Weaving

   Weaving became a part of my life in October of 1985. I began with a class from a shop in down town Morris, IL. That shop is no longer there. But after that class I bought the 15 inch table loom.  In 1987 I acquired a folding 36 inch wide, 8 harness floor loom. As time passed I added a few others including a ridged heddle loom....and so it goes. I have woven clothes, linens, coverlets, afghans, and scarves. I guess I have done what all weavers do. I tried a lot of things until I decided I love coverlets the best. So the majority of the samples I have for you are coverlets -- my favorite of all the projects.

Here you can see my foldable Floor loom -- 36 inches wide with room for 8 harnesses. 4 were removed for the coverlet weaving project.  the pattern on the loom is Mary Ann Ostrander Pattern. (Click on photos for larger images.)

	This Cocoon is made from measurements in a magazine article. The material was of my own creation and the edging is fake leather fabric. I made this item while I was taking a weaving course at the Joliet Junior College. The fabric was dry cleaned before it was finished. (Click on photos for larger images.)
	Trying out the various weaves is what makes weaving fun. These are all huck weaves...the same threading through the heddles, but woven with different threads. And, the patterns are color variations of my own choosing. The browns are natural colored cottons.  These are not dyed colors. (Click on photos for larger images.)
	This item is 100% wool and was woven on a 48" loom at the Joliet Junior College. The wool is a two ply wool in Maroon, Gray and Beige. The weave is a twill and even though it is made on the loom, this is NOT a coverlet, it is a afghan or perhaps a woven blanket. (Click on photos for larger images.)
	Twills can be used in many ways.  I am lucky to have 8 harnesses on my floor loom. This particular twill uses all of them.  Mug Rugs are a perfect way to same new patterns. (Click on photos for larger images.)

   "Coverlet Patterns were the last remnant of hand weaving to die with the advent of the machine age, so that they became the symbol of the craft."   So says Marguerite Porter Davison in her book "A Handweaver's Pattern Book."  (Marguerite P. Davidson, Publisher, Box 263, Swarthmore, PA, 19081.  c1944.  Published in 1989 and is the twenty-sixth Printing.)  Coverlet Weaving or Overshot weaving goes very quickly.  The time is spent in threading the loom.

 

	Overshot can be used for more than coverlets.  This very fine cotton cloth has overshot patterns inserted. These are fun projects and made lovely runners.  The pattern thread in red and blue are cotton also. (Click on photos for a larger image.)
	This baby coverlet is taken from an issue of the Handwoven Journal. This is woven in crayon colors, with all cotton threads.  Just toss it in the washer if needed. It is based on the "Gertrude's Fancy" Overshot pattern, which I will also show in the traditional Coverlet fashion just below. It is cotton base with the decorative threads in wool. I am told by the users that it washes up beautifully. (Click on photos for a larger image.)
	This is a very Traditional Old Coverlet Pattern called "Gertrude's Fancy." My coverlets are 36 X 56 inches with a long twisted fringe. The white is the cotton base thread.  The blue is a two ply wool. I suppose you could call them lap coverlets.  You see the opposite sides here. The front can be your choice... (Click on photos for a larger image.)
	"Lee's Surrender" is another Traditional Overshot pattern. This pattern is from Davidson's book.  I particularly love this pattern and have made it in blue also. (Click on photos for a larger image.)

These are just a few of my projects...
My next one in Weaving is to make three more coverlets from one warping.