Each year, we choose a select group of blankets to offer as bedding groups. This means we will offer multiple sizes in these blankets, usually including Queen, and sometimes up to King. We also weave special fabrics for coordinating pillow shams that are (usually) reversible. This gives customers the opportunity to fully dress a bed in Pendleton fabrics.
New patterns
This year, we added some new patterns to our bedding collection offering.
Smith Rock
Smith Rock – The towering face of Smith Rock overlooks a bend in Oregon’s Crooked River, challenging climbers from around the world to scale its heights. Considered by many to be the birthplace of American sport climbing, Smith Rock State Park offers several thousand climbs, many of them bolted, in its 650 acres of high peaks, deep river canyons, and hiking trails like Misery Ridge. This pattern, based on a traditional nine-element blanket, alternates the park’s peaks with the many paths traveled by hikers and climbers.
Lost Trail
Lost Trail – In September of 1805, the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery struggled to find a trail through the Bitterroot Mountains. Their travails gave name to Lost Trail Pass, crossing the Idaho/Montana border. Two peaked bands represent the Columbia River Basin drainages divided by Lost Trail: Bitterroot Clark-Fork to the north, and Salmon to the south. The middle band represents the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge, which provides crucial winter habitat to fish, fowl, and mammals large and small.
And customer favorite Wyeth Trail, now offered in a Slate colorway.
Wyeth Trail – In 1834, stories of the Western frontier drew a Massachusetts inventor named Nathaniel Wyeth to the Oregon territories. The Wyeth Trail did not lead its namesake to fame and fortune, but his path endured to become part of the Oregon Trail’s 2,170 miles. With a balanced pattern of peaks, this pattern shows a perilous trail passing through dry plains, fertile valleys, and pristine rivers, surrounded on both sides by the beautiful mountain ranges of Oregon.
These join other bedding group favorites like Los Ojos, White Sands, San Miguel, and more. See them here: Bedding Groups
Another option
If your favorite blanket isn’t part of this group, check out our Pendleton Eco-Wise® Wool shams in solid colors. See them here: Solid Shams
These solid color shams coordinate beautifully with our Eco-Wise blankets, and the colors work with many of our jacquard patterns. If you have questions about exact matching, call the Pendleton Home Store in Portland’s Pearl District. We have swatches, blankets, and are happy to help you over the phone or in person.
Colder weather is finally on the way. It’s the perfect season to warm up with wool. Visit Pendleton-usa.com to see all the possibilities.
The Pendleton Shetland Crew Sweater is a fashion classic for both men and women.
The name dates back to 1939, after a type of sweater favored by competitive rowers. And the wool? Well, some say the story of Shetland wool goes back to 1200 AD.
The Source: Shetland Sheep
Shetland wool comes from a special breed of Shetland sheep that originated on Scotland’s Shetland Islands. In November 2011, Shetland wool that is still produced in the Shetlands earned a designation of “Native Shetland Wool.”
Like everything else in this day and age, Shetland sheep have migrated. Most of Pendleton’s Shetland wool is from New Zealand, a country known for humane treatment of sheep.
Shetland is spun to be lofty, so you get maximum insulation with minimum weight.
Shetland yarn doesn’t have guard hairs, like many other yarns, meaning it is surprisingly nice next to your skin.
Shetland sweaters wear well with little-to-no pilling. If you see a sweater with suede patches at the elbow, it’s probably a well-loved, well-worn Shetland.
Some Shetland yarns are solid colored, and some are heathered. We tend to choose heathers for our sweaters. With their flecks and blended tones, they are so visually interesting.
Pendleton Shetland
Pendleton has a variety of styles for men and women at our website. You can see them here:
We offer additional Shetland styles, especially for men. Zips, vests, cardigans–whatever your heart desires. Whether you’re feeling the Fall chill, or doing a little early holiday shopping, come see what we have to offer.
