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Chief's-style blanket, third phase
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Chief’s-style blanket, third phase
Date: Circa 1880-1890

“When wrapped around the wearer, the side triangles on blankets like this met in front, appearing as whole diamonds. The wearer could fold the top edge down as a collar, so the patterns overlapped each other.” —Ann Hedlund

“Diagonal lines evident in the solid colored areas—so-called ‘lazy lines’—allowed weavers to work in sections without creating a vertical slit.” —Ann Hedlund

“Today, in my family, we never do lazy lines. We use stepped designs and don’t need them. In one big rug, we worked in sections—my sister would work on one side, I worked on the other, and we left the middle part open. Later I sat in the middle and wove that part, using a needle on each side to join the steps together.” — Barbara Ornelas

“Maybe they’re not really lazy lines.” — Michael Ornelas

“Yeah, they’re sort of smart lines.” —Sierra Ornelas (laughing)

“My grandmother was so upset by that name. We don’t know where that term came from.” —Barbara Ornelas


Tapestry weave, interlocked joins

1.73 x 1.65 m; Tassels 0.050 m
64.961 x 68.11 in.; Tassels 1.969 in.

Catalog No. 8400

ASM purchase from Nelle A. Dermont, 1919.

Function Fiber Type Ply-Spin-Twist Color Dye Count *
Warp Cotton String 4 z S White None 6
Weft Wool Handspun -- Z -- White None 46
Weft Wool Handspun -- Z -- Dk Brown None 46
Weft Wool Handspun -- Z -- Med Blue Indigo? 51
Weft Wool Handspun -- Z -- Lt Green Native? 51
Weft Wool Handspun -- Z -- Red Synthetic 56
Ecord Wool Handspun 2 z S Red Synthetic 2
* threads/inch
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