THE LAST DROP FROM HIS STETSON: A special edition blanket by Pendleton

Celebrating 100 Years

In 1923, artist Lon Megargee depicted a cowboy kneeling to give his horse a drink from his upturned hat. This plainspoken masterwork was originally published on the cover of Western Story magazine. The John B. Stetson Company bought the rights to the image in 1923. Since then, it has been featured in Stetson advertising, as well as on hat boxes, posters, and on the liners of some of Stetson’s most iconic hats. 

An icon of the Stetson brand for more than 100 years, “The Last Drop from His Stetson,” endures as a symbol of the American cowboy’s values of resourcefulness, compassion and humility. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of “The Last Drop from His Stetson,” Stetson has partnered with Pendleton to reimagine Lon Megargee’s iconic artwork as a special-edition jacquard blanket.

The Stetson x Pendleton blanket on a rail fence against a background of snowy mountains.


The Artist

Artist Lon Megargee (1883-1960) was born in Philadelphia, PA and moved out west as a boy, where he began wrangling at age 13 and later spent time working as a cowboy in Wickenburg, Arizona. He drew upon his experience in the saddle to create “The Last Drop from His Stetson.”

A person wrapped in the Stetson and Pendleton blanket.

Stetson kicked off the 100th anniversary celebration with a limited edition Western hat. As part of the launch, they commissioned three contemporary artists, Logan Maxwelle Hagege, Thomas Blackshear and Bella McGoldrick, to reimagine Megargee’s original artwork in their own style.

Artworks inspired by "The last drop from his Stetson" painting

About the Blanket

Pendleton’s surface design team met with the team at Stetson to discuss ideas on how to translate this painting into a Pendleton blanket. The biggest challenge was to evoke the colors and detailed textures from the original artwork in a woven blanket design. Pendleton’s mill technical designer simplified the painting’s palette to meet loom requirements.

With drawing techniques and color arrangement in textile design software, our designers achieved a depth in color and texture that honors the original painting. Each CAD iteration was presented to the Stetson team, and revised based on feedback. The blanket is very much a collaborative effort of both teams at Stetson and Pendleton. 

Blanket, "The Last Drop From His Stetson", hanging on the doorway of a weathered barn.

The special-edition blanket translates the original artwork using a three-color jacquard weaving technique. It was woven on our looms in Pendleton, Oregon, and finished at our Washougal, Washington facility.  Each blanket is individually packaged in a Beaver State box and includes a “Last Drop from His Stetson” commemorative story card and custom sewn-on patch.

A close-up shot of the commemorative patch on the Stetson x Pendleton collaborative blanket

See more information here: “The Last Drop From His Stetson” blanket

Blue "Born in Oregon" logo

Resting Place by Logan Maxwell Hagege

“Resting Place”

Pendleton is proud to present “Resting Place” by Logan Maxwell Hagege. Hagege creates works that are celebrated for their harmonious composition, texture, and depth. His works are highly sought after. This blanket offers a rare opportunity to own a work by one of the most celebrated contemporary artists of the American West.

You can learn more about his art at his website: LOGAN MAXWELL HAGEGE

His Instagram has beautiful paintings, inspo shots, and information about his latest shows: LMH on Instagram

Pendleton Resting Place blanket

RESTING PLACE

A well-worn hat on a split-rail fence offers a moment of respite for the rider who hung it there, as its rounded shape offers a centered counterbalance to the horizontal sweep of mountain buttes and fence rails behind it. Logan Maxwell Hagege is a Los Angeles-based contemporary artist whose modern visions of the American West use repeating shapes to create a visual narrative for each composition, distilling shapes to their essence while celebrating their complexity.

Learn more about this blanket at Pendleton-usa.com. Resting Place

Inspiration

Here is the painting from which this design was adapted.

"Resting Place," a painting by Loga Maxwell Hagege

https://wooarts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/nggallery/logan-maxwell-hagege/logan-maxwell-hagege-painting-wooarts-com-20.jpg

Enjoy a video of his “Dear Old Western Sky” exhibition at the Maxwell Alexander Gallery here:

“Resting Place” joins “A Horse Called Paint” by Judd Thompson in Pendleton’s Artists Collection. Learn more about that piece here: “A Horse Called Paint

Pendleton "Born in Oregon" logo

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

Last Chance Blankets for January, 2023

Now is the time!

Our USA mills in Oregon and Washington run three shifts a day to keep up with the demand for our wool blankets. Each year, we have to retire blankets to make room on the loom for our newest designs. Stock is low on the following blankets, so if you have been considering one, now is the time!

