They knew everything about eye-catching and beautiful design. Many of them even added their personal touch to the rug's overall design. Sometimes, a symbol is all that's needed to add personal flair. You'll see lightning bolts or sun rays, crosses and triangles among other shapes and designs. These all have a meaning. This tells us what the weaver was thinking when they started weaving the rug. It is what makes these rugs unique.
Weaving techniques in the Rug Period have primarily been limited to the standard tapestry weave which is identical on both sides. (This term should not be confused with “tapestry rugs” from Two Grey Hills.) Nevertheless, some weavers still practice the more difficult twill weaves, including rare two-faced weavings which have a different twill pattern on each side. In the 1960s, weavers in the area of Coal Mine Mesa in Arizona popularized an unusual technique called Raised Outline in which the joints between color areas are thicker and appear to rise above the surface of the weaving. Most raised outline rugs also use the technique of alternating single weft threads of two contrasting colors. When tightly battened, they give the appearance of very thin stripes running parallel to each warp thread.
Another way to check the authenticity of the Navajo rug is to look for lazy lines. Lazy lines appear as a diagonal line in the weave of the fabric. During the weaving process, the rug maker would move to work on adjacent sections of the warp, resulting in the subtle diagonal lines referred to as lazy lines. These lines would be almost impossible to detect by looking at a photograph of the rug online.
In the early 1800s, Navajo women began weaving chief's blankets. They were so widely traded that Indians across the border from the northern Great Plains to Mexico wore them. These blankets were not used as a badge to show chieftainship but they did symbolise power and wealth. The value of a Navajo rugs will depend on several factors such as its size, age, weave quality, style, dyes used, and condition. Navajo rugs range in price from $100 for a small one to several thousand dollars if you want a more substantial one. Pendleton Woolen Mills in Pendleton (Oregon) is the last pioneer mill to produce those blankets. They also sell to non Indians, but half their annual production is sent to Indians, Navajos included. Navajo rugs range in price from $100 for a small one to several thousand dollars for a big and old one.The young lady seated beside Jane Hyden, master weaver, is wearing a Navajo biil (pronounced beel), and is also called a rug dress.
Among the many styles of Native American rugs, Navajo rugs are especially beautiful. They have been around for more than 500 years and are considered one of a kind. Prices for these pieces range anywhere from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are looking for an authentic Navajo rug, you should shop on Chairish. These rugs were created by Navajo weavers.
Second, look for the presence of “lazy lines.” A lazy line is a diagonal, 45-degree angle line formed as the Navajo weaver creates the rug. The presence of one can be a diagnostic characteristic of an authentic Navajo rug (although knock-off rugs also try to have similar looking lines in the weave). A lazy line is formed as the weaver works. The weaver sits in front of the loom and works in a section, weaving in the weft yarn in the desired pattern. The weaver then moves over and works on another section. By working in this way, it creates these beautiful lines in the body of the rug.
