Knitting and Crocheting the Shawls

I am continuing my series this week on prayer shawls, today’s post is how they are made and a sample prayer as you knit the shawl.  I want to clarify right up front, I don’t knit or crochet.  I heard about the prayer shawl ministry at a parish nursing class. I was fascinated with it, and liked the prayerful handmade aspect of it. I put it away for “someday”.  Someday, I’ll learn to knit…someday I’ll do that.  I did tell the ladies in my Bible study about it.  Later in the prayer time, one of the women shared  how she had come home and found the paramedics at her next door neighbor’s house.  She ran over to see if she could help with their little children, when she found the parents in grief.  Their baby had died in his sleep, of SIDS. With tears, we prayed for this young mother, and their family.  The next week one of the older ladies brought this beautiful shawl and showed me.  It was soft, and lovingly hand made.  As I looked at it, I realized she had brought it for the young mother who had lost her baby.  Sometimes we just have to jump in, so I ask her, “is this for the mother we prayed for?”  She answered, “yes, if you think it would be all right.”  I stamp cards, so I went home, made a lovely card with a prayer inside it, stamped a gift box, and brought it to the study the next week.  We all held a part of the shawl and said prayers of comfort, healing and blessing over it.  Her neighbor took it to her the next week.  And so I found myself launching a prayer shawl ministry within our congregation. I still don’t knit or cochet, I make cards, coordinate things, and wrap each shawl up as a beautiful and special gift.  I do have the instructions for the shawls that I will share and some prayers.  These are guidlines, as well as the prayers.  Each shawl is as unique as the each of us are.

Crochet Instructions:

3 skeins of Lyon Homespun yarn

Crochet hook sine N or 9

Chain 59.  Double crochet (dc) in 3rd chain from hook.  Dc in each chain across (58 stitches). Chain 2, dc in first dc.  Dc across.  Repeat until shawl is desired length ( about 58 inches).  Add 4-6 inch fringe across both ends of shawl.

Before beginning to use the third skein, set aside yarn needed for the fringe.

Knitting Directions:

3 skeins of Lion Homespun yarn

Size 11 or 13 knitting needles

Pattern:

Cast on 57 stitches.  First row- Knit (k)  three, Purl (p) three to the end of the row.  Turn and knit and purl and purl the knit:  you begin every row with a knit.  A weave pattern will develop.  Knit about 2 and 2/3 skeins in the pattern.  Use the rest of the yarn for fringe.  The fringe can be as short as 2 inches or as long as 8 or 9 inches.  It’s up to you.  Weave prayers into the shawl as you knit.  Begin with a prayer for blessing the shawl.  Then pray for the person who will receive the shawl as you are knitting it.

Praer for healing as you knit:

In the name of the Father; the Creator, the Giver of Life, the Holder of Time; in the name of Jesus: the Savior, the Healer and the Lifter of Pain; in the name of the Spirit: the Comforter, the Consoler and the Sustainer of Life.  I knit this shawl as a mantle of caring, I knit a mantle of protection.  I knit a mantle of wholeness.  I knit a mantle of strength.  I knit a mantle of healing.  I knit a mantle of patience.  I knit a mantle to enfold you.  I knit a mantle to encircle you. I knit a mantle to empower you.  May this prayer shawl warm and comfort the weak and the weary.

O Christ, who healed the broken in body and spirit, may your gentle yet strong touch heal the broken, the wounded , the hurting.  I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.