The Northern Star Wool Blanket derives from the beautiful Ojibwe quillwork tradition. Before beadwork, we etched, wove, and quilled our world to reflect our way of seeing the world. Quill work is one of the oldest art forms of our homelands. The beautiful symmetry and storytelling is what I wanted to draw in on this blanket made here in Minnesota.
Quillwork comes from the porcupine quills often dyed, and sewn or wrapped to create ornate and beautiful clothing, utilitarian items such as baskets, and now inspires this new blanket!
This quilled star reminds us that we are made of stars and also that Indigenous people have had extensive knowledge of the sky and stars to navigate the waters and lands since time immemorial. “The star reminds us of the ones that guide us home. For me as an artist it was art and the outdoors that brought my heart and spirit back home as an Anishinaabe.” -Giizh
These colors are inspired by the natural materials of birchbark and quills as well as the blue and red from natural dyes artists use in traditional cultural materiality. "Many people live far from their homelands, are disconnected from their homelands, or due to history cannot reconnect. My hope is that this star brings a little bit of home into their home, reminding them they are home inside of themselves.”
Our Northern Star Wool Blanket is exclusively woven in Minnesota on our neighboring Dakota lands at Faribault Mill—a beloved historic heritage brand founded in 1865 and is one of the last “vertical” mills in the country. From raw fiber to spun wool, Faribault Mill has carefully crafted our Northern Star Wool Blanket entirely under one roof. Woven from premium wool and a cotton blend, we were able to work closely on this project between myself, Eighth Generation, and the mill. Being able to work from inspiration to art to dyes to milling to finished blanket is really an incredible process.
About Product:
- Single ply 3-fill jacquard
- 85% wool 15% cotton
- Size: 50 X 79"
Pair with the Otter Steps Linen Coverlet for a cozy vibe.
Thank you for supporting Inspired Natives™, not "Native-inspired."
5% of all blanket sales support the Inspired Natives™ Award for emerging arts entrepreneurs.
A portion of our sales goes to our Native Excellence Scholarship, an annual scholarship to support a young Native scholar heading off to post-secondary education.
