visit pendleton woolen mills

Consent tracking

We use cookies to personalize our service and provide you with the best possible experience. By continuing to use this site, you agree to this cookie usage. You can learn more about cookies and how your data is processed in our Privacy Policy

"Our company has been led continuously since 1909 by six (6) family generations dedicated to the Pacific Northwest region and the woolen business. Many of our Washougal and Pendleton Mill employees have been with us more than 25 years. It‘s this level of commitment, talent, and experience, plus investment in technology, that make it possible for us to weave woolen fabrics of such amazing quality to earn the moniker “ Warranted to Be ”. Come see for yourself how we do it. Stop by to say ’hello’ and take the tour at one of our mills. We’d love to have you!"

Rolan K Snider VP of Textile Manufacturing

AMERICA’S WORLD CLASS WOOLEN MILLS

Pendleton’s Pacific Northwest woolen mills are a testament to the quest for quality established by our founder six generations ago in 1863. The intricate jacquard blankets and array of wool fabrics we produce have earned a reputation on par with the greatest mills around the world. For more than 150 years, we’ve invested in the people and the technology needed to achieve the beautiful color and original patterns that are the hallmarks of our family enterprise.

REQUEST A TOUR

Shopping bag.

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Retail sales of men's, women's clothing and blankets.  

Mill tours are available daily. Visit website for tour information .

Contact Info

Related Dining

Oregon's Rugged Country

Umatilla County Tourism

541-561-6207

Umatilla Chamber of Commerce

541-922-4825 Email us

Umatilla Museum

(541) 626-2099 Email us

Iconic Pendleton Wool Designs: Shopping and Touring the Mill

Written by elizabeth rose, travel | oregon | travel tips | washington.

When you’re in the Portland, Oregon area, you’ll be enticed by beautiful southwest and Native American inspired designs on blankets, jackets, vests, and more. And, if you don’t know already, you’ll soon find out these are Pendleton wool products… a part of the history of the American West.

Pendleton recently opened a flagship store in downtown Portland. The 2,500 square-foot space at the base of the Park Avenue West tower at 825 S.W. Yamhill Street is filled with the newest Pendleton styles shown in high-end displays. You’ll find home décor items, clothing, and the iconic Pendleton blankets. But at this store, you’ll also be paying top dollar.

The flagship Pendleton store in downtown Portland is drawing locals and visitors alike. Photo courtesy Pendleton Woolen Mills

What's in This Article:

Visit the Pendleton Wool Mill Store for a Tour and Bargains

I prefer shopping closer to the source and saving a bit of money, too. If you haven’t visited the Pendleton Woolen Mill in Washougal, Washington you’re in for a treat. It’s a quick zip across the I-205 Bridge from Portland. Not only can you shop for bargain-priced blankets, fabric and sportswear, you’ll be able to tour the mill itself.

Iconic Pendleton Designs. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Pendleton Woolen Mills products have woven their way through my entire life. My parents wore matching brown plaid wool shirts in the fall when they went to our family cabin and took a red Pendleton throw to football games.

When I volunteered with the Adopt a Native Elder Program out on the Navajo Reservation I found out how special “Pendletons” were. Trade blankets in brightly colored southwest designs were prized possessions and were given as gifts of honor at ceremonies.

Pendleton blankets, although not designed by Native Americans, have become treasured possessions. Here the Adopt a Native Elder program honors a traditional elder with a special Pendleton blanket. Photo courtesy ANE

My first Pendleton throw came from a trading post close to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. It was a Chief Joseph design and, because it had fringe, I was told that it was a woman’s blanket.

The Chief Joseph design, one of the oldest and most recognized Pendleton trade blankets honors Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe. When the US government tried to force the Nez Perce to leave their home in Oregon’s Wallowa Valley and move to a small reservation in Idaho, Chief Joseph refused to go and led the tribe into Canada.

At the Pendleton Mill Store, this photograph of Chief Joseph is displayed near the blankets with his namesake design. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

And you’ll find Pendleton in more recent history. Did you know that the Pendleton plaid shirt became the surfer’s uniform as the Beach Boys (formerly the “Pendletones”) hit it big? The Board Shirt, made today of washable wool, kept 1950’s era surfers warm. The Pendleton website tells the story of how California surfers layered the shirts over petroleum jelly to keep warm. The Pendleton Board Shirt is still Pendleton’s #1 shirt.

