Weaving Overshot

Subtitled "Or possibly More Than You Care to Know About Weaving Overshot".  I claim to be no expert, but for anyone interested, bear with me through this post, and you'll know about as much as I do now (which is just the tip of the iceberg).

Overshot is comprised of two different thread weights.  One is lightweight, is used for the warp (the threads that you start with on the loom), plus half of the weft (the threads you pass back and forth through the warp on the loom) and forms the structure that holds the cloth together.  The structure is comprised of what you'd probably think of as the simplest of weaving structures - one thread up, one thread down, repeat to end. The second thread used for this type of weave is heavier, proportionately, to the ground thread, and it is what forms the pattern.  Because you have a nice, solid, interlocked weave structure, you can use this heavier thread to do long floats (think carrying a color across the back of a Fair Isle knit and you've got the main concept here).

To produce this, you alternate the 2 threads back and forth across the warp threads.  So - for weft pass #1, I would use my lightweight yarn and do a simple one thread up, one thread down that looks like this:

On the next pass, I would use the heavier thread and only lift certain strings in the warp up, so the heavier thread floats across some, and goes under some, according to the pattern.  Like so:

Alternating the lightweight (always in the one up/one down threading pattern) and the heavier-weight threads (according to the floats indicated by the weaving draft), you eventually wind up with a structure where the two are interlocked, which looks something like:

See how the white threads are encapsulating and sort of "hugging" the thicker blue threads into place?  That's the basis of overshot.

This pattern is reversed on the opposite side, where what are the little squares of blue wool on the right-side picture, above, now are seen as the longer floats on the "wrong"-side.

I'm making a lot of progress on this.  I have 65 inches total to weave, and I'm just under the 30-inch mark. 

For those of you keeping score (and who have slogged this far in this post), I found the AWOL bobbins this weekend.  Diggs and I had a chat about them while he was having dinner the other night, and he suggested I look in the least likely place I would think to put them. I found them lying in plain view (albeit still in the plastic bag from the Three Wishes shop) on top of the small end table in the guest bedroom.  I have no recollection of them having been put there, but whatever - they were lost and now are found.

All for now.....

Comments

[Carole]

I always enjoy seeing photos of your weaving.

[Judy]

What a great project for the cold weather. I'll bet it keeps you alert. We really have a lack of snow this winter. Not over yet.

[Stitch-n-Snitch]

Wow--I'll bet the picking back to correct a boo-boo is super hard!

[Wendolene]

Thanks! I'm a beginning weaver who was trying to understand overshot from reading a book. For some reason it wasn't getting through, but your description just set off the light bulb in my head. Now I just have to go home and rethread my loom. Oh Goody!!

[Miriam]

You posted this just so I would want to skip the spinning wheel and go straight to a loom, didn't you? So I have to ask though... how do you lift the threads you want up for the blue thread rows... the ones you will overshoot (is that the correct term?) Do you have to lift them individually, or what?

[Karen]

That sounds confusing. It doesn't sound like something I could teach myself. I think I would need lessons. It looks really nice!

[Marcia]

Yes, enquiring minds want to know how you pick up the threads?! And, do you think it's something that can be done on a rigid heddle loom? Very pretty, though...what is it going to become? Glad you found your errant bobbins!

[Sara]

Beautiful! Nice explanation too. Love the blue and white, cat's paws and snail trails? :)

Have you tried other ways of treadling overshot, that give different structures? A lifetime of exploration...

[Nicole]

I love the blue and white. What is the fiber?

I'm glad Digger could help you out. Animals are great like that sometimes.

[Birdsong]

What beautiful work you are doing, and with Diggs as a consultant, at that!

[vanessa]

you can never post too many weaving photos :-)

[Anne]

I knew Diggs had something to do with it! It would have been nice if he'd spilled the beans earlier though, would'nt it?

[Charleen]

Looks lovely! Your pictures and description are a great motivator for me to start planning an overshot project.

Could you please ask Diggs if he knows where the little doohickey that connects my camera to the tripod is? I'd be much obliged!

[Jennifer]

So cool. I can't wait to see the finished fabric. What is it going to be?

[Kim]

It's looking great Anne!

[John]

Hello! My name is John! Your site is good!

[Nancy]

Beautiful work! I've been asked to make fabric for 4 or 5 decorative pillows in overshot...all cotton...and sort of "hefty" in weight. I'm thinking 3/2 cotton for the pattern weft. Any suggestions for warp and tabby weft? (Or any other ideas for pattern weft)? Thanks!