I've Caught the Knitting Bug

I learned to knit when I was about 12 years old. Haven't since and now I am, well, 50 something. I do remember some of the basics though.

I have my heart set on making a throw for my bed like the picture above. My dream may never be realized as the yarn for this costs $198 a skein!

When my dear friend Bonnie started a prayer shawl ministry I wanted to participate to take up knitting again and learn to make that throw. Bonnie is an accomplished knitter and has the patience to teach others also. I was about to learn a few things from her, and not just about knitting.

Her love of knitting together with her desire to serve the Lord led her to want to start the ministry. As we all can be when stepping out into a new venture, she was hesitant to take that first step. A powerful visual message at our church about breaking down barriers and fears prompted her to step out. Once she did the doors starting opening.

There is a cute café in Williamson, New York called the Firewall Coffee Hall. It is a community sponsored not for profit coffee house. It used to be the headquarters for the Williamson Fire Department and in keeping with that, the inside and outside is decorated with a firemen theme.

Anita volunteers at the coffee house and once Bonnie told her about her ministry, she was happy to open the doors to the ladies.

Anita with her granddaughter Grace who has just learned to crochet.

Every other Saturday morning a group of knitting ladies meet there to knit and chat and drink coffee. They have named themselves The Knit Wits.

The cafe serves Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters coffee, which is locally made and a treat in itself.

 Marcia volunteers serving coffee and goodies and also knits with the ladies.

As I questioned Bonnie about how it all worked, I quickly realized that this was not the place to go and knit what I wanted, but to knit as a ministry for others.

A prayer shawl is a knitted wrap for around your shoulders or legs, a handmade gift covered in prayer. Those that knit pray over the stitches, that they give comfort, peace and warmth to someone who is sick, recovering or downtrodden. They are also nice to give to mothers of newborns, and men who are ill appreciate them also. Bonnie hears wonderful stories about how they are used. One woman takes hers to chemotherapy to keep warm during her treatments. Others have been passed on to the family members as a remembrance of someone who had been in hospice.





A nice discount on yarn at a local craft supply store helped Bonnie supply the yarn at the beginning. Another open door. The knitter supplies the needles. For a beginner, like me, Bonnie casts the stitches on and then you knit. Or, like for me, she had to rip it out twice and cast new stitches on before getting it going because I kept messing it up!

I was so excited to get a couple rows done that I had to take a picture!

After a shaky start I started making headway and my shawl started to show some inches! Obviously I have a long way to go! And that is the part of the draw to join in with these ladies. You don't have to have any experience with knitting, just a desire to serve in this ministry. There is no time frame or pressure to get a shawl done. You just have to reserve every other Saturday for the Firewall Coffee Cafe to sit and knit and chat and drink coffee with other sweet ladies for a couple hours!

Bonnie (right) is helping Carrie (left) get started as Arlene rolls her yarn into a ball.

My daughter Jena joined me the first time I was able to go. She is a knitter herself, since about 12 years old, having learned from her grandmother. She fit right in. I was busy taking notes for my post and knitting in between.

I went around the table asking the ladies how they started knitting.....

Marcia learned to knit  at a women's retreat and has been knitting for 8 years. She makes scarves and socks.

Arlene taught herself to knit from an encyclopedia at 8 years old!

Bonnie learned to knit at 5 years old from an Italian lady in her Philadelphia neighborhood. She made blankets for baby dolls.

Anita started knitting at 17 and made sweaters. She learned to crochet for finishing borders and prefers it over knitting. She has taught her eleven year old granddaughter Grace to crochet. Grace wanted to make a prayer shawl for friends and is learning to make prayer squares and phone cases.

Katherine has been knitting for 7 years and crocheting for two. She knitted and knitted and gave everything as gifts. I have received a knitted poncho, a prayer shawl and a blanket from her. She also has donated baby items to a local co-op shop.

And me, I have been knitting for almost two weeks now and I think I am close to being done with my first prayer shawl! I've got the knitting bug! I've already bought the yarn to start my next one!

 This is a permanent fixture at my couch every night....


The yarn actually matches my bag, a gift from Bonnie!

So pretty, isn't it?


Soon after my time with the Knit Wits I had the opportunity to visit the knitting ladies at a local independent senior living community. Bonnie visits each week to knit and chat and help ladies with their knitting. I was warmly welcomed and asked to come back soon. These two ladies, Carolyn and Peggy were a delight to chat with.

Bonnie is my sister in Christ and like a real sister to me. I truly believe the Lord closed the door on a ministry I was a part of for over 8 years and just couldn't physically do anymore, and opened the door to this prayer shawl ministry. I have already been blessed by my first time with the Knit Wits and my visit to the independent living community. I am looking forward to continuing to make prayer shawls to bless others. I get to share this with Bonnie, my daughter and the other ladies.  I can sit and knit and chat, all things that are not too physically hard to do.

Bonnie and Me.....she is beautiful inside and out






It took me a few months to finally go to the Saturday morning knitting in Williamson....things just kept coming up to keep me from being able to go. I had been struggling with what to do with the ministry I was in and then, in one morning, the doors opened wide to a new ministry while they closed shut on the past one. It's all God's timing and I am happy to step out and obey.

Have you caught the knitting bug yet?

AnnMarie :)

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