Navajo Rug Weaving

Navajo weaving, blankets and rugs were made by the Navajo and thought to be some of the most colorful and best-made textiles produced by North American Indians. On average it takes about two to three months to successfully weave a Navajo rug. Navajo women were captured by Mexicans, they learned to use Spanish dyes and designs, such as the large central diamond motif, to create "slave blankets."Weaving was a man's activity in most pueblos. They wove in the kiva, or ceremonial room, a cramped space that inspired the invention of the upright loom. The arrival of the Spaniards and their Churro sheep in the 16th century led to a change from cotton to wool as weaving material for the Pueblo Indians as well as the Navajos, who learned the technique from their neighbors in the late 1600s. The Spanish also introduced indigo (blue) dye and simple stripe patterning.

The process to get started was intense. At first, I had no idea what I wanted to do or any idea of the direction. So, I just began.. Once I began to get down the idea of weaving I completely start over because it was only then I figured that I had an Idea, it was a forest. I started with the green weaving at the top to represent the forest effect, then I began putting red on the bottom and was not sure what that symbolized. As time went on and one, I soon realized that this whole project looked like a hot air balloon. I ran off with the idea and at that moment that is when my weaving became fun and borderline relaxing. I have zero significance to a hot air balloon however it aloud my creative juices to flow in my head. When doing this project I was using “envision” studio Habit of mind. I was really able to envision the layout I wanted and create. Although I only worked on this process for a week and it was small, I was still unable to complete a “finished” look although it was something that I was okay with to present and discuss in the class. You never know how settling but yet difficult this process can be unless you are actually enduring the process. This was a great experience for me and I will more than likely continue this and teach this to my future classroom. This can become a great math, inquiry, and History lesson because you will have to measure and buy an appropriate amount of string and supplies and then dive into the history behind Navajo weaving.