This t-shirt design at the Pendleton Mill Store reminds us that in the early days California surfers used to wear Pendleton shirts. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

I have frequented the mill store in Washougal to search for gifts, home décor items and, on occasion, a new Pendleton shirt for myself.

How could I live in the Pacific Northwest without having my own Pendleton shirt? Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

One day I decided to take a free behind the scenes tour and see what went on in the mill. Linda Parker, head of Public Relations for Pendleton Woolen Mills shared with me that in 2015, Pendleton was rated by CNN as one of the top nine best tours in the country because guests are allowed on the Mill floor where all the action happens.

The free 45-minute tours take place Monday through Friday, at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. You don’t have to have a reservation but the tours are kept small on purpose. Call 360-835-1118 to reserve a space and to check the schedule (the mill is closed for vacations for two weeks in August and two weeks in December).

When you arrive for your tour, you’ll be given a headset with earphones. Why? The mill can be noisy with machinery running so this helps the tour leader communicate with participants. No photos are allowed on the tour.

When you tour the mill, you’ll see fabric being made. Here a red plaid is shown on a loom. Photo courtesy Pendleton Woolen Mills

When you tour Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal, you’ll see many of the processes that are part of creating Pendleton wool fabric.

The tour leaders are very patient and ready to answer questions. As you walk throughout the mill, you’ll see the making of Pendleton fabric from the state-of-the-art dye house, through spinning and weaving, to the finishing of blankets and fabric for clothing.

The wool, much of which comes from Oregon, Washington and Idaho, is dyed at the mill. Photo courtesy Pendleton Woolen Mills

The huge looms are automated, but much of the finish work still is done with skilled staff. At the Washougal mill, they only make the plain striped and plaid fabric while in Pendleton, Oregon the mill makes the well-known trade blanket material. It is then brought to Washougal for finishing.

Shopping at Pendleton Wool

When you finish the tour, you’ll have developed an even greater appreciation for Pendleton wool blankets and garments. Fortunately, you’ll be in the right place to purchase Pendleton products at significantly reduced prices.

Pendleton shirts and accessories are on display at the mill store. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

You’ll find bargains galore at the Mill store. Each time you go you’ll find a different product being featured for deeper discounts. While there is a wide range of men’s and women’s garments and home decor items, Pendleton wool fabric can be bought by the yard at the store. Seconds are highly sought after and bargain-priced.

Pendleton Wool Fabric. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Of course, the blankets and throws are the most popular. Second to that are the shirts. They are a mainstay in the Pacific Northwest and part of the Portland “hipster look.”

When You Go to the Pendleton Wool Mill Store

The Pendleton Mill Store is located at 2 Pendleton Way, just off SR-14 (take the exit off I-205 once you are in Washington). At Washougal River Rd (previously 15th Street), turn left. At the next right, turn in to the parking lot.

Pendleton Wool has three other stores in Portland as well as stores in Eugene, Medford and Pendleton, Oregon, a huge store in Seattle and more than a dozen locations throughout America .

Enjoy more articles on visiting the Portland area from Wander authors.

Pacific Northwest | Shopping

You may also like….

Explore Chinatown in Vancouver and Learn to Make Dumplings

by Sherry Spitsnaugle | May 14, 2024 | British Columbia , Canada , Destinations , Eat & Drink , Food , North America , Restaurants , Travel

A guided tour through the nooks and crannies of Chinatown in Vancouver gives you a taste of the area’s history and...

Unlocking Koh Samui: Your Ultimate Week-Long Adventure

by Quinn Pierce | May 13, 2024 | Thailand , Adventure Travel , Asia , Destinations , Luxury Travel , Travel , Travel Tips

Whether planning a romantic getaway, family vacation, or solo adventure, Koh Samui, Thailand, combines natural beauty,...

Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Orlando

by EJ Ray | May 13, 2024 | Florida , Destinations , North America , Travel , Travel Tips , United States

Discover the best attractions, dining spots, and hidden gems during your 2 days in Orlando. Your ultimate guide...

