Life Lessons from Overshot Weaving // Episode 167 // Taking Back Friday // a fibre arts vlog

SHOW NOTES: sweetgeorgiayarns.com/2021/10...
Join me as I talk about learning overshot weaving for the first time and what life lesson it taught me this past weekend.
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[@resourcedragon]

I love watching your enthusiasm for weaving. I think for a lot of crafters there is a fear of not doing it well, or a fear of wasting materials while not doing it well. And when we think of the material wastage, we should probably think of all the things languishing in our stash that we haven't even tried to use, which is arguably more wasteful.

[@VVDCS]

That "get on with it" thing really hit home for me, thanks for that :)

[@dorym8045]

When I first started learning to weave, I took a class where we each picked our own projects. For my first one, I did some napkins from an old issue of Handwoven mag. My napkins were the size of placemats but I learned to warp a loom and actually weave (and about the importance of picks per inch). But for my second project, I picked an overshot square that eventually became a pillow top. I really didn’t know anything about overshot at the time but I liked the look of it. I will give the instructor full credit for not discouraging me and I didn’t know to be intimidated by supplemental weft. It is still my most favorite piece I’ve ever woven. So if you hear yourself talking yourself out of trying something, stop and just go for it.

[@aroundtheworldfibers]

Wow, I love the sample! ♥I'm convinced - like I wasn't before, I have to try weaving. Interestingly enough, I was a bit surprised at how large the Ashford table loom is. As for regrets, I never believed in having regrets. I believe everything we do is a journey to where we are. However I do wish I had confidence or a support system - I lacked both. At least there's one benefit age brings, I'm definitely confident in my abilities now, supported by a very close network of friends. I do struggle with focusing on specific hand crafts as I do several different ones. Two goals I have, spin my own yarn for my own designs and weave my own fabric for my own designs. 😊

[@Ella-iw4gk]

Interesting what you were saying about beginning weavers being intimidated by seemingly difficult things, I'm a completely self taught weaver so luckily it never occurred to me not to try things. I've woven with, or sampled, overshot, Krokbragd, lace, many different twills, and enjoyed them all. The worst that can happen is starting again with a much better chance of getting it right. Thanks for the video 👍

[@dellaburns7307]

The first time I did overshot I fell in love with it even my mistakes created amazing patterns and excitement

[@sweetgeorgia]

Isn’t it just amazing?! Yes!

[@sandradelvecchio6894]

I’m a new weaver and I have the idea of whatever practice I do, unless it’s totally messed up, I will use to make stuffed animals for my grandkids. All mix and match colors and patterns on each critter. I saw the idea from some kit make for you to use your weaving, and I thought why not use my bits that aren’t big enough for anything else?

[@SpinningShadowsFiberArts]

I believe coverlets were basically a protective layer to keep dust and bugs off of what lay underneath. This is just a guess though from reading haha. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and work. That sample is beautiful! I share videos as well and hope to build up to teaching more. I guess my biggest fear in crafting is being wasteful or not doing ‘enough’. I forget it’s a learning process and no time spent is really wasted. I recently learned I don’t have to absolutely fill the bobbin to have a nice spin and complete a yarn. It works just fine to have smaller skeins too! That has been sort of a game changer for me.

[@juliemulie1805]

I hate making gamps just to learn technique. Therefore my learning projects are usually useful when completed. It's not a fear of waste but more a determination to not create it. Clean out a couple of parents homes and you get a different attitude about waste and stuff. I agree with the tone of some of the older weaving books; practicality was emphasized and wasted time and effort was to be avoided. Interesting and thoughtful video Felicia!

[@MikiCrespo]

Thanks so much for sharing. Love to call your videos "self-care"😍

[@letslistentobooks894]

WOW to that sample ... and your inspiring words ;)

[@carolynfowler3133]

Good advice and something I should take to heart. Eight months after signing up for online classes I still haven’t plunged into learning how to use my 4 shuttle loom that I have toted around for 30 years and numerous moves. I knit, crochet, sew clothing, recover furniture, quilt … why am I so fearful of weaving. Silly, isn’t it! I love the Overshot Weaving you did. Thank you for another lovely episode.

[@heikehoyer1284]

Thanks for the video, I am always happy when you talk about weaving!

[@sweetgeorgia]

You are so welcome! Weaving makes me happy too :)

[@roxanneash4091]

Your overshot looks amazing I'm new to weaving just started this year and an overshot table runner was my second project if clumsy me can do it and have it turn out recognizable yours will be fantastic! Love your videos they are so inspiring, thanks for sharing.

[@caroleschmidt5878]

Great analogy with your overshot! Inspiring

[@juliamurray8045]

What an inspiring video. I'm a new weaver and am keen to try more.

[@jamiey2632]

I'm a new weaver and decided to jump right in with a floor loom. I joined a guild that let me rent one without even knowing how to use it. Lovely people. I've done a few projects on a cricket and one class. First thing I tried on the floor loom was your twill gamp sampler. Oh, it was a mess. I'm a jump right in kind of person and I think overshot will be my next project after making some towels.

