Stop feeling intimidated. Weave overshot with confidence.
From the Handweaving Academy, taught by Janet Dawson…
Learn how overshot works • Design it • Weave it
Starts January 16 – 8 weeks
Registration closes December 23
Overshot seems confusing...
Many weavers avoid overshot because they think it’s hard.
The threadings look complicated, the treadling looks even worse, and what does that cryptic “use tabby” mean? How can you weave overshot when picks are left out of the draft?
Fortunately, overshot isn’t that complex, and definitely nothing to be nervous about.
It only looks complicated because…
Drafts leave all the good stuff out
Drafts jump straight to the complexity – threading sequences, treadling patterns, “use tabby” – without explaining the simple structural foundation behind every overshot draft.
It’s like trying to learn to read music by staring at the score for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
Overshot is a block weave built on twill
That’s the foundation. Everything else – the motifs, the fashion options, the variations – flows from understanding those two concepts:
- Twill threading (which you probably already understand)
- Block structure (which we’ll show you how to read)
Once you see these two things clearly, overshot isn’t complicated any more. Instead, it’s simple and logical.
Once you see that...
Threadings become clear patterns instead of a soup of confusing numbers.
Treadlings become easy to read and remember – and you can freely create your own variations.
Block notation simplifies from “word salad” to “Aha! That’s how you create motifs.”
Now you can weave all those gorgeous overshot projects!
Overshot Unlocked
Eight weeks from "I don't get it" to confident creation
Here’s what you'll learn:
- The language and logic behind overshot
- How blocks create pattern in the cloth
- Star and rose treadlings and how to make them
- How to create new designs by mixing threadings and treadlings
- Tips and tricks for weaving overshot
8 weeks of instruction, support, and class access
$49
Less than the cost of a half-day workshop!
What's inside
Chapter 1: Foundations
You’ll discover:
- How overshot is built from comfy, familiar twill
- What blocks actually are (and why they matter)
- Common overshot motifs and how they're constructed
You’ll practice:
- Seeing the structure in an overshot draft
- Identifying blocks at a glance
- Evaluating how threading creates pattern
Chapter 2: Star Fashion
You’ll learn:
- What "as drawn in" really means
- What star fashion looks like, with some famous examples
- How to create star fashion treadling from the threading
- How to square your beat, so your circles are actually circles
You’ll practice:
- Making star fashion treadlings from the threading
- Experimenting with different tabby orders
- Weaving a star fashion placemat or samples
Chapter 3: Rose Fashion
You’ll explore:
- The visual differences between rose and star fashion
- How to create a rose fashion treadling
- Famous drafts, treadled both star and rose
You’ll practice:
- Creating rose fashion via the treadling
- ...and in the tie-up
- Weaving a rose fashion placemat (or samples)
Chapter 4: Beyond Star and Rose
You’ll discover:
- How to mix star and rose fashion in one project
- How to create your own original designs by combining threadings and treadlings
- A gallery of overshot gamps
- A library of treadlings for endless pattern variations
You’ll design (and weave!):
- Your own table runner using the overshot variations you love
- Coordinating placemats that work beautifully together
By the end of class, you'll have:
- A gorgeous finished project you designed yourself
- The skills to tackle any overshot pattern
- The confidence to design and weave your own overshot projects
Only $49
What you’ll weave
Your project. Unique to you.
Unlike most weaving classes, we don’t give you a single pattern to copy.
At the Handweaving Academy, we teach design.
You’ll start with your choice of three threadings composed of classic overshot motifs.
Then you’ll learn how to:
- Perfect your beat using the materials you’ve chosen to get round circles and square squares
- Weave placemats in your chosen threading – star fashion, rose fashion, and creative variations
- Design a coordinating table runner using the combinations you love best
- Make design choices that reflect your own aesthetic
The result?
A beautiful, coordinated set that’s genuinely yours.
Don’t want to weave the project?
- Weave shorter, narrower samples instead of the full placemats/runner
- Follow the exercises without weaving at all
- Learn the structure now, weave it later
How you’ll learn
Written lessons with illustrations
Clear explanations with plenty of diagrams and photos showing exactly how overshot works. Not just information dumps – structured learning that builds understanding step-by-step.
Video Demonstrations
Watch Janet demonstrate each concept and exercise. See exactly how to use our design tools, how to read drafts, how to derive treadlings. If you learn better by video, this is for you!
Hands-On Exercises
Practice using our Draft Editor and design tools. Build real skills through doing, not just watching. Get feedback on your work.
How we support you
Live Events
- Live Lecture: Deep-dive explanations and demos
- Four Q&A Sessions: Ask questions, get personalized help
- Live at the Loom: Watch Janet weaving overshot live
- All recorded if you can’t attend live
Forum Support
Post questions, share your work, get feedback from instructors and fellow students. You’re never learning alone.
