Overshot Simply: Understanding the Weave Structure 38 Projects to Practice Your Skills

overshot

SIMPLY

UNDERSTANDING THE WEAVE STRUCTURE

38 Projects to Practice Your Skills

SUSAN KESLER-SIMPSON

STACKPOLE

BOOKS

Guilford, Connecticut

Thank you to Tom Knisely for his encouragement to write the book, to my husband Dave for his support and patience, and to Francie Appleman (my crazy friend) who spent a lot of time giving this book a thorough technical review.

Stackpole Books

An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.,

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Copyright © 2018 by Rowman & Littlefield

Photography by Kathleen Eckhaus and Susan Kesler-Simpson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

The contents of this book are for personal use only. Patterns contained herein may be reproduced in limited quantities for such use. Any large-scale commercial reproduction is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher.

We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of these instructions. We cannot, however, be responsible for human error, typographical mistakes, or variations in individual work.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ISBN 978-0-8117-1678-9 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-8117-6799-6 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences–Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

CONTENTS

Foreword by Tom Knisely

Introduction

1Overshot Weave Structure

2Creating an Overshot Pattern from a Twill Pattern

3Borders

4Changing Treadling to Change Pattern

5Making an Overshot Gamp

6Setting Up the Loom

7Treadling

8Bits and Pieces

Projects

All Trimmed Out!

Artemis Dog Coat

Autumn Leaves Table Runner

Baby Blues Blanket

Belts: Denim Blue and Sassy Brown

Checkerboard Table Runner

Christmas Ornaments or Coasters

Echo Scarf and Rainbow Vestment

Elegance Tablecloth

Evergreen Table Runner

Inchworm Scarf

Fiesta Scarf

A Touch of Green Cape

Garden Lights Place Mat and Napkins

Ghost Eyes Table Runner

Cotton Candy Scarf

Nature Speaks Scarf

Irish Pathways Ruana

I’ve Got the Blues Wrap

Mardi Gras Table Runner

Merry Christmas Runner

Overshot Rug

Pillows

Pink-a-licious Blanket

Prayer Shawl

Pretty in Pink Dress

Purple Passion Throw

Rose Path Shawl

Whig Rose Shawlette

Snakeskin Scarf

Winter Snowflakes Shawl

Springtime Place Mats

Starburst Scarves and Pouch

Stars and Stripes Table Runner

Summertime Table Runner

Wonderful Windows

Xs and Os Scarves

Resources

FOREWORD

On a cold January morning last year, I was taking the train to New York to do a lecture on rug weaving. I figured this would be the perfect time to sit back and read Susan’s manuscript. She had given it to me a few days before and asked me to go through it and give her my opinion. As I sat back in my seat and started to read, I couldn’t get over how clear and straightforward her explanations were. Like any good author, Susan has given you the background of overshot and how it has evolved out of simple twills to become the king of weave structures. Susan’s explanations are to the point and easy to understand. When you read through the chapters, it’s as if Susan is sitting there with you, telling you in a friendly voice how to weave overshot step by step. I was glad to see Susan covers thread sizes and choices for the projects that you want to weave. There are suggestions on how to tie up your loom’s treadles to make the weaving go more smoothly. Susan covers the little things, as any good teacher should, to make readers more confident, especially if they may be weaving overshot for the first time. Even if you are a veteran to weaving overshot, you will gain a lot of good information from this book.

I was so glad to see that Susan’s vision for overshot has taken her beyond the coverlet. As you go through the pages of projects, it helps you to see that this is a marvelous way to weave patterned fabric and that these fabrics have many more applications than you might have thought. Susan has used her background in fashion design and tailoring to bring us project ideas that are fresh and new. Bravo! I have to tell you that I was touched when Susan offered to weave a liturgical stole for my daughter Hannah. She recently became ordained, and Susan wove an original overshot pattern for the stole of her own design.

As one of her teachers, I am thrilled to see how Susan has taken her passion for overshot to such levels. I only planted the seed. It takes nurturing and the love of the subject to create a book of this caliber.

Congratulations, Susan, for all your hard work. I am so proud of you for taking on this project, and the weaving world will come to thank you also.

Tom Knisely

INTRODUCTION

When I began to weave, I was immediately drawn to the overshot weave structure. The complexity of the designs fascinated me. And as someone who was drawn to antiques, I had seen many