I have never been successful knitting shawls in lace. I can knit lace on sock cuffs or yokes of DGD's dresses and sweaters but for some reason shawls just escape me. I started a prayer shawl. The pattern to start is the inside area with the triangles. But from there on I kept making mistakes and just kept having to frog back so..................I knowing I could knit the stitches so decided to simplify the pattern myself.
The result is a shield shaped shawl....I used too many increases or shouldn't have increased every other row. Don't have a clue! I love the yarn. I am using one of my favorite sock yarns from Brookside Yarn Studio called Kiwi. The color is 6d. I buy it at Knitting Zone and it is so soft after washing and has a 'fuzz' to the yarn. It is now 'teddy bear' size so I guess I will be frogging back and trying again.
The shawl is a gift for a friend. Growing up without physical or verbal comfort and love, I have a child shaped hole in my heart. As I grow older I realize that nothing I try to place in that hole for comfort brings any lasting healing from child abuse. I guess the two things I missed most were being told 'I love you' and hugs. I knew other kids got them. My brother and I had a game where we would hug or say I love you to our parents so they would have to return the action. Hey, it was better than nothing.
I know my friend went through childhood trama also and I am guessing there just weren't enough hugs. I can't fill up that hole of hers because it is 'child shaped' and nothing but going back to childhood can replace what was missed. Even a hug from that same parent that hurt you doesn't heal the hurt of the little child. (Helps, if sincere....)
When I heard she was making a trip home and was nervious about it and the prayer shawl she was knitting for her mother's gift, I decided to knit a prayer shawl filled with prayer for a good visit. So this shawl is important to me. I wanted her to be able to wrap up in it when she was sad and get a 'hug' from someone who, perhaps, understood. I never thought how long it might take or what trouble I might run into since I am usually a fast, experienced knitter. Boy was I surprized.
So, here I leave you. Stay tuned for the continuing saga of my Prayer Shawl adventure.
Barb
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