How to Crochet Prayer Shawls

A prayer shawl, most often created by church groups, is given to those in need of solace and comfort, both emotional and physical. The maker of the shawl fills the project with prayers for the recipient as it is being made. You can make a prayer shawl using almost any crochet stitch. However, if you start out with the basic single crochet stitch for your first project, it will be easy to incorporate other stitches into the pattern when making your next crocheted prayer shawl.

Things You'll Need

• 4 (3.5 to 4 oz) skeins medium worsted weight yarn
• Size J crochet hook
• Scissors

Instructions

Single Crochet Prayer Shawl

1. Chain 53 stitches with your crochet hook (see resources).

2. Work a single crochet into the second chain from the hook. Work a single crochet stitch in each of the chains across.

3. Chain one and turn your work to the other side.

4. Continue crocheting, following step 2 and 3 until the prayer shawl reaches a length of 60 inches.

5. Remove the crochet hook. Cut the yarn, leaving a couple of inches. Pull the end of the yarn through the loop where you pulled out the crochet hook and pull tight. Work the yarn tail through the last row of crocheting, to hide it.

Tips & Warnings

• The number of beginning chains can be increased or decreased according to the recipient's size. However, always work with an odd number of stitches. The length of the prayer shawl can also be adjusted by completing more or fewer crochet rows. A simple pattern for the prayer shawl would be to alternate different basic stitches, single crochet, double crochet and half double crochet. A fringe can be attached to the ends of the prayer shawl for added style.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Prayer Shawl Ministry
• Basic Crocheting