Daisy Taugelchee facts for kids

Daisy Taugelchee (born around 1909 – died September 8, 1990) was a famous Navajo weaver. Many people, including the Denver Art Museum, believe she was the most talented Navajo weaver and spinner ever. In 2004, one of her amazing rugs was even featured on a United States Postal Service stamp!

About Daisy Taugelchee

Daisy Taugelchee was born on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona. Her exact birth date is a bit unclear, but it was likely around 1909.

Daisy came from a family of skilled weavers. Her grandmother, known as Sagebrush Hill Woman, was a very good weaver. Daisy's sister was also a well-known weaver. Daisy's mother passed away when Daisy was six years old, and her father died when she was eleven. When she was young, people called her Little Man's Daughter. Later, she was given the name Daisy Marion Yazzie when she went to school. She attended Albuquerque Indian School and Phoenix Indian School for a few years.

When she was in her twenties, Daisy married a man named Chee Taugelchee. They had three children: Chee Jr., Chester, and Janie Norris.

In her later years, Daisy stopped weaving herself. However, she still helped her daughter-in-law, Priscilla Taugelchee, with her weaving projects. Daisy Taugelchee passed away on September 8, 1990, in Farmington, New Mexico.

Daisy's Artwork and Style

Daisy Taugelchee's weaving style is called the Two Grey Hills style. This style is named after the Two Grey Hills trading post in northwestern New Mexico. Weavers like Daisy who used this style created detailed geometric designs. They used very finely handspun wool. Most of the wool was undyed, meaning it kept its natural colors.

The sheep in the area have wool in many natural colors. These include tan, gray, brown, and gold. Usually, only black wool was dyed to make it darker. Daisy and other master weavers could spin yarn so fine that it had 140 threads per inch. This made their rugs incredibly detailed. Their designs often featured complex diamond shapes with many layers. These shapes were usually surrounded by one or more borders.

Daisy was known as one of the highest-paid weavers in the world in the 1950s. Her rugs were very expensive. Sometimes, she earned thousands of dollars for just one tapestry. She worked closely with Charles Herring, who owned the Two Grey Hills trading post. He encouraged weavers to be even more creative and artistic.

Daisy regularly won top awards at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. This is a big event where Native American artists show their work. For forty years, she won many prizes there. In 1946, she won both the first prize and the grand prize (best in show). Her amazing weaving skills led to new categories being created at the ceremonial. This was to recognize her very fine work.

Daisy's Impact and Legacy

Daisy Taugelchee taught many other weavers her craft. She also inspired others with her skill and artistic vision. She traveled across the United States to show her weaving technique. She also gave talks about her art.

One of Daisy's beautiful tapestries was featured on a 37-cent stamp in 2004. This stamp was part of a series called "Art of the American Indian." The Denver Art Museum bought the rug featured on the stamp in 1948. This rug was one of Daisy's most challenging pieces. It required six miles of yarn to make! Her work continues to be admired and celebrated today.