (see pages 8) or use fine silk for scarves. You ll weave more picks than usual with these pieces, but the designs will hold your interest. Karen Homann of Hudson, Iowa, has been weaving and exhibiting her work for many years. She is active in the Cedar Falls guild. Handwoven panels of Lee s Surrender stitched together for a shoulder bag. Sources for miniature patterns Strickler, Carol, and Barbara Taggart. Weaving in Miniature. Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 980, (out of print). Lee s Surrender, p. Estes, Josephine E. Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving. Part I. Boston: Josephine E. Estes, 95 (out of print). 40 HANDWOVEN

44 . Draft for gift box covers STEPS FOR WEAVING THE GIFT BOX COVERS right border: 7 ends plain weave cont"d x (tabby) Use tabby: Weave a tabby pick before every pattern pick. center field: 9 ends Numbers = number of times to use each pattern treadle. left border: 7 ends cont"d cont"d Wind a warp of 5 ends Spread the warp with a relatively fine scrap yarn (such as0/ white sewing thread yd long. 4 Because this warp is very fine, 4 pearl cotton). Wind a bobbin of warping back to front with two sewing thread for the plainweave and tabby wefts and a crosses is recommended. Use a raddle with 4" spaces and bobbin of 0/ Navy wool for 4 alternate 0 ends with ends the pattern weft. To weave each in the arms of the raddle cross cover: Begin and end with (for complete warping steps picks plain weave with sewing 4 see Resources at thread. Then weave the cover wovenmagazine.com). following Figure, alternating tabby and pattern picks throughout. Separate the covers with a Chain the warp from the board starting with the threading contrasting color thread. 4 cross. Spread the warp in the raddle, alternating 0 ends per space with ends per space. 5 Beam the warp without lease 5 sticks under firm tension, packing the layers with heavy paper. 5x cont"d When the threading cross arrives behind the shafts, insert lease sticks in the cross and secure them for threading. Thread the heddles following Figure. Sley -4/dent in a -dent reed and tie onto the front apron rod. Remove the fabric from the loom and machine zigzag along both sides of all contrasting-colored threads. Cut apart the covers along these threads. For each cover, cut and place the quilt batting on top of box and center the handwoven panel on top of the batting. Staple the woven panel to the box along the edges, mitering the corners. Place the ribbon around the box, covering fabric edges and staples, and glue. PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Weave structure for gift box covers Overshot. Equipment 4-shaft loom, 8" weaving width; -dent reed; raddle; shuttles; staple gun. Yarns Warp: Size 0 sewing thread (4,000 yd/lb), white, 945 yd. Tabby weft: Size 0 sewing thread (4,000 yd/lb), white, yd. Pattern weft: 0/ wool (5,00 yd/lb), Navy, 59 yd ( 7 0 oz). Other materials and supplies 8 wooden boxes 7 4" W " L 5 8" H each, 7 yd of 5 8" wide ribbon, low-loft quilt batting (crib size), Sobo glue, staples. Yarn and materials sources 0/ JaggerSpun MaineLine wool is available from most weaving retailers; wooden boxes from Walnut Hollow; sewing thread, batting, and Sobo glue from fabric stores; staples from hardware stores. Warp order and length 5 ends yd long (allows 4" for take-up, 4" for loom waste); add 0" per cover. Warp and weft spacing Warp: 4 epi (-4/dent in a -dent reed). Width in the reed: 7 ". Weft: 70 ppi (5 ppi tabby, 5 ppi pattern). Woven length (measured under tension on the loom): 80" (0" for each box cover). Finished dimensions Amounts produce eight gift box covers, about 4" 8 4" each to fit on top of a box 7 4" " and 5 8" tall. 4 HANDWOVEN

46 WEEKEND WEAVER Custom Checkbook Cover in contemporary overshot LIZ GOOD This handbag (see photo below) was the final project in my first weaving class in college. I am fascinated by the way overshot patterning looks as if it is raised above the level of the ground fabric. It makes me think about how the pattern is formed and what is happening on both sides of the cloth. Sometimes the designs on the two sides are very different from each other. The draft for the bag (Marguerite Porter Davison s Nappy s Butterflies) produces a design that looks fairly similar on both sides of the cloth. With the draft used for the checkbook cover (Kay s Design), however, the two sides of the cloth look very different. Overshot presents many intriguing possibilities. You can place the different faces in contrasting positions in a piece. You can use pick-up to position pattern in some areas but not others. Project directions in this article are for the checkbook cover. When you finish, you might be inspired to design a coordinating bag. Handbag in Nappy s Butterflies (above); back of Kay s Design (below) Resources Davison, Marguerite Porter. A Handweaver s Pattern Book. Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania: Marguerite P. Davison, 944. Nappy s Butterflies and Kay s Design, p. 44. Liz Good of Fort Collins, Colorado, is assistant editor of Fiberarts magazine. She is also a former intern for Schacht Spindle Co. 44 HANDWOVEN

