Navajo Rugs and Blankets

Navajo rugs and blankets are the best known of all the Native American textile arts. These rugs and blankets continue to be hand made today, reflecting the patterns and colors which were used long before the arrival of Europeans in the southwestern United States. Traditional textile artists use large vertical wooden frame looms, creating stunning color patterns and geometric designs by skillfully moving a shuttle to weave the colored threads.

The originally material used by the Navajo weavers (as well as other southwestern Native America tribes) was hand spun cotton thread. Wool was introduced to Navajo weaving after the arrival of the Spanish and their introduction of domestic sheep into the area. The most well known of all the Navajo weaving products are their rugs. There are, however, many other types of products that they produce. Many tribes, for instance, continue to produce blankets, clothing, and tapestries using the art of finger weaving. This ancient art has been a part of the Native American tradition since ancient times. The Tlingit tribe provides us with chiklat blankets which are some of the finest finger woven materials available.

There are many other types of Native American textile art products available, although Navajo rugs and blankest continue to be the most popular. Another great example of Native American textile art is sashes and patchwork produced by the Seminole tribe. The Sioux tribes of the Great Plains are known for their star quilts and blankets. These are a wonderful blending of the European tradition of quilting and their own cultural ideals. These beautiful quilts include an eight pointed star design which is traditional for the Sioux.

While many people have tried to copy the colors and patterns of traditional Navajo rugs and blankets, there is really no substitute for the real thing. Most people will prefer to purchase items produced by actual Native Americans, therefore supporting the heritage and culture which created them.

The intricate designs of the beautiful Navajo rugs and blankets are produced right on the loom, without even being drawn beforehand. Even today, Navajo rugs and blankets are produced by hand using a vertical loom. Often Native American textile artists will produce the wool, spinning it and dyeing it themselves. Often local plants and vegetables will be used to produce the dyes for the wool.