Poppy Overshot Draft

Mystery Red Flower Overshot

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?

Red Poppy Coverlet [Purchased]

 

I purchased this beautiful Red Poppy Coverlet on eBay recently.  

 

IIt was priced so high, I thought I could make one for less, but soon discovered that the draft was not easy to find [That adventure of discovery will be in a separate post.] 

 

As soon as I gave up the ghost on finding the draft, I was resigned to study it and figure it out myself.  So I made an offer that was much lower that the seller had listed.  I didn't think they would take it -- but they did!

 

At about that moment, the pattern and draft had also been identified on one of the Weaving FB Groups.

Jackpot!

 

I do intend to make one like this -- but maybe in blue since I now have a red one in my collection. 

It looks like one of the Goodwin Guild coverlets from the last century.

The listing says it is 1 whole cloth, so made on a much larger loom than someone would have at home.