The Friendship Shawl
The Story behind the Shawl.
Years ago when I was living in Boston, I took the T (Boston’s train system) to work everyday. One particular day, I had forgotten my book, so as one tends to do, I started mindlessly scrolling social media. I stumbled across a Yogalebrity who was living in the Northeast, which caused me to pause - I was (and still am) a practitioner of yoga and meditation, but my social media feed was purposefully only geared towards knitting and yarn related things. The infamous “algorithm” that these media platforms use take the most-liked content and present new content similar to the previously viewed information. So when this Northeast based yoga instructor popped up in my feed, I was a little surprised, but also intrigued. Though I don’t follow yoga content, was this platform reading my mind, or following where I lived? Yikes.
Thankfully, the worry led towards maybe, but probably No, as it turns out this well-known yoga instructor was also an avid knitter.
Fast forward to the fateful events of 2020, when the world was forced to turn inwards, both in our physical locations and our mental being. Social media and online events grew exponentially as a way for people to connect, but also try to stay engaged and sane.
It was on social media that Michelle Dalbec, this famed yoga instructor, once again popped into my feed with her Knit, Pray, Love event. Michelle took the event to an online platform, and I noticed she was receiving a lot of knitting-type questions. The program focused around the connection and meditative aspect of our craft, emphasizing self care, self massage, and overall love of the knitting community - it wasn’t really a class teaching specific knitting techniques. Being brave, self-endorsing, or extroverted immediately makes me so uncomfortable I sweat. But seeing these knitting inquiries, I put on my big girl pants, took a deep breath, and reached out to her.
Michelle graciously welcomed me and my offer to help with knitting support, technique demos, and can-you-tell-me-what-I-did-wrong-here type inquiries, and we had a wonderful time working together.
This colleague and business-based relationship took off, and we started hosting KALs and free online knitting groups together. Our individual loves of yoga and knitting connected us in a deeper way, extending planning meetings into hours-long chats where we got to know each other - as friends.
In preparation for another KAL, Michelle mentioned that she has an interest in designing. I was all for it! I love teaching others the art and science behind knitwear design. But she wanted this design to be a little different - an equally collaborative effort of stitches and colors to co-create a shawl. We worked together for weeks where I would lead instruction on shape, structure, and thoughts behind stitch choices, and she (unknowingly) would guide me through mindfulness practices simply in the way she approached inquiry. Together, we made a very intricate and beautiful design.
For the purpose of our KAL, and to also demonstrate our individuality, we then both created our own shawl designs. It was amazing to see how each of our own designs were distinctly different, but complimented each other so well.
I’m beyond honored to say that my design for the Friendship Shawl is the featured pattern for the 2024 Malabrigo KAL. It is a lovely intertwined symbol of individuality (the color-blocked garter section) with the combined intertwined structure of the beauty of a friendship (the colorful lace section), and how the two play harmoniously with each other to create a lovely and unique experience.
Michelle and I are still great friends, and business colleagues. Her Knit, Pray, Love program is back in-person (hosted at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health), and I hope to never miss it.
When really thinking about the serendipitous nature of it all, goosebumps arise. Isn't it amazing the magic this knitting craft has?
