eNewsletter
November 2010

Prayer Shawls

We are getting close to the Holiday Season which is a happy time for most of us. However, it is also the time to think about the more unfortunate among us. We hear about people who have contracted incurable diseases or are diagnosed with a sort of cancer. These people need all the support they can get. That is why I am dedicating this issue of the NU newsletter to helping others while we are thinking about presents for our loved ones.

This past year, I have knit three prayer shawls for three special women in my life who have been diagnosed with cancer. All of them have been very appreciative about the shawls and have told me that they have felt my prayers and positive thoughts every time they wore their shawls. I am sure many of you have similar stories to tell.

What are prayer shawls? These special shawls/wraps carry your positive energy and help the recipient during the healing process. I am sure you can find numerous patterns online, especially on Lion Brand web site.

Another category which is invaluable for people who are going through chemotherapy is chemo caps. I just finished a chemo cap for another friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. These soft head-hugging hats are very fast and easy to work. Be careful to use very soft yarn as the head would be very sensitive to the touch. For these designs, check with http://www.chemocaps.com.

While making chemo caps and prayer shawls, don’t forget the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. No matter what your feelings are about the war, the troops are our children, sisters, and brothers. They need warm scarves and helmet liners for the winter ahead. A quick search on the Internet will guide you to patterns and places that collect these items and send them overseas. Two very popular sites for these items are:

http://www.operationgratitude.com

http://www.bluestarmoms.com

Nazanin S. Fard

Needlecraft University