[@megcarr3126]

Thanks Felica, I have never heard of that weaving technique before, it very beautiful. I don't weave but I started the Exlporation Station by Stephen West 3 years ago. I got to the brioche section and thought, I can't do this, I will mess it up. I put that shawl away for over two years. I looked st it again, watched some tutorials and tried it. It was fine, even the increases. I had put this off for so long, for what reason! Just being scared to fail at something. When I thought about it, that seemed ridiculous, that's how we learn. If you never tried you would not do anything new. I have since vowed that if I want to do it, just have to give it a go. 😊

[@CraftyKarin]

I kind of had to chuckle on this. I do get afraid to try things all the time but often enough I also just do. I started weaving on a thrift store loom I had no idea about, turned out to be a vintage rigid heddle. I wove several plain weave scarves on it, then I found a bargain second hand 4 shaft table loom. As my very first project with the idea of "let's see what this thing can do" I pretty much accidentally picked an overshot pattern. There was no tabby weft indicated. The kind weaving ladies on Ravelry helped me figure this out so I actually did some overshot. This was my first ever non plain weave non RH project! I will say though that if you don't want to do a certain (complicated) style of weaving, that's ok too. I never went back to this type of pattern. It was interesting but for some reason the resulting fabric doesn't appeal to me that much. Being such a multi crafter (a lot of the fibre arts and a bunch of other things like drawing, painting, scrapbooking) I really go with what I really feel like making. Weaving is quite a time consuming craft so to get to an end result before my interest shifts I need to pick something that I really love making.

[@KnittingsAndSewings]

Felicia, thanks so much for this video. It is so true! I never thought about it, but I've been avoiding overshot also. And why? I have that "Next Steps In Weaving" and I also just bought the wonderful Mary Black book (used) thanks to your recommendation. I love all your "Taking Back Friday" episodes but this one was so special. Thanks again! Your overshot sampler is lovely.

[@cmelancon3650]

I just found this video! I am a brand new weaver - I made a scarf that was in the booklet that came with my 24” Ashford rigid heddle loom!! Overshot intrigues me and I love how you explained it and showed us your work! It is stunning!! I can’t wait to watch more of your videos!!!

[@sweetgeorgia]

Thank you so much! I’ve been playing with overshot this holiday season and hoping to share more soon ☺️ happy new year!

[@DAYBROK3]

yes

[@birdladyWanda]

Hi. I’ve been a lifelong hobby seamstress, I’m a gardener, do crochet, now wheel and spindle spinning, (dog hair, it’s a niche :-) ) I’m not afraid of using my hands, or my mind, but for some reason, weaving gets REALLY confusing! But with two different backstrap sets, plus an Ashford table loom, I refuse to give up! I will at least take that loom out of the box, and assemble it. Hehe. Thanks for your videos, Felicia!

[@birdladyWanda]

*Felicia

[@elishevatimber6540]

Love that in this video you are sitting next to "MY" loom... an Ashford 8-shaft table loom. Mine is 32". I started out on a counter balanced floor loom but when I moved overseas had to part with it... and with weaving for a while. Finally just bought this Ashford. I want to try overshot - but I'm stuck with following "tie-up" directions (where to place the tabby) verses the use of table loom levers. Can you bring some clarity to converting floor loom tie ups to table loom levers - with regard to overshot? Thanks!!

[@sweetgeorgia]

For sure! I just set myself a convention… I thread so that the shaft closest to me is shaft 1 and the furthest away is shaft 4. The first lever on the left raises shaft 1. Then if I enter my tabby shuttle from the left, then I would use the levers 1 and 3 to get the plain weave shed. If I enter my tabby shuttle from the right, I use levers 2 and 4 because lever 4 is on the right hand side. It’s the only way I can remember what I’m doing 😆

[@Berkyvan]

If you love overshoot, you HAVE to check out Bertha Gray Hayes! An amazing weaver who took overshot to the outer limits. There’s a fairly new book with all of her samples.

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Is overshot how brocade fabric made?

[@sandralouth3103]

I am currently working on my first overshot pattern. Previously I have made 2 plain weave rugs and a sample strip(1st weaving class project). Extremely intimidated by overshot initially however once you get the concept it goes quickly and I can now find and fix my mistakes. I am loving it. My biggest challenge is that I have not found a book that clearly diagrams how to thread a loom from start to finish. I am a very visual and tactile learner AND am disabled, do crawling under a loom is not going to happen (I'd never get out). Do you have any books or videos to recommend that demonstrate setting up your loom? I am 8n the market for a hopefully used countermarch floor loom if only because that is all I have used. Love your videos.

[@sweetgeorgia]

Thanks Sandra! There is a great book called “The Big Book of Weaving” by Laila Lundell and she illustrates step by step how to dress a loom. Of course, we also teach these steps in our video-based weaving courses on the School of SweetGeorgia. ☺️