My mother-in-law is a fabulous person who welcomed me with open arms into her family when I met my husband a little over ten years ago.  Three years she ago battled with tonsil cancer so we were all devastated to learn at Christmas that the cancer had come back.  In early January she had her kidney, spleen and some of her lymph nodes removed in a 7 hour operation.  As we couldn’t be with her I decided to make her a prayer/healing shawl and crochet some love and healing thoughts into every stitch. My mum and even my non-crochet husband added stitches and love to go with mine and the result was ‘Margaret’s Hug’…

Margaret’s Hug Prayer / Healing Shawl

This shawl is a free pattern so others can make a hug for someone in need; however if you would like to pass on the couple of pounds/dollars you would have paid for this pattern to Cancer Research then that would make you even more awesome!  And here are some great links on Lion Brand about prayer shawls with some sample messages to send with your shawl.  The pattern details are below but if you want to download a copy you can on either Ravelry or Craftsy.  I would love to see your finished items so please link your project on Ravelry or Craftsy or drop me a photo either by email or Facebook.

PATTERN:

Note: This pattern is worked by holding two strands of yarn together.

You will need:

• 600g of double knit yarn (8ply / yarn weight #3)
• Crochet hook: 7mm (US size L)
• A yarn needle

Gauge: 3 tr/dc (measured at the top) = 2.5cm /1 inch / 1 row = 2.5 cm / 1 inch. Neck edge point to point = 70 inches / 1.8 m.  These measurements are approximated, and actual subjects may vary. Pattern will work in other yarns though gauge/size will be  different.  CHECK YOUR GAUGE, use any size hook to obtain gauge.

Stitch abbreviations:

• st(s) = stitches
• ch = chain
• sl st = slip stitch
• dc/sc = UK double crochet / US single crochet
• tr/dc = UK treble / US double crochet

Notes: 

• This pattern is worked from the neck downwards and is worked in alternate rows of            clusters (3 tr/dc) and V stitch (1 tr/dc, ch1, 1 tr/dc) with a shell cluster to start each row (4 tr/dc)
• The chain 3 between clusters / V-stitches on the point of the shawl counts as sts in this pattern.
• Stitches are worked in-between shell clusters/V-stitches/clusters and not in the ch spaces of the V-stitch row (see photo below)

Example of stitch pattern

Row 1: Ch 4 (counts as first st) 3 tr/dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 3, 4 tr/dc in same ch, turn (11 sts)

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first st), 3 tr/dc in same st as ch 3, then in next ch 3 sp work [1 tr/dc, ch 1, 1 tr/dc, ch 3, 1 tr/dc, ch 1, 1 tr/dc] miss 3 sts and in last ch work 4 tr/dc, turn (17 sts)

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as first st), 3 tr/dc in same st as ch 3 then * 3 tr/dc in the next sp between sts of the previous row * repeat from * to * to corner where in the ch sp you need to work [3 tr/dc, 3 ch, 3 tr/dc]. Repeat * to * again to final the st; work 4 tr/dc into final st, turn (23 sts)

Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as first st), 3 tr/dc in same st as ch 3 then * [1 tr/dc, 1 ch, 1 tr/dc] in the next sp between sts of the previous row * repeat from * to * to corner where in the ch sp you need to work [1 tr/dc, 1 ch, 1 tr/dc, ch, 3, 1 tr/dc, 1 ch, 1 tr/dc]. Repeat * to * again to final the st; work 4 tr/dc into final st, turn (29 sts)

Rows 5 – 40: repeat alternate rows of rows 3 and 4, turn.  Note: Each row increases by 6 sts (245 sts)

Edging:

Work along each edge of your shawl EXCEPT the neck edge in picot st.

Row 1: * Ch 2, 1 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook (at the base of ch 2), dc/sc into next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end, finish off and weave in ends.