48 PROJECT PLANNER FOR CHECKBOOK COVERS. Draft x plain weave 0/ melon (tabby) Use tabby: before each pattern pick, weave a tabby pick. 4 x 4 Thirty minutes Wind the warp Wind a warp of 4 ends yd long. Two hours Thread the loom Thread the loom using your preferred warping method following Figure and Project at-a-glance (see Resources at wovenmagazine.com for step-by-step warping instructions). Fifteen minutes Prepare to weave Tie up the treadles as in the draft in Figure. Using scrap fabric strips or scrap yarn as weft, spread the warp by weaving plain weave (alternating treadles and ) for several picks. Wind a bobbin of 0/ cotton for the tabby weft and a bobbin of the Moonbeam for the pattern weft. Forty-five minutes Check the threading Weave about 8" of the overshot pattern in Figure to establish an even beat and test for errors. This sample can be used later to make marker strips to hold the check register open. Remember that when you weave the overshot pattern, you must use tabby (not shown in the draft); i.e., before every pattern pick, weave a tabby pick, alternating treadles and. balance Six hours Weave the fabric Weave several picks with fabric strips or scrap yarn as at the beginning. For the first checkbook cover, weave plain weave with 0/ cotton for 4". Then weave the overshot pattern alternating tabby and pattern (stop at 8"). To create a very neat selvedge, for this section loop a thread around the last ends on each side of the warp. As you weave with the pattern weft, pull up on each loop to raise these ends so that the pattern weft turns inside them. Take the tabby weft through the shed from selvedge to selvedge as usual. When you finish the overshot section, remove the loops from the edges and continue weaving tabby for 4". Weave two more checkbook covers in the same way, separating them with fabric strips or scrap yarn as at the beginning. Four hours Assemble and sew the covers Cut the fabric from the loom and remove the spacer wefts. Decide which side to place face out. Fold over 4" of the plain-weave section at both ends to the wrong side and sew across the fold by machine or by hand. Fold the ends again to make pockets so that the overshot section is centered and the checkbook will fit in the pockets; crease. Whipstitch the side seams (include a marker strip in the seam as described below if desired) to create a pocket. Repeat on the other side (minus the marker). To create a crisp edge at the bottom of the pockets, topstitch just inside the fold edges. Repeat for the other two checkbook covers. Thirty minutes Create the place markers If you want to include a marker in each checkbook cover to hold your place in the register: For each marker, machine sew rows across the width of the sample piece 8" apart. Trim 8 4" from the stitching and remove the loose weft threads. This will create a slightly fringed strip of patterned fabric " wide. Enclose the ends of the strip in the side seams about 4" from the bottom of one pocket as you whipstitch the sides together. PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Weave structure for checkbook covers Overshot. Equipment 4-shaft loom, 7" weaving width; -dent reed; shuttles. Yarns Warp: 0/ pearl cotton (4,00 yd/lb), Melon, 05 yd ( oz). Tabby weft: 0/ pearl cotton (4,00 yd/lb), Melon, 0 yd ( oz). Pattern weft: -ply wool with Angelina (,400 yd/lb), Amethyst, 9 yd ( oz). Yarn sources 0/ pearl cotton is available from most weaving retailers. Lace-weight Moonbeam yarn (-ply wool with Angelina) is available from Alpine Meadow in 00 yd skeins. Warp order and length 4 ends yd long (allows 4" take-up, 8" sampling, " for spacers, 8" loom waste). Warp and weft spacing Warp: epi (/dent in a -dent reed). Width in the reed: 4". Weft: 4 ppi in plain-weave areas, 4 ppi in pattern areas ( tabby, pattern). Woven length (measured under tension on the loom): 48" (not including sample). Finished dimensions Amounts produce three fabric pieces, each " x4" (for checkbook covers 4" x 4" each after they are folded and sewn). 4 HANDWOVEN