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest food, wine & travel updates! We look forward to having you Wander with us.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Tour Add-Ons

PENDLETON WOOLEN MILL

Description.

• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie Policy (EU)
• Walla Walla, Washington
• +1-503-703-8506
• [email protected]

InquisiTours Newsletter Signup

• Travel Advisor

Please select all the ways you would like to hear from InquisiTours:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices.

Tell us what you're looking for

Pendleton Woolen Mills Tour

Take a tour of the Washougal plant where the famous Pendleton Blankets are manufactured then be sure to swing through neighboring Camas for a glimpse of small town charm on the Columbia.

America’s World Class Woolen Mills Pendleton’s Pacific Northwest woolen mills are a testament to the quest for quality established by our founder six generations ago in 1863. The intricate jacquard blankets and array of wool fabrics we produce have earned a reputation on par with the greatest mills around the world. For more than 150 years, we’ve invested in the people and the technology needed to achieve the beautiful color and original patterns that are the hallmarks of our family enterprise.

CONTACT INFO

Phone: (360) 835-1118 Website: VISIT WEBSITE Address: 2 Pendleton Way , Washougal , WA 98671 Follow Us:

Pendleton Woolen Mill Store

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

Pendleton Woolen Mill Store - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Fri 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• (0.27 mi) Rugged Country Lodge
• (0.84 mi) Pendleton House Historic Inn
• (0.91 mi) Best Western Pendleton Inn
• (1.03 mi) Hampton Inn Pendleton
• (0.89 mi) Holiday Inn Express Pendleton, an IHG Hotel
• (0.62 mi) The Prodigal Son Brewery and Pub
• (0.27 mi) Sorbenots Coffee
• (0.49 mi) Thai Crystal
• (0.41 mi) Hal's Hamburgers
• (0.73 mi) Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Co.

Type your email address in the box below to receive monthly updates on the latest events, promotions, trip ideas, and more!

Type your search here...

Pendleton Woolen Mill

• 2 Pendleton Way, Washougal WA, WA 98671
• Region: Washougal
• Phone: 360-835-1118

A project of the Oregon Historical Society

Browse the complete list of entries

Browse curated collections of entries

• In the Classroom
• Primary Source Packets
• Staff and Board
• Digital Exhibits

© 2024 Portland State University and the Oregon Historical Society

The Oregon Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Federal Tax ID 93-0391599

Pendleton Woolen Mills

By William F. Willingham

Pendleton Woolen Mills opened in 1909 in a defunct woolen mill that had been established in Pendleton in 1896. The town’s efforts to persuade the Bishop family (a prominent retail family in Salem with close ties to the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill ) to revive the closed mill meant leveraging one of eastern Oregon’s economic strengths—its prominence in the sheep business. 

In Oregon, sheep raising had steadily grown during the last twenty years of the nineteenth century, increasing from a million sheep in 1880 to slightly over three million in 1900. By 1900, Pendleton had become a primary wool market in the western United States. Ten years later, eight eastern Oregon counties accounted for 51 percent of the state’s sheep population. In the early twentieth century, Pendleton, in competition with Shaniko , served as the main rail center for receiving and shipping wool for processing at both eastern and western mills.

In 1894, Pendleton businessmen had financed a scouring mill to clean wool. The mill had opened in 1896, but the plant closed because of the financial panic of 1907. The town’s civic leaders did not want to let the dream of industrial development die, and they searched for financing and new management to reopen the woolen operation. After arduous negotiations, the Bishop family—led by brothers Clarence, Roy, and Chauncey—agreed to take over the idle mill. To achieve the agreement, local merchants and other townspeople—at the Bishops’ demand—had to subscribe to a $30,000 bond issue, which the Bishop family matched. The family also continued to operate the Thomas Kay Mill in Salem.

The Bishops built a three-story concrete factory building in Pendleton, installed machinery from the old mill, and quickly established a successful business by manufacturing and marketing high-quality blankets and robes based on Native American designs. Many of the family’s first Native designs and patterns and the mill’s focus on tribal trade drew on the work of the original Pendleton mill, which had marketed Indian blankets and robes. The earlier Pendleton mill operators had taken pains to weave designs and colors sought by tribes from throughout the American West and had developed an extensive customer base in the process. While continuing to produce blankets and robes, the Bishops expanded their product line in the 1920s to include fine woolen apparel for men. They added women’s apparel after World War II.

Throughout its history, Pendleton Woolen Mills has retained a close association with the City of Pendleton and with people living on the neighboring Umatilla Reservation. In 1910, the Bishop family helped launch the Pendleton Roundup-Up Rodeo, with Roy and Chauncey Bishop serving as directors. The use of Native American patterns established a signature for the company’s products, which used recognizable designs from Plateau cornhusk, hemp, and beaded objects such as diamonds, arrow, quail tops, and eight-point stars, as well as traditional Native color schemes.

During the early years of the company’s operation, the Bishops hired Joe Rawnsley, a talented operator of the Jacquard loom, a mechanical weaving machine. Born in Britain, Rawnsley had learned his trade at the Philadelphia Textile School. He began work at the original Pendleton mill in 1901, where he introduced the Jacquard loom to the mill operations. He spent time with Native people to develop color and design preferences and interpreted them into blankets on Jacquard looms, which made possible the ability to create patterns with greater detail and more vivid color than could be expressed through traditional weaving methods. Over time, the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation incorporated Pendleton blankets as gifts into their traditional ceremonies, such as honor dinners, namings, and funerals.

Pendleton Woolen Mills has maintained the quality and craftsmanship of its products by perfecting the manufacturing process in its own facilities. To ensure color fidelity, the company uses a state-of-the-art dye technology that uses computer-controlled systems for water, dyes, heat, and flow pressures. The carding process combs and aligns fibers for spinning, which twists the fiber to make yarn. High-speed looms, some Jacquard looms for more intricate designs, interlace the yarns into woven cloth, which then goes through a fulling process that uses controlled shrinkage to produce a soft, tight fabric. Finishing procedures such as washing, shearing, pressing, napping, and inspection complete the production cycle. The finished fabric is cut and made into either blankets or fashion material, which is sent to garment plants for apparel production. The distinctive blue and gold Pendleton label is sown onto every product.

By its hundredth anniversary in 2009, Pendleton Woolen Mills owned and operated seven manufacturing facilities, managed seventy Pendleton retail stores, and conducted a catalogue and Internet trade. In the twenty-first century, the company is privately held and operated by the sixth generation of the Bishop family.

Pendleton Woolen Mills, c. 1914.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., ba014709

Pendleton Wool, c. 1915.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., ba014823

Clarence Bishop, 1934.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 00850

Chauncy Bishop, 1904.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 0015g018

Roy Bishop with Jackson Sundown, champion bronco rider, Pendleton Round-Up.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., OrHi59805

C.P. Bishop, state senator and president of Oregon Retail Clothiers Assoc..

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 009108

C.P. and C.M. Bishop (center) with Pendleton Woolen Mills executives..

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 020998

Pendleton Woolen Mills, OrHi 17193.

Pendleton Woolen Mills (date unknown). Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Lib., OrHi 17193

Pendleton Woolen Mills, Gi 8231.

Pendleton Woolen Mills (date unknown). Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Lib., Gi 8231

Pendleton Woolen Mills.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., ba014822, Gifford

Pendleton Woolen Mills, interior, Gi 8228.

Interior of Pendleton Woolen Mills. Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Lib., Gi 8228

Roy Bishop presents Pendleton blanket to French WWI officer Joseph Joffre, 1922.

Presentation held in Portland; Mayor Baker is on the left, pointing at the camera. Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 011990

Pendleton blankets in Umatilla County display by Pacific Power & Light, 1933.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 010546

Melissa Parr, descendant of Chief Joseph, presents Pendleton blanket to Eleanor Roosevelt, 1938.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 0013495

Actress Anita Page wearing a Pendleton coat.

Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 020997

Actress Loretta Young wears Pendleton coat on screen, c. 1935.

Young starred with Clark Gable in The Call of the Wild, filmed in part on Mt. Baker. Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 021000

Annabell Quaehpama (Warm Springs) wins a Pendleton Blanket, 1954..