Design Tools
Access our Draft Editor and project calculators to:
- Experiment with treadlings visually
- See how changes affect the cloth
- Calculate yarn requirements
- Preview your design before weaving
What makes this class different?
We teach structure, not just patterns
Most overshot instruction gives you patterns to follow. We teach you how overshot actually works, so you can weave with confidence and create your own variations.
Active learning, not passive watching
You’ll practice with design tools, work your way through exercises, and receive feedback. You’re building skills, not passively collecting information.
We support you
We’re not just a collection of video lessons. You don’t watch something and then get left to figure out the rest on your own. As you build your skills, we’ll answer your questions, give feedback, and make sure you never get stuck. We cheer you on, every step of the way.
Design focus
At the Handweaving Academy we specialize in teaching design. You’ll learn to make creative choices with confidence.
Everything you need
Lessons, videos, exercises, tools, support, and community make us a one-stop shop. It’s an interactive system with everything you need to truly understand overshot.
About your instructor
Janet has been weaving and teaching for over 30 years.
Her favorite structure? Overshot.
Her home is packed with boxes of overshot samples, experiments, and variations. Her computer has overshot drafts everywhere. And she loves spreading overshot enthusiasm to other weavers.
Her teaching approach:
Clear, warm, and surprisingly funny. Janet’s superpower is breaking down complex concepts into simple, clear explanations. She shows you exactly how to apply each principle, and makes sure you actually understand what’s happening – not just memorizing the lesson.
Her track record:
Janet has taught thousands of weavers across Canada, the U.S., and internationally. Her previous online overshot course drew over 1,000 students and earned rave reviews for clarity and transformation.
Janet's class also helped me explore more treadlings with each threading.
I now have one of my looms exclusively dedicated to overshot!"
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can dress your loom alone and weave a project from instructions, you’re ready. We start with foundations and build from there.
Perfect! We designed this course for weavers who want to understand overshot from the ground up.
If you’ve woven overshot by following instructions, you’ll gain independence from written drafts. Derive your own star fashion treadling, learn how to convert between star and rose, and explore a variety of other treadling options.
Even experienced overshot weavers will learn new things: How many versions of rose fashion are there? What’s the best floating selvage to use? What’s a better choice for borders than a few repeats of twill?
You don’t! The Draft Editor that you’ll use to create designs works in any browser, so the only thing you’ll need is a tablet or desktop/laptop computer. (We do recommend using a stylus for those using tablets, to make editing easier.)
The Draft Editor is easy to use. We’ll provide instructions and demos on how to use it, too.
We do! We teach everything you need to design your own projects.
Our members learn about all aspects of weaving – color, weave structure and drafting, project design, and weaving technique.
One membership gets you access to dozens of courses, and we release a new live course approximately every six weeks.
Only four! Floor loom, table loom, direct tie-up: they’ll all work!
(The project is not suitable for rigid heddle looms.)
No worries! The project is optional. You’ll learn almost as much from doing only the exercises, and you can weave the project later if you like.
You’ll get answers! You can post questions in each lesson’s built-in Q&A section, or ask them at the Live Q&A session that comes with the class. If you have a question, we’ll make sure you get an accurate answer!
Both! You get the best of both worlds.
The lessons are entirely self-paced (and available at the start of the class), but you’ll get live webinars and Q&A sessions, as well as an in-class discussion forum where you can get answers to your questions. The live sessions are recorded, closed-captioned, and transcribed for those who cannot attend “live”.
Class begins January 16, 2025 and you’ll have access through March 13. You’ll receive access information before class starts.
You’ll have access to all course materials, tools, and recordings for eight weeks. The project is yours to keep.
If you join the Handweaving Academy, you’ll have access to all course materials and tools for as long as you’re a member – as well as dozens and dozens of other classes, powerful design tools, and lots of live events.
We want our students to be happy! If you’re not satisfied with the class, you can get a full refund within the first 14 days. No questions, nothing to fill out, no strings attached. Just drop us a line.
Still have questions?
Email us at academy@handweavingacademy.com and we’ll answer them!
Give yourself the gift of knowledge
Right now, you might be thinking about what you want the new year to bring.
Maybe it’s finally understanding that structure that’s intimidated you for years.
Maybe it’s the confidence to open any overshot draft and know exactly what you’re looking at.
Maybe it’s a beautiful table runner that you designed yourself, proving you’re not just following patterns anymore.
In 8 weeks, you could have all of that.
By February, you’ll be reading overshot drafts at a glance.
By March, you’ll have a completed project you designed.
By next December, you’ll be giving overshot heirlooms to everyone you love.
This holiday season, you deserve the gift of overshot.
Class starts January 16 • 8 weeks • $49
Registration closes December 23
We’d love to show you how overshot works – so you can finally weave all those gorgeous projects you’ve been saving.
Founders, Handweaving Academy
P.S. The difference between overshot that works and overshot that frustrates? Understanding how it works. Join us for Overshot Unlocked.