50 Ribbons of Overshot for a soft spring shawl RITA HAGENBRUCH The color brown appears in many of Handwoven s Fabric Forecast palettes. This shawl is designed to coordinate with a pair of classic brown Eddie Bauer Bremerton slacks. The draft is adapted from a coverlet in Keep Me Warm One Night (see Resources) but the shawl is nothing like a coverlet! Overshot is a traditional weave structure rich with potential for use in nontraditional ways. Traditional overshot fabrics usually show allover block patterns in familiar motifs: tables, roses, stars, diamonds, wheels. The same block arrangements, however, can be used in a variety of other ways. Creating overshot ribbons Take, for example, coverlet #59, a typical wheel and table pattern from Keep Me Warm One Night; see Figure. If the table is removed from the threading and some of the block sizes are reduced to make shorter float lengths, a new design results, as in Figure. It s a short step from that to treadling small segments in stripes to make ribbons. And another short step to designing your own!. A wheel and table overshot design from Keep Me Warm One Night. Resources Burnham, Harold B., and Dorothy K. Keep Me Warm One Night. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 97 (out of print), p. 0. Rita Hagenbruch of Harvard, Illinois, weaves overshot in traditional and innovative ways. She loves to mentor students on Overshot Odysseys.. The table is removed from the draft and the other blocks are reduced in size to create a new design. 48 HANDWOVEN

52 . Draft for shawl STEPS FOR WEAVING THE SILK AND WOOL SHAWL x border plain weave 5x border (tabby) Raw Umber Turkish Bath Christmas use cont"d Cactus tabby Adapted from Coverlet #59 in Keep Me Warm One Night Maize 4 Wind a warp of 40 ends 4 yd long and thread the loom following Figure and Project at-a-glance using your preferred warping method. (For detailed warping steps, see Resources at Note that sectional warping or warping back to front with two crosses would would be good choices for this projects since they are less likely to stress the fine silk threads.) Tie up the treadles as in Figure (with this tie-up, you ll use the right foot for tabby, the left foot for pattern). Wind 4 bobbins, for each pattern-weft color and for the tabby weft. Spread the warp by placing three plain-weave picks without beating. Then beat all three together. Allowing 9" (including the amount used to tie on) for fringe, begin weaving the shawl following the treadling in Figure. After the first few picks of plain weave, hemstitch the first rows including ends in each stitch. Now the fun begins! You can follow the treadling in Figure or you can treadle the pattern blocks in any order to design different pattern ribbons. It is as easy as playing with blocks (ABCD)! 5 I treadled the blocks for the three ribbons in the following order, using the pattern treadle for each block x and always alternating each pattern treadle with a tabby treadle: BADCBCDAB (turquoise ribbon), CDABADC (rose ribbon), and DCDCD (gold ribbon) as shown in Figure. The ribbons are separated by 0 picks of plain weave. As you begin and end the pattern weft for each ribbon, leave a little tail of weft sticking out from the selvedge. Split the -ply yarn apart. Pull one ply out of the shed a few warp threads before the selvedge. Loop the other ply around the last thread on the selvedge and bring it back into the same shed past the point where the first ply exited. Weave a few picks and then trim the tails. This process will prevent build-up of the pattern weft at the selvedges. When you are finished weaving the shawl, hemstitch the final edge as at the beginning. Cut the fabric from the loom allowing 9" for fringe. Smooth and trim the fringe on both ends evenly (I use a rotary cutter and mat). Prepare a twisted fringe with ends in each fringe: twist two groups of ends together in the same direction 4. Heddle count 48 shaft 4 0 shaft 7 shaft 0 shaft 40 The overshot ribbons are separated by 0 picks of plain weave (tabby) only. Numbers in the treadling indicate the number of times to weave each pattern pick. Use tabby means to weave a tabby pick before each pattern pick, alternating treadles 5 and. 7 plain weave (tabby) plain weave (tabby) plain weave (tabby) plain weave (tabby) 5x use tabby 5x use tabby use tabby 5x 5x until they kink; then twist both groups together in the opposite direction and secure with an overhand knot. Wash the shawl in warm water using Orvus Paste or a gentle soap. Rinse several times in warm water until the rinse water runs clear. I added a little vinegar to the second to last rinse. Roll the shawl in towels to blot dry and smooth flat on a surface to finish drying. Press with the iron on a rayon setting using a press cloth. 9x PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Weave structure for shawl Overshot and plain weave. Equipment 4-shaft loom, 0" weaving width; -dent or 8-dent reed; 4 shuttles. Yarns Warp: 0/ spun silk (7,500 yd/lb), Captain Olive (#5),,080 yd (4 oz). Tabby weft: 4/ lambswool (5,90 yd /lb), Raw Umber,,00 yd ( oz). Pattern weft: 0/ spun silk (5,000 yd/lb), JY9 Turkish Bath (turquoise), 0 yd ( oz); JY7 Christmas Cactus (rose), 49 yd ( 4 5 oz); and JY7 Maize (gold), 78 yd ( 5 oz). Yarn sources 0/ and 0/ spun silk are available from Treenway Silks; 4/ lambswool by JaggerSpun from most weaving retailers. Warp order and length 40 ends 4 yd long (allows " take-up, 9" loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). Warp and weft spacing Warp: epi (-- in a -dent reed or 4/dent in an 8-dent reed). Width in the reed: 0". Weft: 5 ppi in plain-weave areas, 5 ppi in pattern areas ( ppi pattern, ppi tabby). Woven length (measured under tension on the loom): 8". Finished dimensions After washing, amounts produce one shawl 8 " 75" plus 7" fringe at each end. 50 HANDWOVEN

