Pattern Inspiration:

This year, 2016, is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Smart Knits - a knitting group out of Logan, Utah - thought that a great way to celebrate the National Park Service and the sublime lands that it protects was to design a National Parks blanket. The blanket is made up of 60 blanket squares - one to celebrate each of the 59 National Parks and one square to celebrate the National Park Service itself.

Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California – not far from Palm Springs. Joshua Tree was protected as a national monument in 1983 and established as a national monument in 1994 via the California Desert Protection Act. Two desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, intersect within the borders of Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua trees, which are not trees at all but actually a yucca plant, are one of many desert plants protected by this park. The park also has a rich history of homesteading, cowboys, and mining – all of which is highlighted at the national park. The designer conducted visitor surveys in Joshua Tree national park as part of her MS degree and fell in love with the desert ecosystems and the wild, west history protected in this park. This square design features an iconic Joshua Tree.

This Pattern:

If you purchase this pattern, you will receive only the pattern for the Joshua Tree National Park blanket square. If you would like to purchase a subscription to all of the blanket squares please buy the eBook.

All proceeds from this pattern will be donated to the National Park Foundation in celebration of the National Park Service Centennial.