Cowichan Sweaters

Emma Charlie

My name is Emma Charlie. I was taught to knit Cowichan Sweaters by my mother, who was taught to knit by her mother,
 Before that time, our people used to weave our clothing, baskets and blankets using different patterns passed down through families. You can still see those designs on the sweaters of today.

You can read a bit about the history of the Cowichan Sweater here. This is an article from the University of Victoria.

I don’t just knit Cowichan Sweaters, I also knit scarves, tukes, helmets, vests, mittens and slippers in the Cowichan style of knitting. Our wool is the natural colour of the fleece from the sheep, it is not dyed. It is carefully cleaned, carded and spun to keep the natural lanolins which make the garment soft and waterproof.