How often did Navajo weavers use backstrap looms?

There is a gif picture at the cs.arizona archive website
http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/monographs/SAMPLES/mw_nav.gif

The caption says "Navajo Woman Weaving A Belt" on a loom that looks like a
backstrap loom.

There is a great archive of books, articles, monographs available at
http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/index.html

Just wondering. Any clues would be appreciated.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Comments

Sun, 08/30/2009 - 17:56

MaryMartha

I believe the woman in the picture is weaving a sash belt, using a "warp float" technique like that used by Hopi weavers for ceremonial belts.  The technique is described in detail in the Hopi section of Mary Pendleton's Navajo and hopi weaving techniques (New York : McMillian 1974) at 105-140.  According to Pendleton, the Hopi use wool warp but cotton weft.

As far as I know, sash belts are the only warp-faced type of traditional Navajo weaving.  For a discussion of the nature and use of sash belts, see this essay by Lillian Tallman Chief 

http://iblue.com/karletta/sashbelt.html

 

Long thin warps are also used to make saddle cinches, which are done in weft-faced tapestry or  twills.  For information and an example of a saddle cinch, see Roy Kady's Dinewoven site

http://www.dinewoven.com/catalog.html 

 

The saddle cinches are woven on four selvages.  In other words, the length is determined at the start.  Traditionally, the warp is strung onto d rings.  The warping technique is described in Caroline Spurgeon's Weaving the Navajo way (self-published 2008), at 100-103.

 

Now, I have a question.  I am seeing more Navajo weavers make  "sash belt" rugs.  These tapestries are similar to striped saddle blankets except that there are wide horozontal stripes done in  raised outline technique (?),  separated by stripes of single colors or other designs.  As far as I can tell from pictures, these weavings are also weft-faced.  Anyone know how they came to be called sash belt? 

 

 

Group Audience
Navajo Weaving Techniques