Jean Fell presents the blanket during the American Beauty Contest awards ceremony in Pendleton. Courtesy Oregon Hist. Soc. Research Lib., Orhi59799

Related Entries

Pendleton, a city of 17,107 in the 2020 census, sits in the foothills o…

Pendleton Round-Up

The Pendleton Round-Up began in September 1910 as a frontier exhibition…

No town in Oregon has seen more rapid growth and decline than Shaniko, …

Thomas Kay Woolen Mill

Incorporated in 1889, the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill began manufacturing bl…

Thomas Lister Kay (1838-1900)

Thomas Lister Kay, an early Oregon industrialist, built and operated th…

Related Historical Records

Map this on the oregon history wayfinder.

The Oregon History Wayfinder is an interactive map that identifies significant places, people, and events in Oregon history.

Further Reading

Lomax, Alford. Later Woolen Mills in Oregon.  Portland, Ore.: Binford & Mort, 1974.

Macnab, Gordon.  A Century of News and People in the East Oregonian, 1875-1975.  Pendleton: East Oregonian Publishing Co., 1975.

Last updated

May 10, 2022

Pendleton Woolen Mills

2650 Walnut St Denver, CO 80205 Telephone: 303-623-0411

CATEGORY: Specialty Shops + Salons: Retail + Specialty Shops

visit website

Pendleton Woolen Mills is a family-owned, 6th generation American company with a healthy respect for the past and an innovative approach to the future. We've been involved in the woolen industry since 1863 and our Pacific Northwest woolen mills have been in continuous operation since 1909. We take pride in our products, our people and our brand. We create quality products that embody craftsmanship, enrich lives, and connect generations.

Upcoming Events at Pendleton Woolen Mills

• COTTON SALE   Wed, May 15, 2024 - Sun, May 19, 2024 10am - 5pm

Parking/Access Tips

Get Directions 

Nearby Galleries + Studio Buildings

• Visions West Contemporary 2605 Walnut St (290 feet SW)
• The Rocketspace, Bandspaces LLC 2711 Larimer St (319 feet E)
• William Matthews 2540 Walnut St (514 feet SW)
• Artists Amongst Us 2560 Blake St (523 feet W)
• NO VACANCY 2023 2550 Larimer St (536 feet S)

Nearby Places to Eat + Drink

• Noble Riot 1336 27th St (165 feet E)
• Nocturne 1330 27th St (203 feet SE)
• Tammen's Fish Market 2669 Larimer St (221 feet SE)
• Vero 2669 Larimer St (221 feet SE)
• Denver Central Market 2669 Larimer St (249 feet SE)

Nearby Murals

• Endangered Species Coalition Collab: Armando Silva Digitiqe (13 feet NE)
• Collaboration: Tracy + Eva 27th & Walnut (86 feet NE)
• Anna Charney, Kendall Kippley, Megan Walker, Waveform.exp Denver Central Market - Roof (97 feet SE)
• Molly Bounds + Sidney Masuga Eden's Alley - Denver Central Market (117 feet SE)
• DINKC, Shitty Kitten, Esic Alley 2 - Denver Central Market (138 feet SE)

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Option 1: Dive Deeper into Details Are you eager to immerse yourself in the specifics? Visit the website of the location you’re interested in to learn more about what they offer. By directly engaging with their site, you’ll gather all the insights you need to tailor your experience to your preferences.

Option 2: Craft Your Perfect Itinerary Prefer to keep your options open while building an itinerary that suits your tastes? Feel free to add the location you’re considering to your personalized itinerary. Continue to explore the various pages for more inspiration and activities that resonate with you.

🚨 Attention Travelers! 🚨

We're currently enhancing your ticket booking experience on travelpendleton.com! As we upgrade our event ticket system, you might encounter minor interruptions or changes. Don't worry, we're working diligently to minimize any inconvenience.

Should you encounter any hiccups or errors during your booking process, please don't hesitate to reach out to us through out contact form here . Your seamless booking experience is our priority, and we're here to assist you every step of the way.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we improve our services for you! Happy travels! ✈️🌍

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Drum keepers for the college fund – meet trey blackhawk, new for 2024.

