Knitting

I packed shiny, new, yellow knitting needles and a bright, multi-colored skein of soft yarn to bring to North Carolina. My oldest granddaughter had shown an interest in knitting the last time we were there, so I thought I’d teach her to knit this time.

At Hobby Lobby I told a stranger in the yarn aisle what my plan was. She helped me pick out a good size knitting needle for a young girl. I appreciated that.

Zoey loved the color of the needles, and the yarn, and she was excited to learn. It didn’t take her long to catch on – how to cast on and the knit stitch. What fun.

Because this is something new for her, she was knitting almost every time she sat down…hopefully she will continue to like it and it will be a fun skill for her to use in the future.

Knitting can be done almost anywhere…even in the car.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember who taught me to knit (I hope Zoey will remember who taught her!) I have pages torn out of a girl’s magazine with knitting instructions…did I teach myself? I remember knitting slippers…

Creating her own space in the morning sun.

Later I learned to crochet. And, back then (50 years ago), I learned to make granny squares…they were a big deal at that time. I remember I made a vest from them. I have seen granny square vests for sale in vintage clothing stores recently.

This afghan I made for Gary before we were married.

I also crocheted several afghans, using granny squares.

An afghan I made for my son before he was born.

Several years later I went back to knitting. I knit winter scarves and then I learned about a prayer shawl ministry. I loved the idea, so I started knitting prayer shawls. I made several prayer shawls to give away.

Two of my cousins in Norway knit beautifully, and gifted me with these slippers and scarf when I was there last summer. I never learned to knit like this! There are so many beautiful knitting patterns.

Now that I’ve shown my granddaughter how to knit, I need to refresh myself on how to crochet, so eventually I can show her how to do that. And who knows, she may want to learn how to crochet a granny square…

Last March (2020) when Covid-19 started infiltrating our world and we began to isolate ourselves, I decided it might be a good time to start knitting a prayer shawl. I didn’t have a specific person in mind as I started knitting. The finished shawl would go to our care pastor at church, to give to someone as needed.

I used yarn a friend had given to me. The yarn created a unique pattern. It made for an interesting prayer shawl that I hope will lift someone’s spirits.

As it turned out, knitting ended up not being something I was inclined to work on a lot during the pandemic. But, after almost a year, I finished the prayer shawl.

Years ago, I knit several prayer shawls…some for specific people, others for the pastor to give out. At that time, when there were several people knitting prayer shawls, a man from our congregation joined in knitting shawls. He happened to be my son’s mentor through a church program, and he gave a prayer shawl he had knitted to my son. It was a special blessing. I also received a prayer shawl when my mother died.

An old article from a Seventeen Magazine.

I don’t remember anyone showing me how to knit. I think I learned from a magazine article, when I was a teenager. I believe the magazine was titled Seventeen but I can’t find the magazine’s name (or date) anywhere on the article to confirm this. I still have this article in my knitting bag and sometimes refer to its simplistic instructions for knitting.

A brochure for Praying with a Prayer Shawl.

The brochure that used to be handed out with a prayer shawl (and maybe still is) begins; “A prayer shawl is intended to be a reminder of God’s ever-present love which is as near to you as your own body is to your sprit. It is a fit for every time and every occasion – joyful or sorrowful, for every season and circumstance of life – chose or unchosen, when you are weeping or when you are celebrating”…

It includes this scripture and a special prayer:

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139

I hope the finished prayer shawl will be a blessing to someone who needs some encouragement these days.

Tag: Knitting

Knitting a Prayer Shawl