Journey West Through the Years

A Journey West

Master weaver Thomas Kay began his training as a bobbin boy in English mills before coming to America to establish the family legacy that led to Pendleton Woolen Mills. His journey was a rugged one. He traveled down the Atlantic seaboard, crossed the Isthmus of Panama on a burro, and sailed up the Pacific on a grueling four-month passage. Yet for Thomas Kay, a young English weaver, it was a dream come true. We have commemorated his travels with the Journey West pattern.

For 2023, we are excited to unveil a new coloration of the Journey West blanket.

The new 2023 version of the Pendleton Journey West blanket.

This is the third coloration of a favorite pattern. This dynamic blanket celebrates the pioneering spirit of our founder, weaver Thomas Kay, who journeyed to America from England, arriving in Oregon in 1863. Its design was inspired by a blanket discovered in a 19th-century European mill. The pattern highlights the universal appeal of geometric shapes and lines. The hooked patterns inside the large diamonds are common symbols of luck and prosperity. Its quality and beauty is a tribute to the generations of weavers that have continued Thomas Kay’s legacy of quality and excellence.

See it here: Journey West 2023

Craftsman Journey West (retiring 2023)

In 2020, Journey West was chosen to be part of the Craftsman Collection, a special capsule of blankets that celebrated the history, artistry, and craftsmanship of our blankets. For this version, the pattern was recolored and specially dyed to evoke the natural fading of a vintage blanket. One side of the blanket was napped for softness and warmth. The reverse was left unnapped, to showcase the geometry of the pattern. Hand-cut rounded corners recalled the shape of blankets from the earliest days of the mill. For the introduction, we chose three patterns with stories to tell; Canyonlands, Journey West, and Sierra Ridge.

Learn more about this collection here: The Craftsman Collection

Here is the version of Journey West unveiled with the Craftsman Collection.

Pendleton Woolen Mills blanket, the Craftsman Collection version of Journey West.

Here you can see the blanket being hand-trimmed for this special edition.

This blanket is retiring this year, and a limited amount are still available at Pendleton-usa.com – see the blanket here: Craftsman Collection Journey West

The Original Journey West

The Journey West blanket premiered in 2013. It is officially retired, but still available in limited quantities.

original version of the Journey West blanket

As mentioned before, the Journey West pattern is based on a piece of fine European weaving. The original blanket was discovered recently in a 19th-century European mill and included the designer’s notes and calculations, handwritten neatly along the sides. Our modern Pendleton designers viewed this historic work of art with reverence and used it as inspiration. This original gold and red coloration has been popular since its introduction. Our designers have used it in many different apparel styles like the women’s limited edition Cardwell jacket.

Women's limited edition Cardwell jacket in Journey West pattern.

This complex and beautiful design has also graced towels, dinnerware, oversized mugs, and other items. We love them all, but do you have a favorite?

See the current selections here: Journey West

Pendleton 
"Born in Oregon" logo

Atlantic Video — The Gem of the Pacific Northwest: A Visual Ode to Oregon’s Seashore

this place video screen grab

A beautiful video

Click here to watch the video: The Gem of the Pacific Northwest: A Visual Ode to Oregon’s Seashore

We urge you–strongly urge you–to click the link to watch this beautiful video posted by the Atlantic. It captures the charm and the chill of our home state’s seaboard. It begins with the moon, which is appropriate for a region that is controlled by the tides, and sometimes starved for the sun. There is swimming (in shorts) and surfing (in wetsuits), sitting on the sand (in sweatshirts). There are hardworking fishermen who buy our shirts to stay warm. There are the contented cows of the Tillamook County Creamery Association, feeding happily on the dense grass that grows in air that’s lush with moisture. Waves, trees and rock formations form a natural backdrop for mankind’s contribution; piers, docks and buildings that fight a constant battle to stay painted and standing under the constant barrage of mist, rain, wind and salt. We think this video does a perfect job of conveying why everyone in Oregon doesn’t live at the coast, and why everyone in Oregon secretly thinks we might want to.

Blankets Based in Oregon History

We hope you can see some of this Oregon in our Journey West and Mission Mill blankets, which commemorate the westward journey and first mill of our founder, Thomas Kay.

jacquard_journey_west
jacquard_mission_mill

Journey West is based on a piece of fine European weaving. The original blanket was discovered recently in a 19th-century European mill and included the designer’s notes and calculations, handwritten neatly along the sides. Our modern Pendleton designers viewed this historic work of art with reverence and used it as inspiration for our Journey West jacquard design. This design’s European origins echo the story of master weaver Thomas Kay, who began his training as a bobbin boy in English mills before coming to America to establish the family legacy that led to Pendleton Woolen Mills.  Mission Mill is named for the mill in Salem, Oregon, that was built (and rebuilt) by Thomas Kay after he made his way to Oregon. The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill turned out the first bolt of worsted wool west of the Mississippi. The old mill is a part of the historic Mission Mill Museum in Salem, Oregon. The Victorian colors and composition of the design are a nod to our founder’s English ancestry.

Oregon is a state of great natural beauty, climatic variability and bountiful resources. Thomas Kay must have understood that when he settled in Salem. Our state’s population continues to grow, but we want to warn those of you who are considering the Oregon coast as your destination: watch the video and pay attention. If you move here, you’re going to need blankets.

Made in USA label with eagle for Pendleton