Child-sized Blankets

Pendleton Moon Dance child-size blanket

Moon Dance

The Menominee tribe of the Great Lakes region tells a tale of Brother Sun and Sister Moon. Brother Sun set out on a long hunt and did not return, causing Sister Moon to worry. She searched far and wide for her brother, waxing and waning for twenty days until she, too, disappeared. But Sister Moon always returns after four nights of darkness to light the night with her soft beams. Sister Moon’s search for Brother Sun is portrayed in this pattern of a cloud-obscured moon dancing gently over water.

This peaceful child-sized blanket was introduced in Fall 2020. It is 32″ x 44″, and napped for cozy story times. It also looks beautiful draped over the back of a chair. See it here: Moon Dance

Star Guardian

Pendleton Star Guardian child-sized blanket.

Crossed arrows stand for brotherhood and the setting aside of conflicts. A peaceful evening has come to the prairie. It is time to light the fires and draw together in the warmth of the fire circle. As logs crackle and flames flicker, stories rise on the night air. Stories of bravery and victory in battle. Stories of stealth and bounty in the hunt. Stories of tricksters and their clever magic. As they share their legends, the People are safe and warm in their tepees. Above it all shines Bear, the great guardian of the night skies.

This charming child-sized blanket was introduced in Fall of 2017. It is 32″ x 44″, and softly napped for soft snuggles, cuddles, and naps. It also makes a fine wall-hanging. See it here: Star Guardian

Robe-sized Blankets

Alamosa

The Alamosa blanket by Pendleton - red, beige, blue

“Of a time long ago, these things are said.” The Navajo language is spoken like a poem, and tells of the first beings, the Air-Spirit People, who emerged in the First World. There, a red island held the Insect People; ants, dragonflies, beetles, and a dwelling called House of Red Rock. To the east, a stepped pattern shows the Place Where the Waters Crossed, home to the sunrise. In the center, blue streams converge, then flow toward each of the sacred Four Directions. 

This spectacular robe-sized blanket (twin) was introduced in Fall of 2020. It is unnapped, so the smooth beauty of the pattern shines through, and is finished with a whipstitch binding. See it here: Alamosa

Crescent Bay

Pendleton Crescent Bay blanket

Crescent Bay, near Laguna Beach in southern California, is part of the California’s 810 miles of ocean coastline. Waves of diamonds represent the waters of the bay, where divers can see an array of sea life; kelp gardens, fish, seals, sea lions–even sharks. Above the bay floats the marine layer, an inversion created when the cool ocean meets warm air. Sometimes clear, sometimes foggy, the marine layer lingers along the coast, gently dispelling inland heat with the cooling power of the Pacific Ocean.

This California-themed robe-sized blanket was introduced in the Spring of 2020. It is unnapped, so the pattern definition is excellent, and it’s finished with a wool binding. See it here: Crescent Bay

Bedding Collection (multiple sizes)

Alta Lakes

Pendleton Alta lakes blanket, shown in Queen size

In the high, clear air of the San Juan Mountains, three alpine lakes nestle against Palmyra Peak. This is Southwestern Colorado’s Alta Lakes recreation area, home to hiking, fishing, boating and paddle boarding. Nearby is a tiny ghost town named Alta, a mining center in the 1800s and early 1900s. The evening sky is lit by glowing bands of sunset colors that touch the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, surrounding the three glowing Alta Lakes.

This vibrant blanket design was introduced as a bedding collection in Fall of 2021. The photo above shows the Queen size. It is unnapped for vibrant pattern definition, and is finished with a whipstitch binding. See the collection here: Alta Lakes

Blankets that Give Back to Nature

Blankets with a cause

At Pendleton, we believe in giving back. We have created beautiful blankets that benefit many philanthropic partnerships, and today’s post is focused on blankets that give back to causes near and dear to Nature.

Oregon Blankets

Pacific Wonderland

Pendleton "Pacific Wonderland" blanket

From the pristine shores of Wallowa Lake to the ocean overlooks of Ecola Point, Oregon’s state park system includes 256 places to hike, picnic, camp, and recharge. It all began one hundred years ago with five acres of donated land that set aside a special place for everyone. In shades of moody indigo, a moonlit landscape celebrates the centennial of the Oregon state parks and our commitment to preserve our Pacific Wonderland for the next 100 years.

