Chilkat Weaving

Chilkat (naaxiin) weaving is a textile tradition that involves finger-twinning on an upright wooden frame. This style of weaving has been passed down through Tlingit, Haida and Tsimishian communities in Alaska and in Canada. The process of making a Chilkat weaving begins with gathering and processing materials. The warp is customarily made from thigh-spun mountain goat wool combined with wet cedar bark, while the weft uses mountain goat or merino wool. With the Chilkat technique, a weaver can work with small sections of a pattern, instead of moving horizontally across the weaving. This allows for making curvilinear patterns, and even circles. Chilkat designs are used to make ceremonial robes, tunics. In recent years, weavers have also made face masks and earrings.