Glacier park

Father’s Day: Top Five Pendleton Gifts for the Top Five Dads

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Westerley

Father’s Day is coming soon. Wouldn’t your dad like something special from Pendleton? Here are some gift ideas…what do you think?

For the Dad of all Trades

For the handy dad, we suggest the Victorinox Swiss Army’s Spartan in our bestselling Glacier Park pattern. The handy dad will have every tool he’ll need in one knife: large blade, small blade, corkscrew, can opener with small screwdriver (also for Phillips screws), bottle opener with large screwdriver, wire stripper, reamer, key ring, tweezers and toothpick.

Pendleton knife in the Glacier National Park pattern.

A bonus with this gift? A portion of your purchase helps fund restoration projects through the National Park Foundation, including the Helical Stairs at Glacier national Parks Many Glacier Lodge. And that’s something we can ALL get behind!

 

For the Dad Who Really Does Want Socks

They exist, these dads. They just really like socks! But we don’t want him to have just any old socks.

Pendleton socks for Dad.

We suggest Pendleton socks, which come in such a variety of style, fabrications and patterns, there is always a perfect pair for the sock-loving dad. Take a look and have fun.

For the Dude Dad

He’s cool, he’s fun, and if he doesn’t have it, he really wants it. This is the original Westerley, part of Pendleton’s line since the seventies, and part of pop culture history since Jeff Bridges wore it in The Big Lebowski.

Pendleton's Westerley Cardigan aka the "Dude" sweater from "The Big Lebowski."

In fact, this year is the twentieth anniversary of the movie’s release. But don’t mention that to Dad. It might make him feel old, and he’s anything but. Just get him the sweater, Dude.

For the “Don’t’ Get Me Anything” Dad

We all know him. He asks for hankies, if he asks for anything at all. We think he’s motivated by modesty, but maybe he’s just practical. So for this dad, we offer a Wallet/Valet Tray Set that is eminently practical.

A valet set for Dad in leather and

The wallet and tray are made with high-grade leather and plaid Pendleton wool. The valet tray sits on his dresser, ready to catch his change, comb, jack knife, and the well-made, last-forever wallet that’s part of the set. Dad is happy, and you’re happy that you got him something he’ll use every single day.

For the Dad Who Deserves the Best

Every dad deserves the best! But for a certain dad, this is an ultra-special gift.

Pendleton Whiskey.

Pendleton Whisky has released their Director’s Reserve. Aged for twenty years, distilled with pure, glacier-fed spring water from Oregon’s Mt. Hood that allows the unadorned, warm notes of oak, cinnamon, and rye to shine through. A little water or an ice cube opens up orange spice, vanilla, and caramel, followed by a mature and mellow finish. The bottle is wrapped in a leather sleeve with tooling crafted by third-generation saddle maker Randy Severe, whose family has made custom saddles for nearly 70 years. Severe leatherwork is legendary! Looking for a retailer near you? Please email info@proximospirits.com and they will point you in the right direction.

And one more…

Okay, that’s our top five. You’ll notice there’s not a wool shirt on this list, and of course, for a lot of dads, a Pendleton Shirt is the ultimate gift.

Pendleton Board Shirt in the Original Surf Plaid worn by the Beach Boys, back when they first started out as "The Pendletones."

You can see those here: Pendleton Wool Shirts

Have fun with your dads on Father’s Day, everyone!

Herreshoff Design, Pendleton Patterns

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Editor’s note

We love getting letters from our friends. Today’s is from Terry, who was an account manager for Pendleton for decades. Now retired, he’s living the good life in Montana. And that includes spending a lot of time in this gorgeous boat.

Here is Terry’s letter.

Terry's canoe

Hi Friends,

I was a Pendleton Salesman for 40 years. During that time I was always enamored with the Native American part of our company’s history, how in the late 1890s, Pendleton Woolen Mills started weaving those intricate patterns into blankets that became the impeccable standard for trade with Native Americans.

I met Greg Morley, who owns Morley Cedar Canoes at Swan Lake, Montana, in 1996 .  He crafted a canoe for me at that time, and I have become very close friends with the family since. Greg Morley worked at the Forest Service out of Salem, Oregon, in the late 60s. Before leaving to build canoes in Swan Lake, Greg was designated to source the Oregon Trail. It took him two years, but he tracked and documented it. He brings that same precision to boat building.

Steve, Greg’s son, has carried on the trade, and built this Herreshoff Design row boat for me. He invited me up to pick out each individual cedar strip for the boat. I brought one of my Pendleton blankets along, and he inlaid the pattern right into the boat. It is a banded Robe from 1920s. You can find the blanket in The Language of the Robe by Robert W. Kapoun on page 53.

Interior of the canoe, showing Pendleton-inspired patterns inlaid on the benches.

Here is a moody shot of the boat on gorgeous Swan Lake, the Gateway to Glacier National Park.

CANOE AND OARS AT THE SHORE OF A LAKE

All the best,

Terry

Credits

All photos by Terry Ball, used with permission.

See our inspiring blankets here: SHOP BLANKETS

And enjoy your weekend.

Made in USA label with eagle for Pendleton

A Park Memory: Susan Karlstrom for Glacier National Park

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A special customer, a special memory

Ed. note: Please enjoy this special customer memory from Susan Karlstrom. It’s a special one! Please note, the Glacier blanket in question has been renamed “Crown of the Continent,” one of the beautiful names for this magnificent park.

For Christmas this year my husband gave me the Glacier National Park 100th Anniversary blanket.  It’s beautiful with the profile of the Garden wall, as seen from Lake McDonald.  This is the view from my favorite spot on Earth.  The west end of the lake.

hands hold a cell phone showing a photo of Glacier National park, next to the silhouette of the glaciers on a Pendleton blanket.

My father was a naturalist for the park. As a child, the day after school was out we hit the road, Michigan to Montana in 3 days.  We had to get to the park to start our summer.

A photo of a father and two children from the 1970s.

My brother and I “grew up” in Glacier.  No tv, no phone, just outside and everything the park had to offer.  Woods, trails, streams, rivers, snow, bears, that was our summer adventure.

A young Susan Karlstrom in her overalls.

My mother was confident in our “bear skills” and always knew we would come home when hungry.  We always did.  

Today

Now, I sit with my Glacier park blanket, in Michigan, and tell my children of my incredible experiences in Glacier. I am fortunate that my family wants to return with me to Glacier and explore it together.

I still get a feeling deep in me that says it’s time to go back and to see, smell and feel Glacier, to reconnect with the park.   Fortunately, my husband is ready to go.   Now, my kids look at me and say it’s time to go back.  I could not agree more.  I am thankful it’s in them.

I am thankful that this beautiful blanket keeps us warm and keeps us planning for the next trip to Glacier this summer! The blanket is so special to me.  Someday, I know I will wrap my grandchildren in it and foster their love for Glacier too. Thank you for creating it!

Susan Karlstrom

The Crown of the Continent Pendleton blanket

See the blanket here: Glacier National Park 100th Anniversary Blanket