~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~
Last December I found myself looking for a way to keep a particular friend in my prayers over an extended period of time. I needed a good strong reminder so that I wouldn’t let her intentions slip my mind as time passed. It occurred to me that knitting might help. I chose a beautiful soft yarn, one that I would love to knit with, a simple pattern that doesn’t require much in the way of concentration (and one I’ve knit before), and this purple shawl was born. I have been working on it slowly but steadily, hoping to have it finished by mid February. My personal rule is that I can only work on it while praying. Jonny joins me, and we keep the friend whom this shawl is for in our intentions as we pray the rosary. My plan has worked, because every time I look at her shawl I am reminded to say a little prayer for her in addition to praying for her while I am knitting.
I am more than halfway through Organized Simplicity now, and am putting some of the ideas to good use. I’ll talk more about that soon! I also got the urge to read Little Town on the Prairie. I can’t remember much of the last few Little House books, and want to read through them. In fact, I am not sure I ever read the last two when I was a child.
I promise that this is the only time it will happen, but I ended up having a friend work on the Yarn Along button just a bit. (All buttons grabbed last week will continue to work, so don’t feel like you need to trade them out if you already put one in your sidebar, but you might want to because they are even cuter now!) You can grab the button below for your post, or go to the Yarn Along page and choose your favorite color!
Ooops! A bit late but here is my contribution:
http://swansnest.etpgames.com/?p=540
Love and light,
Nico
Realllllly lovely purple colour you’re using 🙂
Ooo, what a great idea! I’ll do the same! And I like your colour, too!
I love your purple shawl, yarn looks very yummy soft!!! I love knitting prayer shawls for my parish, although not in the acrylic they require….I find it beautiful to work with my hands for somebody else although I am not as good to pray all the time, I have to admit….
Oops….I linked to my photostream!! Sorry!!! I am very new to flckr and have only uploaded two very low quality pictures. I will get the hang of it soon! This is obviously my first week at the yarn along.
What a wonderful idea to remember someone this way! I love that yarn and love Little House. I didn’t like the books as a child because we watched the TV show all the time. But now I love the books too. Especially the little picture books. So sweet!!
Love the blog button! Love that the color matches your project, too. 🙂 It’s been a while since I linked up and am glad to be back; your projects are always such an inspiration.
Blessings!
What a great idea! I hope to be more motivated to finish projects and books. I also love getting ideas from others. I already have my next few books picked out!
Glad to be back at Yarn Along! It’s been quite a few weeks…
i love this, the whole idea is lovely. when i became ill after our last trip to africa, my aunt in oregon made a prayer shawl for me in her womens group. each lady took a turn with the hook and crocheted a few rows. i can feel all the love and prayers that came with it. it’s a beautiful shawl ginny.
I love the idea of sharing what we’re making and reading! And thank you so much for the idea of the prayer shawl, I often want to remember people in my prayers and forget in the busyness of life, I love your intention in knitting that for your friend.
praying and knitting seem to go hand-in-hand!
I love the idea of knitting something special with prayers infused! Thanks for this opportunity to link up!
I must get that Organized Simplicity, I really need all the help I can get in that department. Love the purple!
Truly a prayer shawl! And in a beautiful color.
That purple yarn is gorgeous, Ginny! And I love, love to knit and pray. They go well together. I use a rosary app on my phone so that someone else can lead and I can follow while I knit.
Beautiful yarn! This post brought my mind to the little house on the prairie. Haven’t read the books, but I loved the tv-series as a child.
Such a nice reminder to pray for someone special.
You are such an inspiration, Ginny, how did I stay busy before I “knew” you? Now I need some of that Coquina DK… it would make such a pretty Milo vest. Thanks again for sharing!
Beautiful yarn!! I too am working on a shawl this week!
Beautiful yarn! 🙂 I love purple.
Glad to be joining in again with you this week. 🙂
What a lovely shade of purple! I am a huge “Little House” fan – I’ve read them all but it was a long time ago. I did re-read “Big Woods” last year. I’m reading “Wilder Life” which is about another reader’s obsession with the Little House books – lots of interesting information and she actually goes to the places in the stories!
my big project right now is also a prayer shawl. i’m not terribly good at sitting and “praying” a specific prayer as i go. especially b/c i always work in lace patterns and things that need some attention. but i won’t work on them if my mood isn’t right. i need to be relaxed and feel at peace while i do it.
I try to put a prayer into every stitch or line of a project when it is for someone else. I will sometimes include a note letting them know. I love that yarn, the shade is beautiful and you captured it perfectly with your camera.
Thank you for hosting this, Ginny. It’s such an encouragement to progress in this new skill.
Your creations are lovely.
How are you liking Organized Simplicity? It was a pretty book, but it didn’t grab me with practicality the way Flylady always has. I am a simpleton when it comes to homekeeping…tell me what to do and when to do it, and I’m okay!
And don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve thrown out shells, too. And dried beans used as doll food. They were sprouting. Upstairs. In her bedroom. Didn’t we get $30 plastic American Girl Doll lasagna for Christmas from Auntie? But I suppose the beans were more creative, healthy, and full of fiber.
SO glad to be able to link up this week. Its been too long!!! Thank you for hosting us Ginny. Love the button too!!!
This is my first time posting in Yarn Along, and I truly feel like a newbie. 😉 Still trying to get the feel of it, but am loving re-learning such a beautiful craft. (And the praying? I really understand that. Beautiful.)
what a beautiful colour!
Oh, that yarn is lovely. The colours are so rich and delicious looking, and your stitching is divine, too. And yay for the Little House books! I’ve been meaning to reread them myself for a while now, I always found them really absorbing as a kid, they totally brought me into Laura’s world and guaranteed I’d spend a few days pretending to be a pioneer.
Oh goodness… that colour! I can’t wait to see it finished!
Oh, what a wonderful idea with the praying! Love the color…you always choose such gorgeous colors. So…I’m wondering if at some point you could give us some insight into how you keep all your knitting supplies organized…and how you take care of the wool items you make for your children. Just a thought…after all, you were the one who inspired me to learn to knit…now you have to teach me how to take care of it 🙂 Have a blessed day, Ginny!
Looks so soft! I can’t wait to learn more about how you integrated organized simplicity. I need to get working on reading that myself.
That yarn is gorgeous! Purple is one of my favorite colors. And, what a great way to be reminded to keep that friend in your prayers. That sounds like a great habit to implement!