Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have You Any Deals?

Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving, Woolfans! Quality time with family and friends, a delicious meal... it just doesn't get better than that!



The holiday season has officially begun, and we want to give you a big head start on your shopping. Check out the Black Sheep Friday Sale at the Woolen Mill Store!



We've got all our usual cool stuff -- prototype and sample blankets, discount cut fabric tables, fantastic items from the Pendleton Home line, over 300 rolls of Pendleton wool fabric, and more! But for Black Sheep Friday, we've busted out some extra special deals.

• We've got select lambswool throws and solid color motor robes at 30% off regular retail prices.
• We've got prototype National Parks blankets you won't see anywhere else.
• Have a coffee lover on your list? We've got mugs and travel mugs at 60% off regular retail prices. Grab a set of mug rugs, too -- only $15.
• Know a knitter? When you buy a Pendleton knitting needle case, we'll throw in a set of knitting needles for free!

Boxed greeting cards, limited edition muchachos, towels, sample dinnerware, glassware, and much more are part of our Black Sheep Friday Sale.

We've even got antique wood crates that make the perfect gift box for all your holiday treasures.


All our Black Sheep Friday deals are available in limited quantities only... so when they're gone, they're gone!

SURPRISE! Truck Report 11/23/2010

What's that you say? It's not Friday today?

What with there being a holiday on the horizon and all, the Pendleton truck made an early-in-the-week delivery to us. If you've been wanting a craft project for your holiday weekend, you might just want to stop by!

The truck brought us 400 pounds of fuzzy selvage for crocheting, weaving, and whatever else your heart desires! Take a bag over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house... so you can keep your hands busy while you catch up with the family.

Black Sheep Friday is Coming!

It's time to make your list and check it twice, because the holidays are nearly upon us!

To help you cross a bunch of folks off your shopping list quickly and easily (and without spending a ton of money!), we want to invite you to join us for Black Sheep Friday: Friday, November 26th.

We'll have lots of nifty gifties at the Woolen Mill Store, like motor robes and fringed throws, muchachos (kids sized blankets), coffee mugs and travel mugs, boxed greeting cards, dishware and glassware samples, towels, and more -- all on sale! And we've got antique wood crates that make perfect gift baskets.

And the best part? You don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get the best deals. We'll be open our regular Friday hours: 10am to 5:30pm. That gives you a chance to sleep in a little, grab a cup of coffee from Chug-a-Lug Coffee outside the store, and then head on in for the Black Sheep Friday sale.

Truck Report 11/19/2010

Like a happy Santa, the Pendleton truck showed up late last night, delivering treats for all the good little crafters!

In other words, it's Friday morning and time for another Truck Report!



It's a good week for crocheters and weavers because the truck brought us 450 pounds of selvage! But don't despair if you're not into the fuzzy stuff, because we also got 350 pounds of blanket header.

For the best color selection, it's a good idea to shop sooner, rather than later! Visit us at 8500 SE McLoughlin Blvd in Portland, OR or call the store.

Creative Customers: More Jackets by Judy!

Did you like the looks of Walking Judy's jacket yesterday? We took those pictures when Judy stopped by the store recently -- the jacket looks great in person!

Judy sent along this picture of another jacket she made using Pendleton wool fabric and remnants. Doesn't it look great? The pine cone design comes from scraps of our Seneca Lake lightweight jacquard fabric -- which is also available by the yard here at the Woolen Mill Store.

Creative Customers: Judy's $8 Jacket

You gotta love a woman who loves her serger! "Walking Judy" stopped in to show off her new jacket -- made from Pendleton wool!

Using a pattern from The Green Pepper (a company based in Eugene, OR), Judy combined lightweight jacquard remnants with a piece of camel nova mix yardage from our $5 per yard table. Every edge and seam on the jacket was done with a serger, with the exception of the zipper.

She told us it was quick and easy -- especially using her serger, a Brother 1034D. Best of all? She made this fantastic jacket for less than $10!

Truck Report 11/12/2010

Good morning... er... afternoon, WoolFans! Many apologies for the weekly Truck Report being late; let's just blame it on ninja sheep nibbling the computer wires, shall we?

It's a great day for creativity! The Pendleton truck brought us a true truckload of goodies this week!

• Around 500 pounds of fuzzy crochet selvage!
• Around 400 pounds of blanket header!

Aren't you excited? Get out there and get crafty, and have a great weekend!

