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The word “shawl” comes into the English language in
1662, from the Persian shAl. Shawls
patterns can be easy enough for a beginning knitter to
knit with confidence and can be complex enough to keep
the expert knitter interested. Shawls have been made
for centuries; they are universal and embracing; they
comfort and enfold; wrap and warm; mother and hug;
shelter and beauty, those who receive shawls are loved
and blessed. When a recipient wears their shawl they
are connected to the people involved in its creation
and the creation of other shawls throughout history.
There's no doubt that receiving a hand knit shawl
brings love and a measure of peace into the life of
someone in need; but the
knitting of a Comfort Shawl (also called Meditation or
Prayer Shawls) for a person in need is also a gift to
the knitter. Comfort Shawls are never sold; they are
always given to the receiver. These shawls can also be given in times
of joy such as a wedding shower or on the birth of a
child. The possibilities are limitless. In their book,
Knitting into the Mystery, authors
Susan S.
Izard and Susan Jorgensen
describe how they
began their
shawl-knitting ministry and provide instructions
and stories associated with the knitting and giving of
shawls. And fiber artist,
Nancy J. Spiegel Rosman writes on the website
Fiberarts for a Cause:
"Click of
needles, rhythm of hands, quiet contemplation.
Stories
of hope, young and old.
Stories of
love, rich and poor.
Knit
within the stitches thoughts for well-being,
for
healing, for comfort.
A Comfort
Shawl to wrap warm thoughts
around
someone special."
These
shawls are wonderful projects anytime but are
especially good during the long mid-winter. There are
many Comfort Shawl patterns available in books and
on-line, but TnR provides you with a basic one to
download that is available free from Lion Brand Yarns.
(TnR
has no association with Lion Brand but we do like and
have used this pattern).
Download
Shawl Pattern by clicking here:
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Many of us remember the hand-knitted cosy sitting
on top of our grandmother's favorite teapot...tea
and knitting seem to go together...they both sooth
the senses and allow us to re-center ourselves.
Every month Tea-and-Roses™
will bring you a new knitting pattern or project to download
or purchase. So, pour yourself a cuppa, pick up
your needles, dig into your stash and join
Tea-and-Roses as we 'knit into the silence'
together.
Shawls