The Pacific Wonderland blanket helps support the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s “Park Explorer Series”, which aims to remove barriers to outdoor recreation. Projects include building trails that everybody can use, showcasing parks digitally, and making camping possible for folks who may otherwise never get to try it.

See it here: Pacific Wonderland

Forever Oregon

Pendleton "Forever Oregon" blanket

This limited-edition wool blanket honors our home state’s park system. In this design, Mt. Hood watches over a reflective lake flanked by forests, with geometric patterns honoring Oregon’s original inhabitants. Medallions for 12 beloved state parks are bordered by stripes in colors that echo their landscapes.

Purchase of this blanket also helps support the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s “Park Explorer Series.” If you’d like to know more about the twelve parks selected for this blanket, you can read a little about wach of them here: Forever Oregon

See the blanket here: Forever Oregon

More Nature Blankets that Give Back

Wildland Heroes

The Pendleton Wildland Heroes blanket shows bands of geometric designs that also include evergreen trees, with a dark forest green background, light blue trangles to symbolize water, and yellow and orange accents that represent the threat of wildfires.

The scent of smoke fills the air. An orange glow lights the horizon. Mother Nature is on alert, and Wildland Firefighters stand ready to defend her. These brave men and women hold the line against fire’s destruction with team effort; digging lines, running hoses, saving structures when they can. In Pendleton’s tribute to Wildland Firefighting, bands of deep forest alternate with lines of flame, lighting trees endangered by flame. A portion of this blanket’s sales help the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which supports families and injured firefighters in times of need.

Supporting Wildfire-relted Casues

This blanket supports the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. We have also used it to support other causes in times of great need. You can read about one of those here: Thank You for Helping the Red Cross. We also held a special sale of this blanket to generate a substantial donation to relief for the Australian Bushfires of 2019-2020.

See it here: Wildland Heroes

National Park Blankets

Pendleton National Park blankets over a fence in front of a mountain

Every Pendleton National Park blanket (as well as throws, apparel, accessories and bags, footwear, mugs, everything!) generates a donation to the National Park Foundation. Funds from our donations have been used to restore the Helical Stairs at Many Glaciers Lodge in Glacier National Park (read about it here: Your Gift to the National Parks: Helical Stairs Project). We are also helping to fund the restoration of the Depot at Grand Canyon National Park, which is still ongoing (read about that here: The Depot Project is Underway!). And, a new project is coming! Watch for an exciting announcement soon.

You can see our current selection of Park blankets (some blankets in the above photo are retired) and Parks-related merchandise at http://www.pendleton-usa.com. And thank you for supporting these important causes.

Pendleton "Born in Oregon" Logo

Bedding Groups – Something Special from Pendleton

Dress up your bed

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

Pendleton Smith Rock bedding group.

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

Pendleton Lost Trail bedding group.

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.

Pendleton Wyeth Trail bedding group.

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

Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool shams, arranged with Eco-Wise Wool blankets.

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.

Pendleton Born in Oregon logo

The Pendleton Archive Coat

Fall 2022

Pendleton Archive blanket coat in the Harding pattern

Today’s Pendleton Archive Coats are modern revivals of one of our most iconic pieces; the Harding blanket coat.

Pendleton Archive blanket coat in the Rock Point pattern

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.

Actress Anita Page in a Pendleton blanket coat circa 1920s

The photo is black and white, we think this coat was sewn in our most historic and familiar Harding pattern coloration.

Pendletn Harding blanket

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.archive-coat

Here’s another beautiful Harding pattern coat we call “the airplane coat.” 

The Pendleton "airplane" coat, a blanket coat in the Harding pattern in the Pendleton archives.

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.

A group of vintage Pendleton blanket coats hanging together in the Pendleton archives. Yellow and pink pieces of paper calle d"out cards" are interspersed, showing where garments have been checked out of the archives for design inspiration.

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:

Harding Archive Coat

Rock Point Archive Coat

Archive Toboggan Coat

Voice of the Body – a limited edition blanket by Andre Walker

Andre Walker

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.

Designer Andre Walker, photo courtesy Andre Walker

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.

Voice of the Body blanket by Pendleton Woolen Mills, designed by Andre Walker

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.

Andre Walker's original artwork for the Voice of the Body blanket.

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.

Learn More

See the blanket here: VOICE OF THE BODY

Read previous posts about Pendleton and Andre Walker here:

Pendleton on the Runway with Andre Walker for Paris Fashion Week

Andre Walker, the Met Costume Institute, and Pendleton

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