Handwovens for the Holidays Recap

Over the weekend, the Woolen Mill Store hosted the Portland Handweavers Guild for their third annual Handwovens for the Holidays show and sale. The weekend kicked off with an Opening Gala on Friday evening.

Our own Tawnya plays bartender at the Opening Gala!

The handcrafted items on display during the show were just gorgeous! If you missed it this year, make plans to come next year for sure. Unique items for the home, colorful wearables, and just plain fun stuff. It was a real pleasure to have the Portland Handweavers Guild here once again.

Click each picture to see a larger version!

FAQ: What is a Prototype?

One question we get asked a lot at the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store is: What is a prototype?

In our case, a prototype is a tester made at Pendleton's Pacific Northwest mills when new designs are in the works. The prototype may be very similar to the blanket that ends up in the regular retail line -- or it may be very different! Sometimes, prototypes are made to compare different finishes (like flat vs. napped, or felt binding vs. whipstitching). Sometimes, prototypes have slight variations in color... and sometimes, they have dramatic variations in color from the final version you see in the Pendleton catalog.

The blue blanket on the left is a prototype Vintage blanket. The red blanket on the right is the Vintage Ganado Blanket currently available from Pendleton. The design is the very similar, but the colorway changed dramatically from tester to finished product. (We have both blankets here at the Woolen Mill Store, if you'd like to see them in person!)

We often have a selection of prototype blankets in robe (64x80) and queen (90x90) sizes at the Woolen Mill Store. Visit us at 8500 SE McLoughlin Blvd. in Portland, Oregon to see what we have! Prototypes are only available in very limited numbers.

Handwovens for the Holidays Going on Now!

Quick! Name two awesomely crafty things that go great together!

(We'll give you a hint:)

The Portland Handweavers Guild has brought their finest one-of-a-kind handcrafted items out for the annual Handwovens for the Holidays show, here at the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store all weekend long.

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Stop by and get a jump start on your holiday shopping! You'll find everything from housewares like towels, rugs, and wall hangings to unique clothing and accessories. If you're interested in the technique behind the creations, there will be spinning and weaving demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Truck Report 11/5/2010

Good morning, Woolfans! It's Friday morning, and that means the Truck Report has arrived.

This week, the Pendleton truck delivered only rolls of fabric; no header pieces or selvage. We still have plenty of wooly worms and a few bins of large jacquard pieces from our pattern rooms (that's the $5.00 per pound stuff).

But there are plenty of good reasons to swing by the Woolen Mill Store this weekend -- like the Portland Handweavers Guild show, going on today, tomorrow, and Sunday during regular store hours. We've also got upholstery fabrics in a variety of colors on sale for $5.00 per yard, and a closeout fabric table with classy worsted fabrics for $5.00 per yard. Have a crafty weekend!

Holiday Sale and Cancer Benefit at Cowgirl at Heart

If you're a long-time patron of the Woolen Mill Store, you may remember a time when we did our work from the "little red house" in the parking lot.

These days, the little red house is inhabited by Cowgirl at Heart, an art gallery and gift shop... and we couldn't be happier to have such a fantastic neighbor!

Each year, Cowgirl at Heart kicks off the holiday season with their Holiday Sale and Cancer Benefit. Shop for unique gifts by local artists -- ten percent of all sales on Saturday, November 6th will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Want to give more? Purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three paintings, and 100% of the ticket price will be donated to the ACS.

As it happens, the Holiday Sale and Cancer Benefit falls right in the middle of the Handwovens for the Holidays event at the Woolen Mill Store -- so you can attend two fantastic special events in one convenient location.

Yearly Holiday Sale and Cancer Benefit
at Cowgirl at Heart
Saturday, November 6th
8500 SE McLoughlin Blvd
Portland, OR 97222

Handwovens for the Holidays

This weekend, the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store will be host to the Portland Handweavers Guild for the Third Annual Handwovens for the Holidays Show and Sale.

You'll find one-of-a-kind handcrafted items like clothing, scarves, tapestries, rugs, baskets, and more -- get a head start on your holiday shopping! While you browse, enjoy live music, spinning demonstrations, and weaving demonstrations. The Handwovens for the Holidays show will go on during regular store hours, so you can knock even more people off your holiday shopping list!

Handwovens for the Holidays
at the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store
8500 SE McLoughlin Blvd.
Portland, OR 97222

Friday, November 5th 10am-8pm with an Evening Gala beginning at 6pm
Saturday, November 6th 10am-5:30pm
Sunday, November 7th 11am-4pm