Weaving in Beauty

2008 Class Dates

• October 4-11 (Saturday morning to Saturday morning) Two places open
• October 10-17 (Friday afternoon- Friday afternoon) Two places open

2009 Class Dates (Tentative pending final Crownpoint Rug Auction schedule)

• May 9-16 (Saturday morning-Saturday morning) Five places open
• August 16-23 (Sunday morning-Sunday morning) Eight places open
• October 3-10 (Saturday morning-Saturday morning) Eight places open

Tuition is $600, which includes the use of a loom and tools for the week and enough yarn to get you started weaving.  Tuition also includes three group meals (one lunch and two dinners).

Housing Cost: $59 per day single occupancy, $62 per day double. Estimated cost of meals is under $20 per day.

Your instructor: Jennie Slick is an accomplished third generation (at least) Navajo weaver who specializes in Burntwater and Germantown designs.  She lives in Houck, AZ with her two sons and an adopted son and daughter.  In addition to being a full time weaver, Jennie also provides care and support for her mother.  She is a patient and encouraging teacher.  Jennie is hoping to make enough money teaching to be able to afford to keep something she weaves!

Register for the Class

See pictures from past classes:

• 2008 May class
• 2007 October class
• 2007 May class

This class is a seven day total immersion into Navajo weaving and modern Navajo life in the cultural center of the Navajo Nation.  We stay in modern accommodations at the Quality Inn Nation Nation Capital (In the Tony Hillerman books, it was the Navajo Nation Inn) in Window Rock, AZ.  Each morning and evening will be devoted to learning Navajo weaving.  Our afternoons will be spent exploring the weaving related attractions in the area.  Our days typically start at 7 AM, and we call it quits at 9 PM.  Our field trips include

• The historic Hubbell Trading Post
• R. B. Burnham Trading Co.
• Richardson’s Trading Co. (the Sistine Chapel of Navajo weaving)
• Lunch and/or dinner at Earl’s in Gallup, NM (you might complete ALL your Christmas shopping!  Really!)
• Crownpoint Rug Auction and/or Hubbell Native American Arts Auction
• Navajo Nation Museum
• St. Michael’s Museum
• Window Rock Tribal Park
• Canyon de Chelly
• Two Grey Hills Trading Post
• Toadlena Trading Trading Post
• Visits to homes of weavers

You will learn

• Loom warping
• Diagonal, interlock and dovetail joins
• Elements of design
• Problem solving
• Carding and spinning
• Rug finishing
• Adaptation of Navajo techniques to non-traditional patterns
• Vegetal dye techniques

Navajo made looms and tools will be available for purchase.

We encourage local weavers to visit us in class, and we do adapt our itinerary to invitations and opportunities which arise during the week.

Spouses, friends and significant others are encouraged to come along and are very welcome to join us for our field trips.  There is a charge of  $40 to cover the cost of group meals.  Since we have enough transportation for the students and class staff only, those acommpanying you may need to use a separate vehicle for field trips.