.MATTHEWS ] 



DIAGONAL WEAVING. 



383 



inserted — one above and the other below the stick. The very last thread 

 is sometimes put in with a darning needle. The weaving of the last 

 three inches requires more labor than any foot of the previous work. 



In Figs. 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53 it will be seen that there are small 

 fringes or tassels at the corners of the blankets; these are made of the 

 redundant ends of the four border-cords (}. e., the portions of the cord 

 by which they were tied to the beams), either simply tied together or 

 secured in the web with a few stitches. 



The above is a description of the simplest mechanism by which the 

 Navajos make their blankets; but in manufacturing diagonals, sashes, 

 garters, and hair-bands the mechanism is much more complicated. 



§ VII. For making diagonals the warp is divided into four sheds ; the 

 uppermost one of these is provided with a shed-rod, the others are sup- 

 plied with healds. I will number 

 the healds and sheds from below 

 upwards. The following diagram 

 shows how the threads of the warp 

 are arranged in the healds and on 

 the rod. 



Warp 



Fig. 45. — Diagram showing arrangement -»i 

 threads of the warp iu the healds ami on the 

 roil. 



Flu. 46. — Weaving of saddle-girth. 



When the weaver wishes the diagonal ridges to run upwards from 

 right to left, she opens the sheds iu regular order from below upwards 

 thus: First, second, third, fourth, first, second, third, fourth, &c. When 

 she. wishes the ridges to trend in the contrary direction she opens the 

 sheds in the inverse order. I found it convenient to take my illustra- 

 tions of this mode of weaving from a girth. In Figs. 44 and 4G the 

 mechanism is plainly shown. The lowest (first) shed is opened and the 

 first set of healds drawn forward. The rings of the girth take the 

 place of the beams of the loom. 



There is a variety of diagonal weaving practiced by the Navajos 

 which produces diamond figures ; for this the mechanism is the same 