Today and every day, we celebrate the work of our partners at the American Indian College Fund. The College Fund supports community-based accredited tribal colleges and universities that offer students access to knowledge, skills and cultural values that enhance their communities and the country as a whole.
For over 20 years, Pendleton has joined their mission with a collection of College Fund blankets, and the Pendleton endowment, to help fund scholarships to students. So far, over $1 million dollars in scholarships have been funded for 1,288 American Indian and Alaska Native students at all 35 tribal college and universities.
The Blankets, the Designers
Two College Fund scholars have designed blankets in the collection.
The newest is Unity designed by Chelysa Owens-Cyr.
The Lakota word for horse is Sunka Wakan, or Holy Dog. At sunrise, a horse gallops through a Lakota village of traditional tipis. A geometric Morning Star greets the dawn over each dwelling, announcing the coming of sunlight to the earth and the gift of a new day. The horse or Holy Dog stands for strength and unity, the central figure in a design that represents how Nature and Native people are one.
Designer Chelysa Owens-Cyr (Fort Peck Assiniboine & Dakota Sioux/Pasqua First Nations Cree) is an artist from Montana’s Fort Peck Indian Reservation. As a College Fund scholar, she studied Business Administration at Fort Peck Community College. She is a self-taught contemporary ledger artist, beader, graphic designer and painter, influenced by her family and culture. “I work with many mediums to share my personal teachings, beliefs, stories and visions with the people.”
Courage to Bloom is designed by Deshawna Anderson.
Arrow shapes in this pattern symbolize finding a good path in life, acknowledging that every path holds pitfalls and dangers, as well as opportunity. To honor the loss of missing and murdered indigenous Native people, an hourglass shape at the base of the largest blossom symbolizes life’s spiritual journey through the most difficult circumstances.
Designer Deshawna Anderson (White Mountain Apache/Crow) was a College Fund scholar at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, Montana, where she studies Business Administration. She is of the Butterfly Clan and a child of the Greasy Mouth.
More Information
You can see all the blankets for the College Fund at pendleton-usa.com. We look forward to introducing a third scholar-designed blanket next year.
Today’s Pendleton Archive Coats are modern revivals of one of our most iconic pieces; the Harding blanket coat.
Before there was an official women’s sportswear line, Pendleton produced coats sewn from wool fabric in several lengths and styles to meet the needs of snowshoers, skiiers, tobogganers, and movie stars like Anita Page, photographed in a similar coat in the 1930s.
The photo is black and white, we think this coat was sewn in our most historic and familiar Harding pattern coloration.
The Pendleton Archives
Our archives hold several blanket coats in the Harding pattern on our racks of vintage Pendleton garments, carefully cataloged and hung under white sheets to protect them from dust. Visitors wear white gloves when they handle these treasures, to protect fragile garments from the oils we all have on our hands.
The coat at the front of this “go-back” rack (waiting to be checked back in) is very similar to the coat worn by Anita Page. It’s a well-worn example, with mismatched buttons.
Here’s another beautiful Harding pattern coat we call “the airplane coat.”
This label gave it its name–see the airplane in the lower left of the label?
This car coat was sewn for passengers to wear in open cockpit airplanes. This is also a Harding pattern. The strap-and-button details are charming.
Here’s the rack where both of these coats live in the archives. The “out” cards mark the spots where other garments have been taken to our design area.
Today’s Pendleton Archive Coats
Our jackets have found homes over the years with collectors and museums. Today’s Archive Coats let you enjoy the generational quality of Pendleton for many years to come. You can see them here:
We are pleased to announce that our century-old mills in Washougal, WA and Pendleton, OR are certified STeP by OEKO-TEX® (21001295 HOHENSTEIN HTTI). Both mills have been weaving for over 110 years and are continually updated for sustainability and innovation.
STeP by OEKO-TEX® is a certification system for production facilities in the textile industry. Certification assesses production facilities at all processing stages to allow brands to communicate environmental measures. The Pendleton mills were scored in various areas including, chemical management, environmental performance and management, social responsibility, quality management, and health and safety.
