all of my favorite overshot resources

I’ve been weaving the structure overshot (in an obsessive, addicted sort of way) for going on 11 years. I enjoy certain overshot patterns over others, but I don’t have a nonchalant relationship with the tabby and pattern pick dynamic that I do with other structures. In part I think it’s aesthetics — I love traditional overshot motifs — but it’s also the way overshot blocks interact and how they can be deconstructed.

There isn’t a definitive source for the origin of the structure, but many weavers agree that overshot was named for the way the weft “shoots” over the tabby (ground cloth) to create floats — sometimes referred to as floatwork. With the aid of a tabby pick, overshot allows the same weft pattern to repeat in multiple picks without losing the integrity of the fabric.

The structure became popular in the United States during the 1800s, specifically used for weaving coverlets (bedcovers) in the South and New England. In the mid-19th century, New England coverlets shifted to favor industrialized Jacquard looms, but extensive development of overshot weaving as a form of design and expression was fostered in rural Southern Appalachia for another 100 years.

The Jacquard added pictorial and curvilinear design elements to the coverlet and also broadened the structural techniques that were used. Doublecloth, which created a warmer and sturdier textile, was often employed, and while overshot motifs remained, the structure was flattened, losing its signature floatwork.

Pictured below is the distinction between the two, as many people assume that all coverlets are woven in overshot, or vice versa. The Jacquard utilizes the overshot motif but is woven in doublecloth. The textile I wove, pictured right, is the original overshot pattern (with a mix of Lover’s Knot, a complementary motif to Whig Rose) where the threads floating over the face of the cloth are visible.

Many weavers consider overshot an advanced technique due to the fact that two shuttles are used while weaving — one for the tabby pick and one for the structure pick. However, I find the structure easy for beginners to grasp, with a small amount of patience and some guidance (online workshop, guild member, books, etc.). If you're curious where I find my drafts, I've linked all my favorite sources, along with book recommendations and free .pdfs below.