54 HW_5-54_Stahl /8/07 :57 PM Page 5 Overshot Gets a Makeover it s all about color Y V O N N E S TA H L Traditionally, overshot has been used either for allover patterning (coverlets, tablecloths, and placemats) or for borders (curtains, runners, and towels). Warp and tabby-weft colors were usually white or natural, and the patternweft colors dark blue, red, or brown. For this reason, contemporary weavers often bypass overshot in favor of twills or even plain weave, thinking that they are better suited for displaying color. Think again! I n this scarf, yarn colors are varied in only one of three possible places (warp, tabby weft, pattern weft) to create an explosion of glorious color. On a dark navy background, the pattern-weft colors move around more than half of the color wheel: blue, blue-violet, violet, red-violet, red, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow. (Commercially dyed colors vary considerably from the true hues in a twelve-color wheel, but those variations often add to rather than subtract from the overall effect.) The scarf design The basic idea for this scarf design is very simple. Four overshot blocks are arranged in the threading in an extended point. The treadling rotates through all four blocks (C, D, A, B) for each pattern-weft color. The first color repeats each block eight times, the second seven times, the Yvonne Stahl of Denver, Colorado, has been weaving for thirty years. She transforms weave structures through creative use of color. 5 HANDWOVEN third six times, etc., until the lightest color, pale yellow, is reached, whose blocks are treadled one time each. The treadling then reverses, going back through the color wheel, increasing the number of times each block is treadled for each successive color; see Figure, page 54. Notes about color and design One of the pattern-weft colors used in this scarf is handdyed (red-orange). Since this color is not available in wool/silk, the colors listed in the Project at-a-glance use a slightly darker red for red, and red for the handdyed red-orange. Navy blue makes an especially effective background color, intensifying and unifying the other colors. Consider designing a similar scarf but varying: a) the overshot design see Rita Hagenbruch, pages for design ideas; b) the background color, either a neutral or a light hue or a warm hue; c) the range of pattern-weft colors, choosing from a different section of the color wheel; and/or, d) the number of pattern-weft colors. You can also use either wool or silk as your pattern weft, plan a narrower scarf, or add to project width for a shawl.

56 . Draft for scarf STEPS FOR WEAVING THE OVERSHOT SCARF Royal 47 Deep Purple 5 Dianthus Garnet plain weave Red Copper Curry 4 Chrome 0/ silk (tabby) Wind a warp of 97 ends yd long and thread the loom following Figure and Project at-a-glance using your preferred warping method (for step-by-step warping instructions see Resources at 9x Wind bobbin 0/ navy silk for tabby weft and 8 bobbins for the 8 pattern-weft colors. Weave a header in scrap yarn to spread the warp and then weave several picks of any color 0/ cotton to protect the edge until the fringe is worked. Allowing 7" for fringe, begin weaving the scarf with picks plain weave in 0/ navy silk. Then weave the pattern following the treadling in Figure. Numbers in the treadling indicate how many times to use each pattern treadle (always alternating with tabby). Begin and end each color by bringing weft tails around an edge thread and back into the shed for about ". (I did not use a floating selvedge and just let the weft turn without special care.) End with picks plain weave and several picks 0/ cotton. Cut the scarf from the loom and discard scrap yarn. Removing the 0/ cotton as you work, prepare a twisted fringe with ends in each fringe, each in the last. Wash by hand in warm water, gentle soap. Rinse well, lay flat to dry, and press with a warm iron x Use tabby: Weave a tabby pick before every pattern pick. PROJECT