Prayer Shawl Comfort

 

What can you do when you live clear across an entire continent when a friend calls and tells you that she has breast cancer? Thankfully I was able to walk down to our Knit Picks yarn stash and find 10 balls of Suri Dream in Gloxinia - the perfect color.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry was started by Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo in 1998. Susan Izard and Susan Jorgensen wrote Knitting Into The Mystery which is an excellent introduction into the rituals of prayer shawl knitting. A very good introduction into the process and a good reference for starting prayer shawl ministries. But, there was really only one pattern so it was a bit limited in terms of yarns that would look good with that pattern.

Then Janet and Victoria used their years of Prayer Shawl experiences to write The Prayer Shawl Companion and I was thrilled to see so many different patterns and yarns! Particularly last week when I needed instant comfort from the sobering news of my friend's illness.

I think there are two types of prayer shawls. The ones that are made as part of a ministry with a lucky recipient to be determined at a later date. Then, there are ones we knit for our immediate circle of friends and family. Those shawls have sense of urgency not only as solace for the knitter but because crisis are immediate in nature. As I flipped throught the pages of The Prayer Shawl Companion there were patterns that took longer to knit - suitable for ministries and patterns that were relatively quick to knit.

I love Suri Dream because of the softness and the lightness of the fabric. But, it certainly isn't designed for intricate lace patterns. Instead it needs a bold, yarn-over pattern that gives the fabric large holes for airiness and to allow the Suri alpaca fibers to "bloom". I chose the Lattice Shawl because it would be very quick to knit, would be lightweight and warm and the one-row, purse stitch repeat was exactly what I needed to be able to carry the shawl around with me to take advantage of every free moment. I am thrilled with how nice the open purse stitch is looking - and I haven't blocked it yet!

I'm making good progress and I'm hoping to send the shawl off next Monday. My friend will receive it just two weeks after her diagnosis! Of course, there is a Prayer Shawl group on Ravelry, if you want to see more shawls and get more information.

Comments

[Missy Hoffman]

Hi Kelley! I've been listening to the KnitPicks podcast for some time now and recently ordered my first yarn from KnitPicks! It was the Lilac Suri Dream, and I'm knitting a shawl with it! Your post today is so inspiring to me as I just found out two days ago that a friend of mine has ovarian cancer. I will have to make something for her. I love your podcast! Thanks for the inspiring post!

[susetheslowknitta]

I'm sorry to hear about your friends sad news,I'm sure the shawl will be a comfort as she receives treatment.

[Nancy]

I've knitted 3 comfort shawls this past year for friends who found out they had cancer. Now all my friends know what they will receive if they get the dreaded news! I just really don't want to be knitting them all the time.

[PennyG]

Kelley, I so appreciated your comments on knitting prayer shawls. I've done two this year - and you are so right, they do provide comfort for me as a knitter as well as for those who receive them. Sometimes there is so little you can say to a loved one who has received bad news, but with a prayer shawl you can literally wrap them up in your love and good wishes. I like to call them a "portable hug." Both of my shawls this year were done in suri dream - it is just the perfect yarn for creating a warm, soft cocoon of comfort!