Crazy For Cowichans: The String Sanctuary Sweater Series, Part 1

Two nights ago, Sunday night, to be precise, I was aimlessly searching through YouTube videos about knitting, and stumbled upon this documentary about the Coast Salish knitters. Previously, I had never heard of them, or Cowichan sweaters in general. In fact, when I saw the words "Coast Salish", I thought it sounded very... I dunno, British? Yeah, ok, it's British Columbia, so I guess I wasn't terribly far off the mark there, but still.

The fact that I think it's an excellent, well presented documentary aside, it really lit a burning curiosity in me to know more about these sweaters, their creation, and the people who make them. I recommend that you watch the documentary- it isn't long, and it's comprised of firsthand accounts by the knitters of these gorgeous sweaters themselves. They give compelling accounts of not only their own experiences, but they share the stories of their ancestors and relatives as well. In case you don't feel like watching, don't have time, or just want to know more before you watch, here are a few facts:

• Although the Salish women were experienced weavers, neither sheep nor knitting were introduced to the area until about 1850. Prior to that, fiber used was comprised of mountain goat and dog hair. The dogs, of course, were quite fluffy. Unfortunately, that dog breed, compared in appearance to Pomeranians, has been extinct since the 1860s.

• Only the natural colors of sheep are used, traditionally- black sheep are especially highly prized, because they provide contrasting wool for the beautiful designs on each sweater. 

• The wool itself, being hand processed by the women, led to the ingenious invention of the Indian Head spinning wheel, a modification of a treadled sewing machine which allowed it to spin wool by replacing the sewing machine with a flyer and bobbin that were controlled by the treadle. Before that, hand spindles were employed. 

• Once the sweaters became popular in the mid twentieth century, the knitters were hard pressed to keep up with the demand- but at the same time, were being brutally exploited by the dealers who bought them. They made zero profit off their exquisite handiwork, and struggled to keep food on their tables. Not only that, the dealers tended to treat them quite harshly. Even into the later half of the century, a knitter might walk into a store, and see a sweater she had knit and was paid only $50 for, sitting on the rack for $300.

• The wool is cleaned and processed specifically to keep the lanolin in the wool, which ensures that the sweaters repel water. It is spun thick and somewhat loose, and the sweaters are knitted on up to 8 needles at a time. 

One of the things I love most about these sweaters is that they are a perfect marriage of cultural traditions in textiles- they combine the stranded knitting from the British Isles with the traditional imagery of the Coast Salish natives. That's historical beauty and perfection, in my eyes. To see two textile art forms come together so easily and seamlessly, from two radically different cultures, is a testament to our ability as humans to adapt and evolve while creating new forms of expression.

Another thing that I really love about the sweaters is that no two are the same- and each pattern and animal has a different symbology. Bears, eagles, hummingbirds, frogs- each sweater has its own interpretation and cultural significance. They are similar to tattoos, in my mind, in that they enable the wearer to express themselves in a very visual fashion, though in a much less permanent way than a tattoo. 

I've been pretty curious about where these knitters stand today, fervently hoping that their circumstances have dramatically improved, and in my searching, found this Etsy shop which sells all sorts of authentic, hand made items. I see that the items are priced fairly, and it thrills me. I wouldn't imagine that this shop encompasses all of the community, but the internet has given individuals the power to connect directly to buyers these days, and therefore the power to earn what they deserve for work well done. 

I've also found a shop that has updated the more traditional garment shapes here, and it too includes authentic hand knitted items, sold at fair prices.

I definitely plan to purchase one some day, and I'm really glad to know that I can support the knitter directly- but in the mean time, I think it would be really interesting to experiment with their methods of spinning wool (I have little experience with spinning singles, as I prefer to ply) and perhaps incorporating some of their motifs into a small project, such as a bag, a hat, or a cowl. Although I don't have the same breed of wool (my stash is currently all Border Leicester; the wool they use is a churro cross breed) I know it will be a satisfying learning experience!

This is the first part of The String Sanctuary Sweater Series- the next part will focus on traditional gansey sweaters. (The story behind the patterns on them breaks my heart!) After that, I haven't yet got anything planned, but I'm eyeballin' some Icelandic sweaters, so we'll see. 

I hope you've learned something new, and if you like what you've read here, please follow me here so you don't miss a post. You can also find me on Facebook, Etsy, Pinterest, Instagram, and I've got a brand new weekly podcast called The CauldronCast here on YouTube. 

Thanks for reading, see you soon!