THE SILKY WEAVE

I love overshot.  I even like weaving with two shuttles, the essential part of making overshot, as I can’t stop being fascinated by the intricate patterns I can make with just 4-shaft loom.  I am currently reading archive of Handwoven, and I run across an article than opened like this:

Many weavers are secret expansionists.  They want more shafts.

And this is true on my part.  I do want more shafts, as I am seduced by complex and sophisticated patterns that one can do with eight shafts.  And even with six shafts it now becomes possible to have plain weave side by side with the pattern, which makes floating selvages redundant.

Interestingly enough, the article went on about how the author found herself weaving plain weave again and again (only two shafts are needed), as she created weavings where not the pattern, but the yarn played the main role.

And I know that too: my four shafts give me a myriad ways to play with colour, texture, structure and pattern.  That’s why I stay a closet expansionist.  But once in a while I want a fancy pattern, and I go to overshot.

Here is the very first overshot I wove: two table runners as gifts to my wonderful mom and mom-in-law.  

And here is my latest addition:  two table runners, done on one warp.  The first one is made with Christmas motif in mind.  I used an uneven twist yarn for the part between the colour border, a cotton flake, to get the rustic feel.  This yarn gives uneven selvages to add to the rustic appeal.

The second one is woven in pattern weft from end to end. using wine colour yarn.

Overshot is wonderful.