Replies

1. 
   Tish | Jan 25, 2003 06:39pm | #1

   This is beautiful.  I don't know how to do overshot.  I've tried to read about it, but I can't visualize.  I will have to dress my loom and just do it as I read.  I envy you your weaving guild. 

   Right now I'm working on a very simple pair of mats for the sides of my bed.  I've warped a worsted wool-acrylic blend and the weft is Lion Brand "Woolspun" thick and thin textured yarn.  I'm weaving in a basket weave with the warp fairly loose to highlight the texture of the weft yarn.  This is a project born of last summer's yarn clearance at my local Michael's Craft store.

   I want to try everything-- and I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not in a race.  If it takes me years to learn to do the things I want it's ok as long as I enjoy myself along the way.

1. 
   rjf | Jan 25, 2003 08:16pm | #2

   I'm discovering as I go that I may have to forego some of the projects that interest me because I tend to get too involved.  The other thing that's happening is that mistakes are affecting me differently.  I guess I was an extreme perfectionist and with effort, managed to get things done exactly as I wanted them.  These days, I tend to say "Good enough".  It bothers me a little but the excitment of starting a new project blows it out of my mind.  Yippee!

   I know you would like overshot.  The pattern possibilites are endless.  The one pictured is a name-draft.  Starting with my grandchildren's names and assigning 1 through 4 to the various letters of the alphabet (and a little fiddling), you develop a threading sequence.  But there are endless books of patterns to use.  It's not very different from plain old weaving except that you have two weft threads.  One in color and bigger than the warp and one the same color as the warp and smaller.  You treadle one shot pattern weft  and one shot tabby in plain weave.  That's what holds it together.  And then you beat like the devil because you need to pack it so the design stays square.  It tends to look more impressive than the weaver deserves.

   I used some of that Lion Brand stuff as weft with a 10/2 cotton warp but it didn't come out as fluffy as I hoped.  Your basket weave sounds like the solution.    rjf