STeP is the First Step
This is a milestone on our path to certified sustainability for all our mill products. The process is long and requirements are stringent. Members of our mill teams have worked tirelessly to collect and submit the needed data, and projects have been identified and initiated to make it happen.
“Pendleton is committed to creating a sustainable product lifecycle. As a vertical operation, the impact we have on the environment is a priority in every process. Certifying the mills for sustainability is a tremendous step in this journey,” explained Rolan Snider, Pendleton’s vice president of textile manufacturing. “The sustainability journey begins with our use of wool as a natural fiber, the long-term relationships with USA wool growers and now continues through the local production in our sustainability-certified mills.”
You can learn more about the process and the path at oeko-tex.com. The Pendleton Woolen Mill located in Washougal, WA is located at 2 Pendleton Way, Washougal, WA 98671 and the Pendleton Woolen Mill located in Pendleton, OR is located at 1307 SE Court Pl, Pendleton, OR 97801. Both mills offer tours year round.
We are excited to once again work with renowned designer Andre Walker, as he brings his singular sense of style to the Pendleton looms for the very first time.
Walker imagined, painted and designed “Voice of the Body” in his Brooklyn-based studio with the desire to have it tangibly come to life, and invited Pendleton to transform his artwork for the loom.
The limited edition blanket feature a striking set of deep brown eyes, vibrant pink lips in fellowship with a pictogram-like figure overlaying a cornflower blue, tan and yolk gradient.
Inspiration for the “Voice of the Body” painting and blanket came from Walker thinking about God and existence. “It’s about the spirit in the gut of our intuition as it remains hopeful in our expression of the voice of the body,” explained Walker. He views the painting and blanket as a muse for the singularity of humanity’s soul eschewing specifics of color, materiality and perception.
Pendleton’s designers and weavers always look forward to the challenge of expressing an artist’s ideas, and Walker’s dramatic vision comes across beautifully. Below is his original artwork, to which the blanket remains remarkably faithful.
Pendleton and Andre Walker
This is the second collaboration for Pendleton and Walker. The first was Walker’s 2017 collection titled “Non-Existent Patterns” where he used Pendleton fabrics, including the Glacier National Park pattern to create pieces that he originally designed between 1982 and 1986. This collection is currently featured in The Met Museum’s exhibit “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” until Sept. 5, 2022.
“I’ve taken our second exchange with Pendleton to another level, designing a singular textile artwork. I loved the idea that it was a universal utility free of physiognomic boundaries. It was magical to see the image come to life on the looms. Working with Pendleton is a perfect match of know-how, artistry and industry,” noted Walker.
The limited edition “Voice of the Body” blankets, signed by the artist, are now available on pendleton-usa.com and at various luxury retail outlets.
Come see the Seattle Pendleton store at our new location, very near the historic Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.
We are excited about this space! It’s larger than our previous Seattle location, and our Pendleton plaids and patterns look beautiful with all the brick, wood, and vintage charm.
The photo above shows a company history timeline. We are always excited to share the Pendleton story, and here’s a little clip of us installing displays about our history and community connections.
We carry it all!
The store offers a full selection of Pendleton’s home goods, apparel, and accessories.
And you won’t want to miss our Pendleton shirt wall, right behind the cash wrap.
We originally created a similar wall for a trade show, and attendees loved it. We’ve been excited to adapt the idea for a retail store. Here’s a video of the construction.
Where to find us
We are located on the first floor of Seattle’s A.E. Doyle Building. According to the Viaduct History website, “The A. E. Doyle Building is one of the most elegant reminders of Seattle’s early retail corridor along 2nd Avenue. It opened in 1920 as the J. S. Graham Store not long after Frederick and Nelson moved north to Pine Street. This is the only Seattle example of the work of one of Portland’s most prominent architect, A. E Doyle. The large windows set in tall arched bays clad with terra cotta reflect the Italian Renaissance style.”
