Weaving in Beauty

Explore the beauty and harmony of Navajo weaving

Build a Navajo Style Loom

Students using small workshop looms by Henry Lee Dedman

Students using small workshop looms by Henry Lee Dedman

One of the fisteps in learning to weave with Navajo techniques is to acquire an appropriate loom.  If you already have a tapestry loom, it can probably be adapted to Navajo style weaving.  You can also make a small Navajo loom from a picture frame or canvas stretcher bars.   The PDF file link on this page will give the plans for a small workshop sized traditional Navajo loom.

Navajo style loom plans (PDF File, opens in new window)

There are currently 2 responses to “Build a Navajo Style Loom”

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  1. 1 On July 16th, 2009, barney rieff said:

    If you don’t mind, I have some questions on when and where you have classes using the small loom you show in the directions. I also have alpaca and llama yarn from my ranch, could this be used in weaving on the loom? Thank you

  2. 2 On July 16th, 2009, Mary Walker said:

    Thank you for contacting me! I guess this means that I should put a link to our classes on those plans! If you follow the Learn to Weave tab on the web site, you’ll see the Weaving in Beauty classes that Jennie Slick and I do in Window Rock, Arizona and Garden City, Utah. Next year, we’ll also be teaching at Convergence 2010 in Albuquerque. The loom itself could be used in any Navajo weaving workshop class, so you may also want to look at the Where to Learn Indigenous Weaving Techniques too.

    The link for our classes is http://weavinginbeauty.com/find-a-weaving-class/weaving-in-beauty-classes.

    The link to see every Navajo Weaving class that I know about is

    http://weavinginbeauty.com/find-a-weaving-class/where-to-learn-indigenous-weaving-techniques.

    You can certainly use your llama and alpaca yarns. I have seen one beautiful Two Grey Hills style rug done with llama. I haven’t used them myself, but there’s no reason that they can’t be used. The llama rug that I saw had a little difference in the hand and drape of the fabric, but you’d expect that because of the difference in elasticity of the fiber. The Navajos call the llama tl’izi bida’a, which means “the goat’s uncle” and quite a few people use llamas as guard animals for their sheep.

    Thanks for your interest in Navajo weaving techniques!

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    Latest on Sun, 12:47 pm

    Celinda Hall: I live in Albuquerque, NM and I am looking for a class here in town. One school I can find is booked up. Don't want to have to take a vacation just to take a class. thanks

    michael H.: hello,I'm trying to find information on a weaver by the name of "Bissi Claws".I recently purchased a rug that was made by her in 1984. Thank You!

    Bonnie Allen: Does anyone know of any weavers in Illinois? thanks, Bonnie

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