Hand-Spun Tradition

WINDOWS MEDIA VIDEO Begay discusses the materials she uses for dying the wool.

D.Y. Begay is a talented weaver who grew up in Tselani, Arizona, where the tradition of creating beautiful textiles has run in the family for four generations. As a child, D.Y. was enamored by the colors and patterns of the rugs that grew on the simple wooden looms. They were made of wool from the family's sheep, hand-dyed and spun following the old Navajo ways. Every spring, D.Y. shears her own sheep and spins the wool into yarn using a simple wooden Navajo hand spindle. Her color inspiration comes from the vibrant hues found in the southwest and she creates her own dyes using native plants and desert materials, like tea, avocado, tree shavings and lichen.

Resources
Heard Museum
Website: www.heard.org
Guests
D.Y. Begay
Navajo Weaver, Begay’s Navajo Weaving Studio
Website: www.navajo-indian.com
Also in this Episode

Country Style : Episode COS-503
•	Country Girls' Rooms
•	Clever Country: Collections
•	Country Meets Contemporary
•	Hand-Spun Tradition
•	Country Trimmings