4 shaft overshot brands

I never really thought of using different colors for overshot before, but after feeling inspired by a group discussion, I decided to try it! I like it a lot and will probably do it again. The warp is pink, yellow, and blue. The tabby weft is the same rotation of pink, yellow, and blue, while…

Ask most people what “overshot,” and most weavers think of American colonial weavers and their coverlets. While coverlets are represented here, this collection also includes projects that dazzle with color, drape with luscious softness, and take overshot in new directions. Scarves and shawls, runners (for table and floor), tablecloths and clothing—all appear in this comprehensive collection. Overshot, even in its colonial interpretation, was a miracle weave, allowing unbelievable patterning on only four shafts. Add to pattern the use of color and fine and luxurious yarns, and you’ll start your own love affair with overshot. This is the second eBook on overshot (see also A Baker"s Dozen: Top Projects in Overshot eBook)

Overshot is a magical structure. The first time you weave it you can hardly believe the cloth that grows on your loom. Traditionally used to weave bed coverings, overshot has many beautiful applications in today"s world, from useful household textiles to breathtaking works of art. This versatile weave is subject to endless variations. Here are a few of our favorite tips and a few truly spectacular projects, too! If you are inspired, come visit us and learn from a master weaver, Joanne Hall. See details below about her workshop.

A slouchy bag by FiberMusings on Weavolution pairs leftover BFL singles with sturdy Cottolin to create a fashionable yet functional multi-colored bag. The draft is a design from Ann Weaver"s Handweavers Pattern Dictionary, and it"s a great way to integrate Overshot techniques while making an eye-catching accessory!

Another project that caught our eye recently was a shower curtain shared by GailR@30 shared on Weaving Today - it"s nothing short of amazing (click here to see for yourself)! Consisting of thirteen different overshot pattern threadings woven in thirteen different treadlings, 169 different design effects are created based on designs from Osma Gallinger Tod"s book The Joy of Handweaving. As Gail noted on her project page, a great way to make each design stand out is to separate them with twill bands (even though it might mean a little more work in the process!)

Or, you may choose to elevate your weaving like the work of art it most certainly is, as Evaweave did with her Overshot Study pieces. These two miniature silk rugs look lovely in a frame, don"t you think? The overshot pattern was adapted from Overshot Weaving by Ellen Lewis Saltzman, complementing one another perfectly.

Think overshot is too difficult to try? Deb Essen thinks otherwise! Fiber artist, designer, and teacher, Deb is a passionate weaver who specializes in using overshot name drafts to create "secret messages" in cloth.

On her website, she explains: "Overshot is a weave structure and a draft is the weaver"s guide to creating patterns in cloth. Overshot name drafts assign the letters of a name or phrase to the shafts on a loom, creating a pattern that is unique. The one-of-a-kind patterns become a secret hidden message in the cloth and only those knowing the secret can break the code."

Deb lets you in on the secret with her clever kits, each with a hidden message. We"re particularly fond of her That"s Doable kit, which features Mountain Colors hand-painted yarns and, as the name would imply, is our first choice for those new to overshot weaving.

Over three years ago, when my David Louet floor loom was still somewhat new to me, I wrotethis post on overshot. If you read it, you will discover that my initial relationship with overshot was not a very positive one.

The happy ending to the initial overshot sob story is that I can weave overshot now. Quite well, in fact! And I also teach it. And I happen to love it, very, very much. Don’t you love a happy ending?

I don’t think there was any particular moment where I thought to myself “I can weave overshot now!” I didn’t even weave any overshot for quite some time after that initial attempt. But slowly it tempted me back, and we started over. It was just a matter of sticking with it, employing some specific techniques and practice, practice, practice until it feels like an old friend.

My love of overshot has only increased with my more recent discovery of American Coverlets. I loved the look of the coverlets and the history behind them before I realised that so many of them were woven in the wonderfully humble 4 shaft overshot.

Now that I have quite a lot of experience weaving overshot, I want to share my best overshot tips with you in hope that you too will fall in love with this wonderful weave structure.

To weave overshot you need a warp yarn, a tabby yarn and a pattern weft yarn. Using the same yarn for warp and tabby works perfectly. For the pattern weft, I like to use a yarn that is twice the size of the tabby/warp yarn. I have experimented with using doubled strands of tabby/warp yarn in a contrasting colour, but it just doesn’t look as good. A thicker pattern yarn is the way to go.

What will the size of your item be? A miniature overshot pattern may get lost in a blanket, but may be perfect for a scarf. As a general rule, a good way to estimate the size of one repeat of your pattern just by looking at the draft is to see how many repeats are in one threading repeat. Also consider the thickness of your yarns and the sett you intend to weave.

This is a non negotiable for overshot if you want neat edges and less headaches! You get used to using floating selvedges very quickly, so don’t stress if you have no experience with them.

