I just read about this in Family Circle Easy Knitting. Very cool. Check out the website at www.shawlministry.com

Quick summary: knitting or crocheting shawls while praying for the recipient. The pattern is based on 3s. A list of colors' meanings is on the website.

These color meanings were so cool that I had to copy and paste them from the site. It is a neat idea, I wish that the prayers were more religiously diverse though! But I really like the idea of infusing intention in the things you make.


This is a basic list of colors and some of the attributes associated with them. It might be helpful to use it as a guideline when you're selecting a color for a particular person for whom you're making a shawl for.

RED - love, passion, energy, enthusiasm, courage, understanding, motivation, strength, warmth, vigor

PINK - friendship, compassion, sensitivity, generosity, warm-heartedness, nurturing

ORANGE - thoughtfulness, vitality, attraction, strength, authority, creativity, energy

YELLOW - wisdom, learning, optimism, intuition, faith, well-being, friendliness

GREEN - earth, healing, prosperity, fertility, clarity, sympathy, hope, renewal, confidence, abundance, growth, life

AQUA - courage

BLUE - water, healing, meditation, tranquility, honesty, loyalty, communication, judgment, sincerity, wisdom, spirituality, self-esteem

INDIGO - wisdom, insight, instinct, spiritual nature

VIOLET - Spirit, spirituality, intuition, truth, memory, nostalgia, humility, comfort during grief or mourning

PURPLE - power, leadership, royalty, truth, justice, temperance, spirituality, wisdom

BROWN - ambition/drive, organization, growth

BEIGE - optimism

BLACK - absorbs negativity, mature wisdom

WHITE - Spirit, innocence, protection, peace, purity, gentleness, perfection, maiden, illumination

GOLD - masculine energy, enlightenment

SILVER - feminine energy, flexibility

GRAY - strength