Timeless Twills: Navajo Saddle Blankets 1880-1980

As an example of beauty in everyday life, there might be no more apt objects than the twill saddle blankets of Diné weavers. For a utilitarian object meant for hard use, and largely unseen beneath a saddle, they are exquisite examples of immense skill and a flawless sense of design.

Beginning in the 1880’s, Navajo made saddle blankets, especially twill weaves, became the preference across the Southwest, widely prized for the comfort and protection they offered the horse.

The attributes that made these saddle blankets so valued by riders on the western plains, sleeping under the stars and herding sheep and cattle, continue to appeal to collectors today: made of soft and supple wool, breathable and tactile, their durability and beauty stand as a testament to the artistry of Navajo weavers. To touch these objects is to encounter history, to trace one’s palms the across the luminous diamond or diagonals of the weave leaves one in awe of its geometric precision.