Haywood Overshot Blanket 3 – Cat Tracks

Description

All profits from the sale of this blanket will be donated as emergency relief for victims of Hurricane Helene. The 10 overshot blankets in the WARP auction were woven by students in the Professional Crafts Fiber Program at Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina. After the college was closed for 2.5 weeks due to the hurricane, students spent the remainder of the fall semester making handwoven blankets for those in need. 100% of the proceeds of the blanket sales benefiting two local relief organizations – BeLoved Asheville and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.

Each weaver chose a historical overshot pattern to convert into a double weave for this project. The patterns are very recognizable as they are identified with the Appalachian tradition of handwoven coverlets and are constructed of washable wool. Each weaver gave careful consideration of pattern and material to ensure they are highly functional, beautiful, warm blankets.

This blanket was woven by Izzy Ourada, using a superwash treated Merino Lambswool donated by Jaggerspun Yarn. This youth-sized blanket measures 30” x 55.5”. It weights just over 2 pounds. The pattern is called “Cat Tracks”. About this blanket, Izzy shares:

“Cat Tracks”, also known as “Snail Trail” or “Wandering Vine”, caught my attention more than any other pattern I’d looked at. I initially chose it because it reminded me of mushrooms, but its whimsical look and wavy lines really sold me on it. I was prepared for the difficulty of this project, but the many problems I encountered were frustrating. Overall, though, the process was interesting, and I learned a lot. From using Fiber works to set up the pattern, to finally seeing it come through as I wove was a rewarding experience. The fact that this blanket will be used to help those in need made all the struggling worth it and I look forward to projects like this in the future.