There are 6 treadles needed for overshot, even though you weave on 4 shafts. The two extra treadles are for the tabby weave. I always set up my pattern treadles in the centre of the loom – two on the left and two on the right. Then I set up a “left” tabby and a “right” tabby treadle. To do this on my 8 shaft loom I leave a gap between the pattern treadles and the tabby treadles so that my feet can “see” and differentiate between a pattern and tabby treadle.

I like to advance little and often. You will find your own preference or “sweet spot” for weaving, but I find that with overshot I advance a lot more frequently at a much smaller amount than I do usually.

An example of this is that I wove an overshot sampler right before Is started my main project (the throw). It was a narrow warp (around 8″) and a different overshot threading and treadling than I’m using for the project.

I personally do not use a temple. Some weavers will say they won’t weave without one. I’ve tried using a temple on many of my projects, particularly if I’m getting broken edge warp threads (signs of tension problems and too much draw in). But I will avoid using one wherever I can get away with it, and I don’t use one for weaving overshot.

I find that if I’m careful with weft tension and warping evenly, I do not get excessive draw in. It is something I’m constantly aware of while weaving and remind myself of tip 4 so that my weft picks are not pulling in at the edges.

Tabletop weaving looms are wonderful for weaving more complex patterns or using finer warp threads. These are great for weaving newcomers who want to learn to weave patterns without having to invest in a lot of equipment. They generally have between 4 and 8 shafts however as we will discuss later, there are many other options available.

This type of weaving loom lets you create a wide range of woven items with its multiple shafts, and are less of an investment when compared to floor looms. Being smaller in size, table looms can be stored more easily when not in use.

You will need to consider the type of project that you plan to make when choosing a table loom that is right for you. Table looms have multiple shaft options and different weaving widths, you"ll have to have a clear view of what you want to achieve with your loom before you buy one.

Table looms are generally smaller compared to floor looms but offer options of multiple shaft weaving, opening up the possibility of complex patterns and colour variation. There is a variety of table looms in the market with multiple shafts and different features.

A two-shaft table loom is an alternative to a rigid heddle loom. It is easy to operate and offers even warp tension. An example of a two-shaft table loom is the Louet Erica loom, which is available in 30cm and 50cm weaving widths, and comes with a built-in raddle. The Louet Erica can be upgraded to four shafts as your weaving experience grows. When not in use, it can be folded flat for easy storage and transport.

There are plenty of projects you can do with just four shafts! Four shaft table loom weaving welcomes opportunities to weave basic drafts including twill, lace, overshot, and many more. Examples of other four-shaft weaving looms include the Glimakra Victoria loom and the Ashford 4 shaft table loom. These are compact, lightweight looms that offer a variety of wide weaving widths.

If you have tried weaving on a two-shaft or four-shaft loom before, it can be a big change when you start using an eight-shaft loom. However, it"s definitely worth a try. The possibilities are huge with all those shafts! It can be difficult to decide what project you want to try first, but just let your creativity and imagination run free as you grow your weaving skills. Ashford is one of the trusted brands offering an 8 shaft table loom. It comes in three different weaving widths.

While most table looms feature only up to eight shafts, Ashford offers a versatile 16 shaft table loom that is designed for weavers wanting to sample and weave more complex drafts. A multi-shaft table loom of this nature enables flexible options as you are not restricted to a tie-up.

A dobby loom is not often thought of when discussing a table loom but I want to mention the Louet Magic Dobby Table Loom, a portable multi-shaft loom that comes with a mechanical or computer dobby interface. Your lift sequence is pre-programmed meaning you do not need to change leavers with each pick. The benefit of this loom is that the weaving speed is increased, and it can be controlled by the hand leaver or have a treadle kit attached. A dobby table loom is a great choice for complex weaving if mobility is an issue without sacrificing design outcomes.

Weaving on a table loom can be slower as the shafts need to be changed by hand in between each weft pick. The advantage of manually selecting the leavers is that the pattern combinations can be adjusted much easier than a floor loom.

Floor looms, on the other hand, are like the larger version of table looms and have treadles attached. You set your tie-up before commencing and use your feet to raise the shafts, this does quicken the weaving speed. In order to change your pattern sets, you may need to change your tie-up.

Thread Collective offers a range of table looms from various brands, including Ashford, Louet, Schacht, Leclerc and Glimakra. They offer table looms with 2 shafts through to 24 shafts in a variety of weaving widths and available accessories.

The overshot weaving project shown is woven on a 16″ Ashford Table Loom 8 shaft, The yarns used are Ashford 100% mercerised cotton in 10/2 and 5/2. (We don’t have this yarn currently listed on our site, but we’re able to order it in for you. Send us an email at: info@sweetgeorgiayarns.com!) The pattern is Overshot Sampler from the book Next Steps in Weaving by Pattie Graver

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.

Season 4 is absolutely twilling