How to Make a Prayer Shawl

Prayer shawls, or healing shawls, became popular through the Prayer Shawl Ministry in 1998. They can be hand knitted or crocheted, but in this article you will find the pattern is knitted. This is a beginner level shawl and is easy to make with basic knit and purl stitches.

Things You'll Need

• Size 10 knitting needles 34 Skeins yarn (your choice, but Homespun yarn works well)

Instructions

1. Cast 63 stitches onto the knitting needles. The tighter the stitches, the closer the knit will be. If the stitches are loose, then the shawl will have a softer, freer feel. Either way you knit is fine and does not matter.

2. Knit three stitches and purl three stitches. Follow those six stitches all the way across. (An analogy I use to keep track of each set of three is to think "The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit," but you can come up with your own).

3. Continue to knit and purl the stitches by starting each row with three knit stitches. It may confuse you at first, but as the pattern develops, you will see that it works out well.

4. Work the shawl until you have reached 60 inches in length. The width should be around 25 inches wide. The size may vary according to the type of yarn you use, but this length and width is the norm.

5. Bind off the last row and tie a knot in the last stitch. Cut the yarn and weave it into the row.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use lightweight yarn or a heavier weight, whatever your choice. But remember, the larger the skein, the less the cost will be in the long run. Acrylic blends can be washed and dried in the dryer. Wool will need to be washed in cold water and hung up or laid flat to dry.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish