Photo from The National Museum of Australia. This weaving is attributed to Effie Kyprios.
Mystery Red Coverlet
I saw this coverlet on eBay, but could not identify the draft. The seller said it was whig rose, which I knew was not accurate. The price on it was quite expensive for a vintage revival (not antique) coverlet, so I thought I could make one for much less -- But due to the trouble in finding the draft, I put in an offer just so I could study it and maybe try to work out the draft. We'll see if the seller goes for it ...
I was so enthralled by this overshot pattern, that I poured through all my overshot / coverlet reference books in search of the draft:
- The Coverlet Book Early American Handwoven Coverlets 2 Volume Set by Helene Bress
- Frances L. Goodrich’s Coverlet and Counterpane Drafts
- Frances L. Goodrich's Brown Book of Weaving Drafts
- American Woven Coverlets by Carol Strickler
- A Handweaver's Pattern Book by Maguerite Davison [The Green Book]
- The Handweaver's Pattern Directory by Anne Dixon
But to no avail! I didn't find anything that matched the flower motif instead of wheels.
I used a Google Image search to see if it turned up anywhere else on the internet, and yes, there was a museum in Australia that had an "Effie Coverlet" made by a young Greek woman in the 1940s. She was only 17 when she made it.
It's also listed in the out-of-print book, Keep Me Warm One Night (p.175). It's listed as coming from Greece (See the Effie note above). Not all overshot hails from America!
I finally resorted to crowd-sourcing and posted it to a few Facebook weaving groups. At first, I got a fair number of responses--People wanted to help, but most answers were not that useful, leading to similar, but not the draft I was looking for. Some were not even close. Some people suggested that I draft it out myself -- Unfortunately, I don't have those skills--yet.
Someone even suggested this book -- which is now on my wish list as yet another reference book for weaving drafts. ;-)
By the next morning, Bill Crawford and Robyn Spady (A Few of My Favorite Things blog) identified this pattern as "Poppy" on the 4-Shaft Weaving Facebook group. Mystery Solved!
Bill Crawford said that he'd designed Poppy for Veteran's Day, and made a table runner out of it.
Robyn Spady and Bill Crawford provided versions of the draft above.
This is on my list to make a coverlet someday! I might need to put in a new order for yarn -- Maritime Fibers have singles dyed in deep and luscious colors. Maybe red or dark maroon or even light blue?
