native american wool rugs

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Evidence suggests they often were tied to the saddle skirt behind the cantle rather than being placed under the saddle. During the first several decades of the twentieth century, weavers near railroad stops and tourist centers made small, loosely woven, pictorial mats. Now known as Gallup Throws, these inexpensive items were a favorite, easy to transport souvenir among visitors to the southwest. Pictorial and geometric “rugs,” too small for use on the floor and typically made with commercially spun and dyed yarns, remain a staple of the souvenir trade to this day. 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.)

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With them being highly popular today, there are plenty to choose from, no matter what your budget. Enjoy these unique and highly-prized rugs just as others have over the course of their 500-year existence. If there is a bundle of warps at the edge of each side, then it is unlikely that the rug is genuine. Very few Navajo rugs will have such bundles and even then there would be only two or three warp threads that would make up that bundle and there would be only a single warp thread next to that bundle. Most Navajo rugs have side cords as I described and virtually no Navajo rugs have warp thread fringe at both ends.

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Older rugs could have been cleaned and may have developed other odors. It is quite funny to watch potential buyers go through an inventory of rugs and then inspect them. It is important to be able distinguish wool from other materials. Although there are better ways to test wool, these methods are often not applicable when purchasing a rug at a retail store or Indian arts dealer.

native american wool rugs
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seattle native american tribes that weave rugs

Any handmade imitation Navajo rug made in the United States would probably be woven with the firm intentions of deceiving the buyer. There would hardly be any other reason for a American non-Indian to put in the time and effort required to weave a convincing fake. Because of the economics and the work required, there are very few US made fake Navajo rugs. Navajo rugs are highly sought-after hand-woven textiles that can command a high price. However, it is not uncommon to find sellers who use the term “Navajo” for textiles that look like authentic Navajo rugs but are not Navajo made. Knowing the difference is important to avoid overpaying for textiles that actually have much less value. Most indicators need to be observed in person, making online buying more challenging.

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The Spanish introduced the longer than wide serape form that was easier to make on European-style looms. Mantas and serapes were generally used in the same way: wrapped around the shoulders with one long edge turned over as a “collar.” However, mantas also were used by women as wrap-around dresses. Serapes only rarely had a slit in the middle for the head which made them ponchos. Navajo weavers made both the manta and serape styles during the eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries along with shirts, dresses, breechcloths, and sashes.

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native american flat weave rugs
native american flat weave rugs

First, authentic Navajo rugs use a vertical loom with a continuous warp. This means that the base wool yarn is not cut at the ends. Instead, the warp thread runs from the bottom to the top of the loom, loops down to it, and loops back to the top. The Navajo rug's foundation is made by the warp yarn, while the design pattern is created by the weft yarn. Mexican looms are horizontally-oriented and have multiple warp threads. They are also fringed at the ends. You are most likely looking at a Mexican-made rug that has fringed ends. This is not a Navajo rug that uses one continuous warp. This rule is not always true. Some weavings in the Navajo "Germantown style" may have had fringe.

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The Mexican imitation Navajo rugs’ end borders are typically wider than those on a real Navajo rug. Side borders can be even wider. If the rug's fringe at one end is not a Navajo rug, it could be a fake. Wool (the standard material for making Navajo rugs) is the preferred choice. There are a few authentic Navajo rugs manufactured using synthetic materials such like acrylic. If you find one, you could consider it a Navajo woman weaving a knockoff. It doesn't seem to matter if this is real. Some imitations use wool while others use polyester. Some imitations of Pakistani or Indian wool use a blend from acrylic and polyester. Contrary to what another author claims, smelling the rug to determine whether it is made of wool is ineffective. Most modern Navajo rugs' wool contains very little lanolin.

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Just send us an email with your order number and we’ll send you instructions.  We will give you a full refund within the first 60 days after your order ships out.  After that, we have to charge a 25% restocking fee. You are responsible for return shipping fees unless you are swapping for a different design or size.
As soon as your order ships, you will receive an email with tracking info and then following emails with shipping updates.
Yes! We can ship anywhere in the world. Please send us an email with your address before placing an order outside of the US and Canada though. We need to partially charge you for shipping when you place your order.
We find rug pads are not necessary to protect your flooring. However, some people choose to use rug pads to prevent their rug from sliding around.
Yes, please let us know within 3 days from when you placed your order.
We accept all major credit or debit cards. You can also pay with your PayPal account.
All of our rugs are made to order and go through a rigorous inspection process. You can typically expect your rug to be shipped 2 weeks from when you make your purchase.