The Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need (Leisure Arts #4225) [Paperback]

Leisure Arts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

Join the thousands of knitters and crocheters of all faiths who are creating handmade shawls for people in need. Whatever your faith and wherever you live, your handiwork will be a gift of comfort, hope, and peace. Over the centuries, shawls have come to symbolize shelter, peace, and spiritual sustenance. What started as a grass-roots movement has quickly grown into an international cause, with countless numbers of shawls being given to grateful recipients around the globe.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leisure Arts is a leading publisher and distributor of “how-to” and lifestyle publications with emphasis on creative crafts, needlework, decorating, and entertaining.  Leisure Arts is located in Little Rock, AR.

Product Details

• Paperback: 44 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Arts (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574865919
• ISBN-13: 978-1574865912
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for someone starting a shawl ministry, May 4, 2007

By 

J. Bass "Time for Tea" (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need (Leisure Arts #4225) (Paperback)

I recently started thinking about what crochet work I could do after I finished my last family afghan project and wondered what charitable opportunities there were for crocheters. An internet search revealed a number of great charitable causes and ministries, however, the one that most appealed to me was the shawl ministry. I looked at the websites of both The Shawl Ministry (where it all began) and Lion Brand for information and inspiration. I also looked at the websites of a number of faith communities which are doing shawl ministry.

Along the way, I discovered this book, The Prayer Shawl Ministry, by Leisure Arts and Lion Brand. I was hesitant to buy it because of concerns expressed by some reviewers, but after prayerful consideration, I bought the book and am pleased I did.

My reasons for buying the book: 1) I acknowledge I do much better with a crochet book in my hand, than with a pile of print outs of free patterns and information from the Internet. 2) The book seemed like a concise volume which I would find helpful and I didn't mind that the publisher would make a little money off my purchase. It's not the first time I've bought a book to use in ministry, knowing the book was clearly sold for profit by the author/publisher. 3) Some reviewers mentioned another book about shawl ministry, but from what I could tell it was for knitters and I am a crocheter. 4) I am starting a shawl ministry as a personal ministry and will not have the benefit of a group to support and encourage me, so having this book as a resource seemed appealing.

I now have the book in hand and am pleased I bought it. The book includes a few prayers, which can be used throughout the process of making a prayer shawl and there are some suggestions on how to do the ministry. The book highlights three churches doing shawl ministry in the Little Rock, Arkansas area (home of Leisure Arts). There are also four crochet patterns and four knit patterns for shawls/throws. All are Easy and use a simple repetitive pattern that can be meditative in nature. (And yes, one of the crochet patterns and one of the knit patterns are available for free from the Lion Brand website.)

My only issue with the book and why I rated it four stars rather than five is a section of stories from those who have used the Lion Brand Homespun yarn and how the yarn was helpful in their shawl ministry projects. There is helpful information in these stories, especially for someone new to shawl ministry, but I had to get my brain past the Lion Brand marketing in these stories.

Despite the marketing aspect, this is a helpful book for those starting a shawl ministry. In addition to purchasing this book, I would also encourage people to check out the Shawl Ministry website and the websites of the many religious communities who are doing this ministry for additional help and inspiration.

7/19/07 Update to my original 5/4/07 Review: I have now bought (through Amazon) a copy of the knitting book I referenced above, called "Knitting Into the Mystery". Even though it is written by knitters from a knitting perspective, I could easily relate to it as a crocheter. "Knitting into the Mystery" is a spiritual book filled with stories and prayers, and in my mind, it is a good companion to "The Prayer Shawl Ministry" book, which is more of a concise "how-to" book. Both books are good in different ways.

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for crocheters & knitters of all levels, December 31, 2005

By 

M. Jane Rimmer - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need (Leisure Arts #4225) (Paperback)

An excellent book for knitters, crocheters, people interested in starting a shawl ministry, and anyone who wants to help others. Published by Lion Brand Yarn and Leisure Arts, the book is 8 1/2 x 11 format, thin, lightweight and easy to tuck into your needlework bag. The book is well laid-out with plenty of colorful pictures and well written patterns in an easy to read font & size.
Contents include information about several established shawl ministries, and ideas; letters from shawl makers; choosing yarn colors by color meanings & birthstones; patterns for 4 knit & 4 crochet shawls; general instructions including charts of crochet hook & knitting needle sizes, terminology, pattern difficulty (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate and Experienced); chart of yarn information; how to knit and how to crochet basics; and prayers from several religions.
All 8 patterns in the book are rated Easy, but a good variety of sizes, shapes and designs.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't be too hard on Lion Yarn, August 26, 2006

By 

P. Kingsley "wags" (New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Prayer Shawl Ministry: Reaching Those in Need (Leisure Arts #4225) (Paperback)

This is a very well put together book with clear instructions and good illustrations. It outlines the Prayer Shawl Ministry and builds on the basic patterns available on websites. To their credit, some of the patterns are available free from the Lion Yarn website.
This book serves as a guide to the ministry while addressing the use of shawls and lap throws for men as well as women. I've bought this book twice and twice given it away to women starting their own prayer shawl groups. It's a good book for the price.