Qivuit Scarf in Mekoryuk Pattern

Item Number: 155
Time Left: CLOSED
Description
Inspired by a 1200 year-old ivory harpoon head, this Qiviut scarf was handknit in the Mekoryuk village pattern by co-op members from the Eskimo village of Mekoryuk on Nunivak Island, approximately 500 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska.
The ashbrown scarf is approximately 12 inches wide and 4 feet long. Since each is handknit there will be some variation in size. These extraordinarily lightweight and soft scarves can be handwashed and will not shrink in any temperature of water. Enclosed with the scarf is a gold card that has the knitter's signature and the name of the village she is from. View detail of the Mekoryuk pattern: www.qiviut.com/qiviut/store/images/map1.jpg
Special Instructions
Oomingmak, the Musk Ox Producers' Cooperative, is a Native-owned co-op with 200-plus members from remote villages of Alaska. The majority of the founding members who started knitting in 1969 are still active and have involved their daughters, granddaughters, friends and neighbors. Most members live a subsistence lifestyle, so the income received by knitting pays for much of the family's living expenses.
All items are made of Qivuit (pronounced KI-VEE-UTE), the downy soft underwool from the Artic musk ox. A musk ox annually sheds an average of 5 pounds of this fiber, which is then carded and spun into a fine yarn. Qivuit is an extremely soft, lightweight fiber that is eight times warmer than wool. View more of the work of the Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-op by going to www.qiviut.com.
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