Dine Woven Textiles and Art

[clw]

www.dinewoven.com

Tradition and history of Navajo weaving with many links to master weavers.

[Tricia]

My great aunt was a weaver a very long time ago ... sigh. I've always wanted to learn, but my haplessness in any design principles is what propelled me into Art History. I can appreciate, but cannot "do."

What is rather interesting about the entire thing is that--properly--these gems are still considered by Art History as "blankets," as they were once a basic waterproof piece of clothing adapted to Western civilisation's uses by Hubbell and from what I have read, my great grandpa. With the coming of the railroad to northern Arizona, it provided a ready market for such goods and what was once black basics became multicoloured arrays of skillful weaving.

A nice book: Navajo Weaving, Three Centuries of Change, Kate Peck Kent. It's kind of textbooky, but an excellent source.

--t.

[clw]

Antiques Roadshow still runs an ad for the program showing the old black and white blanket they valued at half a million. I like the ones that use natural wools. And I've always thought one day I'd like to try my hand at weaving too. Even looked into keeping a few sheep at one time. Wanna go into business, Trish?

[Tricia]

Natural wool ... and natural dyes, yes? During the Depression, my great-grandfather got crazy-experimental. He introduced DuPont dyes to his circle of weavers and tested them to very mixed results. Also, the circle was guaranteed an income of sorts--very important to indigenous folks stuck in the most rural parts of eastern AZ and western New Mexico.

I believe the black and white blankets were for Pueblo trades, mid to late 19th Century. Other colours were introduced by Lorenzo Hubbell to make the art more palatable to buyers back East.

[Diane Merkel]

I've had a 4-heddle floor loom for several years, and it just sits there, mocking me, daring me to jump in again.

At the time I met Chuck, I was taking weekly weaving lessons in Alexandria, Virginia. There is nothing like selecting the yarns and warping a loom. It's a lot of work but I loved it and knew I would miss it. There are no weaving shops down here, so I put everything on hold for about ten years until a friend offered a loom for sale.

So there it sits, still with the last project in progress, with an owner who is scared to take the project off and try a new one without guidance.

I'm not sure about the sheep and spinning the wool, clw. That part seems like entirely too much work, but I do love home-dyed wools.

Perhaps there's a support group for frustrated, scared, newbie weavers!

[Tricia]

Wannabe But Frightened Weavers Anonymous?

[clw]

I had a German girl friend who had a floor loom and made the most beautiful things. She showed me a little of how it's done and then I moved. I always wanted to get back into it. There's a article somewhere on the internet about a lady who has eight sheep, employs local women knitting and weaving and has quite a sucessful business. Maybe I can find it tonight. It's facinating! Like I need more animals.

I'll join that there club though!