Grace's Shawl Ministry - Carol

I don't remember who taught me how to knit or when I started knitting. I think I was a teenager. I picked up the needles again in 2002 when looking for something to help me pass the time while my son, the Marine, was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I took lessons at Norwalk High School's adult education program. My goal was to knit an afghan and finish it by the end of his 1-year tour. I finished the afghan in June 2006, 4 years later.

My next attempt at knitting was in 2009 after reading The Shop on Blossom Street series by Debbie Macomber. The books revolved around a yarn shop. The description of the yarn and the camaraderie of the men and women who were involved in the knitting circles drew me in and rekindled my desire to knit again.

That camaraderie is exactly what I found at the Shawl Ministry. There is something very calming and peaceful to sitting, knitting (or crocheting) and talking with a group of friends and there is no pressure to finish a set number of shawls. There are those who have finished 5 or 6. I am working on my second shawl and there are those who are working to complete the first one. But that's okay because we are all enjoying the process while laughing, talking and sharing with one another.

I believe that the Shawl Ministry is not only a blessing to the recipients of the shawls; it is also a blessing to those who make them.