Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-08-11
NAVAJO
BLANKETS
Are the Expression Of the In
dams Longing for the Beau
ties of Life.
CANNOT BE DUPLICATED
They Are the Product Of Only One
Tribe.--Unique--- --Handsome---Last
for Ages.

The collection of Navajo blankets
has grown with such rapidity in the
west during the past few years that
the Indians have hardly been able to
keep pace with the demand, and as
result prices have risen steadily and
the blankets have been initiated to
some extent by eastern manufacturers
of woollen goods But the Navajo
blanket is not susceptible OF dupl1ca-
tion, hardly of imitation. Besides be-
ing the product of only one tribe OF
Indians and therefore unique in itself,
lit possesses mystic meanings which are
fully as interesting as those of Orien-
tai rugs and tapestries. They are the
expression of the Navajo's longing FOR
the beauties of life, and they show that
in the breast of the savage. there nave
long dwelt ideals of art which ma
their best expression at the loom.
The figure designs in the Navajo planK-
ct are to the Indian as full of mean
ing as are the white mans statues and
paintings. They are the expression or
the highest form Of Indian thought.
In order to aid the collector of Ma
vajo blankets as we'll as to give his
tory of the art of blanket weaving, u"
S. Hollister of Denver, mas written
valuable and interesting handbook ON
the subject entitled 'The Navajo ana
His Blanket" Mr.. Hollister has spent
many years among the Indians ana
has given much time and attention TO
blanket weaving and collecting. In de-
scribing the weaving OF the Navajo
blanket, Mr.. Hollister says;
1.-THE Navajos have no spinning
wheels, though they are abundantly
able to purchase them; and therefore
their spinning is slow process. For
this part of their work they refuse all
innovations, preferring to adhere to the
methods that have come down to them
through 200 years. Spinning the yarn
IS done with a simple distaff, which Is
a slender rod, about thirty 1ncnes IN
length and ive-eighths in diameter
tapered to a spindle point at each end
A circular piece of wood, one lnch IN
thickness and four inches IN diameter
with a hole in the center, Is slipped up
ON the rod and fastened about twenty
inches from the spindle end proper.
This is all there is to the Navajo spin
ming appliance with which SO much IS
accomplished; but by long practice
they become very skillful in twirling 1T
and drawing out the thread at the
same time. When the thread is drawn
out SUFFICIENT length the motion Is re-
yersed and the thread wound upon the
spindle Just as our grandmothers USED
to reverse the wheel for the same pur"
pose.
.The yarn produced by the first spin
ming is too coarse and too loosely
twisted to be of any use in weaving,
and 1t is therefore unwound from the
spindle and spun again, and will then
answer for the coarse woolly weave we
sometimes see. But third spinning
must be done before the yarn is IN any
thing like fit condition to work into a.
fine blanket; and for extra fine blank
cts, or for warp, the reader may form
some idea of the amount Of work that
must be done by the Navajo slave OF
the blanket.
AIn getting ready for the work OF
weaving, the first step, after preparing
The yarn, is to construct the warp
frame. This is made little larger
than the blanket to be woven and 1s
of slender sticks lashed together at the
corners. 1t is laid upon the ground and
the warp is wound upon it from top to
bottom, the threads crossing IN the
center; and it is then ready to set IN
the frame For this two posts are
planted upright in the ground ana
cross-beams are lashed to them near
the top and the bottom. At the top a
movable pole is held horizontally to
the upper frame timber by rope ar
ranged spirally, so that by tightening
or loosening the rope the pole can be
readily raised or lowered. The upper
bar of the warp frame is fastened to
this pole by loops OF rope ana all -
arranged so that in starting weaving
the upper end of the warp frame is
about twelve inches below the top or
she main frame. The lower end OF the
warp frame is now fastened to the low
er bar Of the main frame, the warp thus
being drawn taught The loom proper
ts now complete, the warp Is in place
and everything is ready for the begin
ming of weaving.
"A stick wound with yarn takes the
place of what our weavers call q
heald, Twine is wound around It, TAX
Ing in every alternate thread OF warp.
and when the heald is drawn forward
It brings one-half OF the warp threads