These rugs were also difficult to spin, due to the labor-intensive work of the weavers.The Navajo rugs are distinctive because of their unique designs. These rugs have different geometric patterns that are unique to other rugs.We have already discussed how the Navajo weaver combines different yarns on handlooms to create multiple strips of design. These stripes were very thin, but they stood out amongst the hundreds of other stripes on the rug. The corners of the Navajo rugs were also decorated with borders that represented their culture, heritage, and spirituality. The borders were designed to tell the stories of their lives and preserve their traditions in the smallest details. These rugs are made from premium wool and yarn.
The Navajo Churro Navajo Collection Rugs were created by Master Weavers who are the best Navajo Master Weavers today. The weaving has a lot of value due to the native Churro sheep wool, hand dying process, and the dyes (natural and aniline). Each weaving is accompanied with a Churro Certificate containing a photo and information about the weaver. Read more information about The Navajo Churro Collection. There are 28 styles of Navajo Rugs. Some Styles are easier to weave. The weave's complexity and tightness can affect its value. It is generally believed that the finer and more tightly woven the piece, the higher its value. The condition of a Navajo Rug can have an impact on its value.
Are you attracted to the beauty and craftsmanship of Navajo rugs but confused by all the terminology being thrown around in the galleries? Here’s a brief history of Navajo weaving that will help you sort out the most common terms, and give you a head start when you venture out to shop for these fascinating examples of Native American art. The Navajo (Dine [dih-NEH] in their own language) are Athabascan-speaking people who migrated to the Southwest from Canada in about the 15th century. Navajo women learned weaving in the mid-1600s from their Pueblo Indian neighbors who had been growing and weaving cotton since about 800 AD. Spanish settlers had brought their Churro sheep to the region in the early 1600s and introduced the Navajo to wool.
Regional characteristics of a Native American rug can be useful in identifying it. Navajo rugs don’t have borders and feature horizontal bands, while Two Grey Hills rugs typically have elaborate designs. Navajo rugs are often made with natural vegetable dyes. They may also contain designs and patterns added by other people. Typically, the weaving style is similar to Navajo textiles. The two rugs can be identified by their colors and pattern.
In the 1870s, licensed Indian Traders began supplying weavers with factory-made yarns brightly colored with aniline (chemical) dyes. Blankets made of these colorful yarns are generically called Germantown weavings after the town in Pennsylvania where much of the yarn was produced. The Navajo returned from Bosque Redondo to a very different world; one increasingly tied to the larger Anglo-American economy and culture. Families quickly rebuilt their sheep herds and resumed production of their own hand-spun yarns, although the Churro sheep had been replaced by American Merino sheep which had shorter, greasier wool that was much harder to clean and spin by hand.
Chinle Revival rugs typically feature bands of repeating geometric motifs alternated with plain or striped bands of contrasting colors. Common colors for Chinle rugs include yellow, gold, brown, tan, terra cotta, soft pink and other earth tones, as well as natural wool colors ranging from white to black. About the time of World War II, Crystal-area weavers developed their own banded revival rugs bearing no resemblance to Moore’s early designs. Generally known as Modern Crystal rugs, these borderless patterns often combine vegetal and aniline colors in shades of brown, yellow, and terra cotta with natural greys and whites.
According to Navajo weaving practices, Navajo wearing blankets lasted only about 50 years. The end came with the advancements in mechanical weaving technology. As a result, blankets that were affordable and made by Pendleton Woolen Mills became more widely available.