Forming the Loom

(opening A fig. A)

First Navaho Weave (N-1)

Pass each thumb away from you over the near index string and over the far index string, then pick up the near little finger string and return (fig. B).

Pass each middle finger toward you over both index strings and down through the upper thumb loop (dip into the well), then pick up the lower far thumb string and return (fig. C).  Drop both thumb loops and extend (fig.D).

Second Navaho Weave (N-2)

Pass each thumb away from you over the near index string and under all other strings (fig. E) then pick up the far little finger string and return (fig F).

Shifting the Loops

Drop the little finger loop (fig. G);

Transfer the middle finger loop to thumb, inserting the thumb from below, then immediately re-transfer this loop to the index, inserting index from above (fig. H, I call this “rolling the middle finger loop +1/2 onto the index finger”)

Share the upper index loop with the thumb (i.e., with each thumb pick up the upper near index string and return). Close the middle, ring, and little fingers to the palm in preparation for the next move (fig. I).

Fixing the Bottom

Pass each middle, ring, and little finger (the “three lesser fingers”) under both index loops and insert them, from below into both thumb loops; close the upper near thumb string to the palm, drawing it down through the lower thumb loop (fig. J).

Extend the middle finger, pass it toward you under the index loops, and insert it, from below, into the lower thumb loop; curl the middle finger around the lower near thumb string (fig. K)

Then draw it away from you, through the ring-little finger loop, and close the middle finger to the palm; drop the ring-little finger loop and insert these two fingers into the middle finger loop, closing the far middle finger string to the palm (fig.L).

Drop both thumb loops and extend. (fig. M).

Cleaning the top

Transfer both index loops to the thumb, maintaining their relative order (fig. N).

With each index pick up the lower far thumb string (fig. 2O)

Tthen curl the tip of each index around the upper far thumb string, drawing this string down through the index loop, which slips off as you rotate the index away from you and up (fig. P, i call this “curling out the transverse string”).

Drop the thumb loops and extend to complete the figure. To help you compare this figure with the Inuit and Klamath Nets, withdraw the middle and ring fingers from their loop, leaving the figure extended on the index and little fingers only (fig. Q).

extended discussion of the navajo many stars figure

navajo many stars from viewpoint of the maker

another demonstration of the navajo many stars figure

things to consider

be sure you keep in mind what constitutes weave N-1 and weave N-2