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Sheep shearing. Public domain.
Navajo weavers today use basic tools very similar to those used by 19th century weavers.
- Steel shears: for shearing wool fleece from the sheep.
- Hand carders: for combing and cleaning sheep’s wool before spinning.
- Spindle: for spinning wool into yarn.
- Weaving batten: for separating foundation (warp) yarns and maintaining a space (shed) through which pattern (weft) yarn is inserted.
- Weaving combs: pointed end for positioning weft yarns between warp yarns, and comb for packing weft yarns into place.
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Baskets
Designs on Navajo baskets like these probably provided the inspiration for early blanket motifs. Weavers incorporated the opposing terraced (stepped) triangles into blanket weaving during the Classic (1800-1865) and Late Classic (1865-1880) periods. Crosses in several forms appear after about 1860.
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Sheep shearing. Public domain.