We are just a two minute walk from Pike Place Market at 117 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
We are glad to announce that the GATHER blanket is back in stock. This beautiful blanket was designed by Emma Robbins, who is also the program’s director (you see her in the video above). When we unveiled the blanket in January, it sold out quickly. A portion of the sales from this blanket go to theDigDeep Navajo Water Project, a nonprofit that works to bring clean running water to the one in three Navajo families without it.
GATHER
Like the piñon tree, members of the Navajo Nation gather resources to survive an increasingly precarious water supply. Diné artist Emma Robbins has gathered symbols of endurance for this design; a sáanii (maternal grandmother) scarf crossed by traditional sash belts used in ceremonies and childbirth. At the center, a young woman’s bracelet of silver is set with turquoise, a stone formed by rare rains flowing through arid layers of rock. A portion of blanket sales will support DigDeep’s Navajo Water Project.
Ms. Robbins shared photos of her inspirations with us.
First, the floral ground of the blanket is inspired by a sáanii scarf, as worn here by a sáanii (maternal grandmother in Navajo).
96-year old Annette Bilagody, Navajo, is a retired rug weaver and beader. She and her family run a small online business where she sells her jewelry. (Photo courtesy Lucita Bennett family) (Caption and photo courtesy Indian Country Today)
Sáanii scarves have traditionally been worn by grandmothers, and are a symbol of wisdom and nurturing. Recently they have made their way into modern Navajo and Native fashion, and are worn to honor grandmothers and strong female teachers and role models. Both of Ms. Robbins’ grandmothers were strong matriarchs of their families, and played important roles in her upbringing. She remembers making art with Ann, her maternal grandmother, and harvesting piñons with Nora, her paternal grandmother, while sitting on a blanket. Piñons are also the namesake of her daughter.
Learn more about the history and meaning of the Sáanii scarf here: The Saanii scarf
Learn more about the piñon tree and its nut here: The piñon tree
Two Navajo Sash belts traverse the floral ground.
Photo courtesy Emma Robbins, sash belt designed by Jonessa Reid
These traditional belts are woven in a specific color set of red or green, and worn by both men and women, depending on the ceremony. These belts are also an important birthing tool.
At the center of the blanket design is a squash blossom bracelet gifted to Ms. Robbins at her Kinaaldá, a Navajo girl’s coming of age ceremony.
This bracelet made of turquoise, the sacred stone of the south to the Diné or Navajo. Known as dootlizh, it is considered to be a living and breathing being because it changes color as it ages. Turquoise also refers to water, as this stone is formed when water flows through rock, leaving behind specific minerals such as copper and aluminum. The minerals form veins of turquoise, flowing through rock in colors that range from deep green to palest blue. Turquoise is part of the Navajo creation story, and to this day Dootlizhii Ashkii (the Turquoise Boy) carries the sun across the sky each day. Turquoise brings long life and happiness to the wearer, as well as a means to restore good health; as Ms. Robbins says, “We come from water, and it is part of all human survival.”
When Ms. Robbins designed the blanket, she combined these representations of survival and renewal in a watercolor; here is her original design for the GATHER blanket.
More about Emma Robbins
Emma Robbins is a Diné artist, activist, and community organizer. As Executive Director of the Navajo Water Project, part of the human rights nonprofit DigDeep Water, she is working to create infrastructure that brings clean running water to the one in three Navajo families without it. In addition, she is the creator of The Chapter House, an Indigenous women-led community arts space, designed for Natives and welcoming all.
Through her artwork, Robbins strives to raise awareness about the lack of clean water on Native Nations and educate viewers about issues such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis, representations and misrepresentations of Native people, and the environmental impact of abandoned uranium mines. She explores these themes through photography, installations, and use of found materials foraged on her trips across the United States and abroad.
