Prayer Shawls
Kindness with Every Stitch
Prayer shawls are blessings of community, kindness, comfort, and compassion, stitched with prayer and gifted to those who are struggling with illness, pain, anxiety, depression, loneliness, loss, or grief – a gift to the maker and the receiver.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people … (Galatians 6:10)
Prayer shawls are blessings to those struggling as well as those who are hospitalized, recovering from surgery, or facing prolonged treatments.
WHAT IS A PRAYER SHAWL?
Prayer Shawls are knitted, crocheted, woven, quilted, or machine-stitched shawls that vary in size, shape, color, and pattern and are infused with prayer as a comforting reminder that God loves each of us completely and that He is with us always.
As the shawls are stitched, the makers pray for the one who will receive the gift of their hands – a precious gift of the Body of Christ on earth.
BENEFITS OF MAKING PRAYER SHAWLS
Galatians 6:10 reminds us to “do good to all people.” All people includes each of us. Did you know that prayer shawls benefit their makers too?
Studies have shown that knitting and crocheting:
- reduce anxiety and depression
- lower blood pressure
- reduce chronic pain
- slow the onset of dementia
- relieve stress
- reduce loneliness and isolation
- are a Refocusing Tool for those with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- improve creativity
- enhance wellness
PRAYER TO BEGIN A SHAWL
Lord, as I stitch this shawl, I pray you will infuse my hands with hope, my heart with compassion, my thoughts with kindness, and my spirit with thoughtful care, so that with every stitch, Your abiding love is steeped into this shawl. May it be a blessing to the one who will receive it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
PRAYER FOR A COMPLETED SHAWL
Lord, I pray this shawl will be a gift of hope, comfort, and peace, a blessing of kindness and community, and a tangible reminder of Your abiding presence.
THE PRAYER SHAWL – A POEM
By Jill Jennings
It’s just a ball of purple yarn
crocheted together.
Yet entwined in each loop are
wishes, hopes, prayers.
And if you look closely you can see
a great cloud of witnesses
arranged as arms and shoulders
ready to enfold you
and wipe away each tear.
Cover up.
Stay warm.
Feel our love.
Feel His presence,
All in a wisp of wool.
JILL JENNINGS has three full-length books in print: The Poetry Alarm Clock which features The Prayer Shawl; Dead Man’s Flower and Pineapple Wine: Poems of Maui. Her work appears in The Atlanta Review; Oberon Poetry Magazine; Reach of Song; Encore; Calamari; and Please See Me. A retired teacher from Georgia, Jill lives in Fort Myers, Florida. Follow her at www.jilljennings.org
PATTERNS
Joylin Shawl Pattern
Emily Johannes
Knit in rhythmic garter stitch, the Joylin pattern allows you to relax, think and meditate.
Hope Whispers Prayer Shawl
Cochet, pray, and listen to the whispers of hope.
Dancing Diamonds Face Cloth
Gayl Wright
Using just four basic stitches, you can crochet this lovely face cloth in about an hour.
Cheerful Carousel Face Cloth
Crocheted in the round, this easy face cloth takes less than an hour of your time.
GET INVOLVED
Donate a Prayer Shawl
Stitch a Gift of Kindness
Mail your completed Prayer Shawl, including your name, address, and email. We’ll include your shawl in a Kindness Box (chockful of encouragement) for someone who needs a ray of hope.
Chronic Joy
1015 Lemira Circle
Waukesha, WI 53188
EVEN MORE
Crafts, Yarn Arts & More
Creativity is engaging with God at the intersection of faith and vulnerability. Creativity is an act of courageous vulnerability, intentional noticing, and patient listening as we explore God’s extraordinary call to create.
TENDER-Loving Prayer (TLP)
Share prayer requests at the Prayer Pond—safe, secure, and always without judgment. Step into intercessory prayer when you #PrayItForward with TLP (Tender-Loving Prayer).
Creative Sparks
BE BRAVE. BE CURIOUS. CREATE! Though few of us would call ourselves creative, that amazing grace-gift is woven straight into our DNA. As we engage with God, He ignites our curiosity, waking us to wonder and the joy of possibility.
Emily Johannes
Creative Contributor • Shawl Pattern
Emily is an avid knitter and designer, who loves natural fibers, cardigans, and anything sparkly!
She developed an early appreciation for nature, art and crafts. Self-taught, her interest in fibers, textiles and fashion grew as she increased her skills making gifts, shop samples, and charity knitting. In 2011, she found her niche in the world of knitwear design, specializing in shawls and cardigans.
She lives in Kansas with her cat, coffee, and ever-multiplying yarns, always in stitches, dreaming up new designs.
girlpowerdesigns.etsy.com
ravelry.com/designers/emily-johannes
Kristine Mullen
Creative Contributor • Shawl Pattern
I am a wife to my hubby of 17+ years, and mom to 6 great kids ranging from 26 to 9 years old – (1 boy & 5 girls). I homeschool my youngest 5, who are all the girls, and they are where the majority of my inspiration comes from.
I began designing my own patterns in 2007 when a friend of mine had a baby 10 weeks premature. I spent 2 weeks looking for a preemie blanket I liked, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. So, instead I set out on a journey to create what I wanted. I realized I loved designing and have never looked back.
Gayl Wright
Content Coordinator
A grandmother but young at heart, Gayl enjoys exploring creativity through writing, poetry, nature photography, art, crocheting, and piano. She loves coffee, tea, chocolate, and jeans. Gayl has been married to Steve for nearly 50 years, with 7 children and 14 grands (some have chronic illnesses, and one son is now with Jesus). Always learning and writing from her heart about life, her desire is to know God better, glorify Him, and encourage others. She is the author of Journey into Light.