woven rugs real native american

native american rugs. tucson,az

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. By the early 1800s, Navajo weavers used wool exclusively, and became well known among both their Indian and Spanish neighbors for finely woven, nearly weatherproof blankets that became popular trade items.

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All Navajo weavings require meticulous, manual craftsmanship in terms of artisanship. The weaver was part of a family that raised the sheep. It is a common practice today. Early Navajo weavings used special wool from the Churro sheep variety, which is known for its silky fibers and long life span. Later, the Navajo began to make rugs from other types of sheep. After the sheep have been sheared, the wool is washed, carded and spun by hand. Even today, Navajo weaver still use spinning wheels. Instead of stretching the wool and twisting it onto a spindle manually, they do so by hand. The blanket is then woven on the unique Navajo loom. The weaving of authentic Navajo rugs is a labour-intensive task. The weavers must not only raise the sheep, but also spin the wool. A large rug can be woven in a year.

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The Pueblo tribe is believed to have introduced weaving to Navajo or at the very least, a new way to weave with a vertical loom. The new loom was also used to raise their own sheep called the Navajo Churro. They were able then to weave long, smooth and durable fibers for making rugs. Pendleton Blankets can be referred to as Native Americans. It is undoubtedly the most popular name in American Indian Trade Blankets. These gorgeous wool blankets in multiple colors and different patterns were made for tribes from the West and Midwest. Make the Navajo Rug Quilted Wall hanging Pattern by cutting six 4 X 20 inch strips from dark brown. Also cut four 4 x 4 inch squares using straight grain fabric. Print and cut all pieces of the pattern. One aspect to appreciate the extraordinary Navajo weaving is not just its value. These blankets can fetch up to a half-million dollars in certain circles, which is quite amazing.

large southwestern area rugs

large southwestern area rugs

Authentic Navajo rugs are made by hand, often over a period of several years, and are usually made of quality sheep wool. They can cost thousands of dollars and are meant to be heirlooms for generations to come. Authentic Navajo rugs have unique designs, such as the Teec Nos Pas rugs from northeastern Arizona. This uniqueness makes each piece more beautiful and adds to the price tag.

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Authenticity, Regional characteristics, documentation, and price are just some of the things to look for when buying Native American rugs. Read on to learn how to tell the difference between a traditional rug and a counterfeit one. Then you can make a well-informed decision on whether the piece you’ve just purchased is genuine. There are several other things to look for, too, like the color of the rug and its price.

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albany ca native american rugs

Many people who would never visit the Reservation appreciated the exotic designs and laborious handcraftsmanship of Navajo weaving. Proponents of the Arts & Crafts design movement found that the bold, geometric designs harmonized beautifully with their simple furniture and handmade accessories. By 1896, C.N. Cotton, a trader in Gallup, New Mexico had issued a catalogue in an effort to expand his market to eastern retailers. Other traders, most notably Lorenzo Hubble at Ganado, Arizona and J.B. Moore at Crystal, New Mexico, followed up with their own catalogues in the early years of the new century, focusing specifically on rugs. Navajo weaving had quickly gained a national audience.

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.