Ms. Robbins completed her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and studied Modern and Contemporary Latin American Art History in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has been featured in The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, NPR, and on Erin Brockovich’s podcast, and has lectured at Yale, Brown, MIT and Skoll. She is an Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellow, serves on the Advisory Committee to U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and is a recipient of an Environmental Leader Award. Robbins is a mom, has two dogs, and splits her time on Tongvaland (Los Angeles) and the Navajo Nation.
Many thanks to Ms. Robbins for these biographical notes, which were adapted from her website and from program notes for her various speaking engagements (with permission).
Photo courtesy Emma Robbins. Emma and her daughter Piñon on the Gather blanket
Pendleton is excited to announce that tours of our Washougal, Washington and Pendleton, Oregon mills are now open! These tours showcase the vertical operation that brings Pendleton’s iconic wool blankets and fabrics to life. “We are excited to be able to welcome guests into both of Pendleton’s mills again,” said Rolan Snider, vice president of textile manufacturing at Pendleton. “The mills offer an experience into the commitment, experience, quality and investment in technology that has given the brand its ‘Warranted to Be’ legacy.”
A Little PWM History
The Pendleton mill was originally built in 1893, and has been operating as Pendleton Woolen Mills since 1909. That is the year when Fanny Kay Bishop realized what an opportunity the idled facility held, and urged her three sons to buy and revive it. The Bishop Brothers restored and improved operations with the support of the Pendleton community.
The Pendleton mill has always specialized in traditional wool bed blankets. These are woven on jacquard looms to give our blankets curvilinear designs that are often different on front and back, for a reversible option. The company acquired the Washougal mill in 1912 to expand its range of fabrics, with specialized looms for plaids, herringbones, stripes, tweeds…all the weaves found in clothing textiles and plaid blankets.
Today’s Mills
In the early 1900s, the Pendleton mills were two of over 1,000 woolen mills operating in America’s 46 states. Today, they are two of the remaining four woolen mills in the United States. Both mills are continually updated for sustainability and innovation. Said VP Rolan Snyder, “Within each mill, the looms present a unique view into the craftsmanship behind how Pendleton fabrics are created.” The mill tour in Washougal, Washington walks guests through every step in the making of Pendleton wool blankets and fabric. This includes:
– Raw wool: sourced from local and global wool ranchers
– Dyeing: state-of-the-art dye color lab to ensure color control and matching
– Wool carding and spinning: turning wool into yarn
– Weaving on dobby looms: creates Pendleton’s famous plaids, stripes and solids
– Finishing touches: washing, hand inspection and boxing
The mill tour in Pendleton, Oregon offers guests an inside look into:
The Washougal Mill is located at 2 Pendleton Way, Washougal, Washington 98671. Tours are offered at the Washougal Mill on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 11a.m. and 1p.m.
The Pendleton Mill is located at 1307 SE Court Place, Pendleton, Oregon 97801. Tours are offered at the Pendleton Mill Monday through Friday at 11a.m. and 3p.m.
And if you can’t join us in person, here is a little mill tour for you: A Morning at the Washougal Mill.
Our newest partnership with Benson Amps is here! Benson Amps hand builds heirloom quality amplifiers using components carefully selected for quality and tone. Now, select Pendleton fabrics will be available as a custom finish. Each Pendleton x Benson amp has a custom blue badge and a Pendleton shirt tag on the back.
Photo courtesy Benson Amps
As their website says:
It rains a lot here in the Northwest during the winter, and there are only a few appropriate options to stay warm and dry (umbrellas are unacceptable here, not sure why). One of the best options, and the de facto approach of the Benson Amps staff, is just to wear Pendleton wool shirts everywhere, as a forever uniform.
That’s why we are so excited to announce that we have partnered with Pendleton Woolen Mills to create a line of Pendleton covered amplifiers!…Instead of taking a royalty, Pendleton has agreed to put part of the proceeds from this project towards creating a standing backline of our amps to be made available for festivals and events.