Pendleton is proud to unveil three new blankets for the American Indian College Fund this year. The designs were chosen from many beautiful entries submitted by College Fund Scholars. Sales of this blanket help support the College Fund in its mission to invest in Native students and tribal college education to transform lives and communities.

This traditional robe-size blanket was designed for the College Fund by Trey Blackhawk.

Drum Keepers

The call of the singers, the beat of the drum helped designer Trey Blackhawk (Winnebago), a graduate of Little Priest Tribal College, understand his history and ancestors. The drum’s materials were once living: a buffalo or moose hide and a cedar tree were sacrificed to bring people together to heal, dance, and sing. The drum and sticks are framed by traditional applique patterns, a tribute to the mothers who hold the world together. Bands of color represent seasons of life and all its milestones.

Designer Trey Blackhawk (Winnebago) is a graduate of Nebraska’s Little Priest Tribal College with a degree in Liberal Arts, returning to school as an Applied Sciences major. He is influenced by the artwork he’s seen at powwows, drumming and singing, and the beading, sewing and dancing of his family. When he submitted his design, Trey had a powerful story to tell. We hope you enjoy it.

In Trey’s Words

I am from the Winnebago Tribe located in Nebraska. I am first and foremost a farmer. I do a little graphic design for our flyers, but I admire the design work of my auntie Christina Parker. She also beads, sews and dances. Her work helped me with the appliqué part of my design. 

The role of art in my life comes along with my farming and forestry, how I work the land and come up with designs to incorporate more plants and trees. I am a huge nature guy and pay attention to the different way a plant grows and how it moves in the wind. I graduated from Little Priest Tribal College with my AA in Liberal Arts this spring with plans on attending the University of Nebraska’s Applied Sciences program. My course of studies gives me a broad overview of many things, but more specifically to heal the land we reside on, while also caring for animals and growing food! 

This design grew out of a time when I found myself lost as a young indigenous boy, who found his way when he heard the roars from the singers and the beat of the drum. Growing up, I never truly acknowledged my identity as an indigenous person. I never had that knowledge of where my ancestors came from. A lot of teachings were lost from generation to generation within my family and I was a product of that.

What does it truly mean to be Ho-chunk? How does one represent his or her tribe? These were questions I asked myself as I was becoming a young man. When I was fifteen, I was asked to sing around the drum at a local powwow. As time went on, I stayed around the drum. In my tribe, only a handful of singers know the songs. I want to make sure these songs we sing are carried on from generation to generation, to teach the younger ones about the meaning behind them.

All ceremonies and powwows require a drum before anything can take place. The materials used to make that drum were once living beings, a buffalo or moose to make the hide, and a cedar tree to make the rim of the drum. These two things are sacrificed to bring people together, to heal, dance, sing and bring happiness. My blanket design is a dedication to drum keepers and singers within their tribe.

As you can see in the photo above, the weaving technique for this blanket has given it a dramatically different back and front (or as we call it, the face and reverse). Which do you like more?

For more information: Drum Keepers

Tribal College Blanket Design Contest and The College Fund

Drum Keepers is a winner of the Tribal College Blanket Design contest, which seeks to elevate the voices, work, and representation of tribal college and university (TCU) students while providing TCU students with additional scholarship opportunities. Pendleton has been supporting the work of the College Fund through the sale of special blankets since 1995, and has provided over $2.6 million in scholarship support for American Indian and Alaska Native students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Over the years, blankets have been designed by various designers and guest artists, including Larry Ahvakana, Preston Singletary, Mary Beth Jiron, Tracie Jackson, and many more.

The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest nonprofit supporting Native higher education for 33 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer”. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $345 million in scholarships, program, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org .

Pendleton’s Philanthropic Partners

We work with: 

• The American Indian College Fund : Supporting education
• Northwest Native American Center of Excellence (NNACOE) : at Oregon Health & Science University
• Center of Southwest Studies : Preserving Native American arts and funding Native American art education
• Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) : Culturally informed Health care for Native women
• DigDeep : Supporting the Navajo Water Project
• National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) : Dedicated to restoring sovereignty and safeguarding Native women and children
• Missing and Murdered Dine Relatives (MMDR) : Protecting generations and raising awareness

Share this:

Leave a reply cancel reply, discover more from pendleton woolen mills.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading