Traveling Shawl Blog

We have a winner!

2009-10-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Sherry DW of Northern Minnesota!

I have it on good authority that the Traveling Shawl has been packaged up, along with the accompanying journal and will be mailed to Sherry this week!

Thank you to all of the knitters across the country who worked on the project and to all of the people who donated money to Komen for the Cure and to the people who purchased copies of the pattern.

Sherry has graciously agreed to add photos and a little bit of "her journey" to the Traveling Shawl Blog very soon! Stay tuned to learned about Sherry and her plans for the Traveling Shawl!

Upcoming Announcement

2009-10-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

This morning a winner of the Traveling Shawl was chosen through use of the Random Generator. An email has been sent to our winner and her name will be announced shortly.

On behalf of Kay, myself, and all of the Traveling Shawl knitters - Thank You to everyone who participated via donations, knitting, pattern purchases and publicity. It has been an emotional journal for many of us. Kay and I are both a little surprised to find it suddenly over.

We hope you continue to support Komen for the Cure and Breast Cancer Awareness. Run a race, support a Komen team - and please perform self examinations and get mammograms.

Denise Bell
Komen Team Captain

Mark Your Calendars!

2009-08-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Traveling Shawl has arrived back in Arkansas where it began with knitting designer Kay Meadors.

I chatted with Kay this week and we have chosen October 8, 2009 as the day we will announce the winner of the drawing to own the shawl. Each $5 donation counts as an entry in the drawing, and there is still time to donate to Komen's Passionately Pink for the Cure and get a chance to enter the drawing (or maybe increase your chances!). Follow the link in the right hand column to our Komen team page.

Fifty knitters. Fifty states, One hope - to find a cure for breast cancer.

#50 WISCONSIN

2009-08-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Name: Lynda
Ravelry name: lacelibrarian
Location: Waupun, WI

In honor of my sisters.

Late July update - News, 50th knitter, and Donations

2009-07-30T14:13:00.001-07:00

For several weeks The Traveling Shawl was on hiatus while one of our knitters dealt with unforeseen circumstances in her life.

The shawl is now on it's way to our 50th knitter! This week as I traded emails with our 50th knitter, Lynda in Wisconsin, I learned that she is a perfect person to put the final rows on the shawl. I'm sure that Lynda will soon have a post sharing her experience.

When the shawl was again on it's way this week we also learned that The Traveling Shawl was highlighted in the News section of the Fall Issue of Vogue Knitting (page 18) in a lovely article titled Sister Stitchers. We hope that everyone who is following the shawl's progress will take the opportunity to read this wonderful tribute to our project. A big thank you to the people at Vogue!

On the Donation front - we've surpassed our goal of $1000! Originally Kay and I had discussed and set a goal of $5000. Yes, it was quite an enthusiastic goal. As financial problems began to have a devastating affect on many citizens we realized that the economic struggle would impact donations to charitable contributions as people lost jobs and homes and we lowered our goal. As we all know though, cancer happens regardless of what the financial state is of the nation. Men and women are still being diagnosed, seeking treatment, recovering and dying of breast cancer. Because our goal of $1000 dollars has been achieved we hope that you will continue to donate and purchase the pattern of The Traveling Shawl in an effort to contribute to the research that will some day find a cure for this disease.

Thank you

#49 MINNESOTA

2009-07-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

Name: Meg
Ravelry Name: Peaceknits
Location: Duluth, MN
In honor of Nana.

In the News in Lincoln, Nebraska

2009-07-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is an article about Kim in Lincoln, Nebraska and the shawl.

#48 IOWA

2009-07-14T12:51:00.001-07:00

Name: Wendy
Ravelry Name: Maerchen
Location: Des Moines, IA

#47 Lincoln, NE

2009-07-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

The shawl arrived at my home on June 26. I knew as soon as I saw the box, it was my turn. One of 50 knitters who would share a project, that could make a difference---that could help find a cure. When I first saw the project on Ravelry, I thought it was an amazing idea. I have knit prayer shawls for several years, but to have one shawl created by so many hands, whose story is spread across the country seemed pretty powerful.

Over the past few years, I have known several women who have fought battles with cancer. One lost her battle, another is fighting the disease for a second time. Several have gone through surgery, chemo and radiation---they are probably the bravest people I know.

Article in the Aberdeen American News

2009-07-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Here is an article on the South Dakota leg of the journey.

#46 The Little Shawl on the Prairie- The Shawl in South Dakota

2009-06-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

When most people think of South Dakota, they picture Mt. Rushmore. I take nothing away from The Hills (well, okay, maybe I do. I grew up in the shadow of the Cascades, so to me, The Hills are just that- pretty hills with a few trees on them), but there is more to South Dakota than a carved mountain and a drug store that gives away free ice water.

I live in Eas Triver (SD Parlance for the half of the state that is east of the Missiouri River), the land of the 360 degree horizon, where you can watch thunderstorms building up 100 miles away (a handy thing, especially lately), where 20 mph steady winds are considered a breeze, where there truly are amber waves of grain.

I was happy to represent my part of the state as the South Dakota knitter for the Traveling Shawl. I expected to take some pictures of The Shawl on the prairie (after all of its travels to big cities and the like, I thought a quiet day or two in the country would be a relief), and I knew that I would marvel at this amazing project, and at all of the knitters who have contributed to it so far. I expected to feel proud, both of the knitters, and of myself, for being part of an enterprise that is so much more than the sum of its participants. I expected to be blown away by the beauty of the design and the softness of the yarn, and I worried that my own knitting skills would not be up to that of the previous 45 knitters.

All of those things happened (my skill was likely up to standard, but I was still intimidated by the possibility of making a mistake).

What I didn't expect, and what caught me totally off guard, was the emotional wallop of seeing the shawl, this work of love and dedication, and the accompanying journal, in person.

The shawl itself is gorgeous, worked in a softly variegated dark mauve, and the yarn is incredibly soft (and even the needles are pretty- KP Harmony circulars). I oohed and aahed over it for a bit, before opening the journal to find page after page, each written by a different knitter, most dedicating their work to specific women and men, battlers, survivors, and those who lost their battle with breast cancer.

The stories described on every page of that journal were amazing, and overwhelming. So many people affected, so much love, so much courage. So much grace. I am not ashamed to say that I wept.

I talked about the emotional connection I felt to the writers, and to the men and women mentioned, whom I will never meet, to the TV and newspaper reporters yesterday (one, whose writing was a little slower due to numbness and redness in her hands, from her own chemotherapy), but I'm not sure I got the point across as well as I would have liked. I talked about how amazing it is to contribute to a single piece, crafted by so many hands, each working with love.

I talked about the women I dedicated my work to- our neighbor Paulette, who lost her battle, and my knitting and spinning friend Deb, who is still battling. I talked about the mundane things, like how to go about donating to this amazing cause. And of course, I talked about myself, because that's the way I roll.

But last night, when I was doing the actual knitting, I thought not only about Paulette and Deb, and the other men and women mentioned in the journal, but about all of the people in my life who have faced cancer. I thought about my husband's mother, and two of his brothers, all gone far too young, and his sister, whose cancer was caught early and cured. I thought about my friend Diane, whose mother, and two grandmothers all battled the Big C. And my stepmother. And Betty at the library. And Kevin. I thought about my aunt, dying of lung cancer in her 40's, and a cousin who died before reaching adolescence, and an uncle with brain cancer. And I thought about my son, whose dire prognosis eight years ago, laid me flat. He faced his ordeal with much more grace and courage than I did, and came through with only scars (visible, and non) as reminders of that dark time.

I thought about how much I whine and moan, how little time I take to appreciate just being here, and being with those I love. I knitted my six rows on the Traveling Shawl as a contribution to a cause, to a fight, that I wholeheartedly support and believe in. But The Traveling shawl gave in return- a renewed awareness of my own good fortune and happiness, and a hope that should I face this battle, that I will be even half as brave as the people in the journal, as my own friends and family have been.

I am honored, and humbled, to be a part of this project.

#45 Minot, North Dakota

2009-06-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the shawl was here from 17 June to 19 June. I worked on it at our weekly knitting group,on my break at work, and at the Midsommer Natt Festival (we have strong Scandinavian roots around here!) The above photos are by the Dala Horse at the Scandinavian Heritage Park, on my sofa at the shop, and at the shop.

#44 Traveling Shawl In Montana

2009-06-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

I knit in honor of my sister-in-law, Tonia. She is a courageous warrior as she continues her radiation, the final stages of her battle against Breast Cancer. She is a hero.

In true western tradition, I took the Shawl with me as we took our cattle to their summer pasture which looks at the North Eastern side of Glacier National Park. Sorry...the cows are behind me...I wasn't about to get this beauty dirty!

Highway 2 travels East to West across the Montana area called the Hi Line. (Chester calls itself the Heart of the Hi Line.) These shots are taken at Marias Pass, which is almost 1 mile about sea level. In the background you looking North at Glacier National Park.

My goal for this day was to have the shawl shared in an article...which did happen! Alas, I don't have the link as it was a pdf file...but I hope to have a link or photos from that article later. Until then, here is a photo of the shawl at the Kalispell, MT WWKIP.

In the News in Oregon.

2009-06-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here is another article on our shawl. This time it features our Oregon knitter, Jackie Sario.

#43 CHEYENNE, WYOMING

2009-06-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

The shawl arrived while I was away visiting my new grandson. As soon as I returned home, I knit my 6 rows and it is now on its way to Montana!
I knit on this beautiful shawl in memory of 2 very special people in my life: Gail Shearer, who was my knitting mentor and my first employee. She was a master knitter and endured some real hardships in her life. She lost both her son and daughter to cancer, before it took her also. Carla Rae Figgins was a dear friend and customer who fought the fight with as much dignity as she could, but in the end could not beat it.
I knit this in honor of my pastor's wife, Lois Hansen, who recently found out she has breast cancer and is very brave as she starts her quest.
I want to thank Kay for starting this shawl on its journey of life.
Penny Franz
Ewe Count
Cheyenne, WY

#42 IDAHO

2009-05-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

I am honored to be the Idaho knitter on this shawl. I was so excited when I learned it was on its way to me. I am knitting this shawl in honor of my dear friend Becky who showed me how a real woman handles such adversity. She always had a positive attitude; she smiled constantly; she went to work every day while taking care of her children and her household; she had complete faith that she would be healed. After her chemo, radiation, and mastectomy, she said that having breast cancer had brought her so many blessings thqat she would not otherwise have had.

I am knitting in the hope that daughters and granddaughters will never have to face this trial.

The shawl visited the Field of Heroes during the Memorial Day holiday.

#41 Oregon

2009-05-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

Name: Jackie

Ravelry Name: AThousandCranes

Location: John Day, OR

Occupation: Legal Secretary

Here's what I wrote in the Traveling Journal accompanying the Traveling Shawl:

'My mom, Hisako from Hiroshima, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. Actually, back then, all of the sisters still alive in her family developed breast cancer within 5 years of each other. How strange. I guess this was yet another reminder of the atomic bomb legacy in our family.

I knew that the lace was a mauve-ish pink but I didn't realize that it was my mom's favorite shade of mauve until I opened the box. What a lovely surprise … made me tear up a bit. If she was still alive, I know that she would've wanted me to knit her one just like it. So, if I don't win the raffle, I guess I'll have to knit a twin sister to the Traveling Shawl in my mom's memory.

I knit my six rows in memory of my mom, Hisako Otani Brown. I knit in honor of all survivors, my loving respect for your strength and beauty represented in this handwork.'

Article in the Salt Lake Tribune

2009-05-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is another article. This time in the Salt Lake Tribune.

#40 Utah

2009-05-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Name: Nancy
Ravelry Name: KnitThisPurlThat
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Occupation: Teacher

I had a wonderful experience with the Traveling Shawl...it was touching yet fun. My husband and I took it up to the Olympic Stadium at the University of Utah - the site of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics. In the background of the second photo you can see the caldron - it's an amazing sight.

We also took it to the Komen Race For The Cure! I heard there were 18,000 participants this year. We passed out flyers and spoke to many people about the shawl.

I was interviewed for a newspaper article and the paper had a photographer take pictures while I knit my rows. We used the Cancer Wellness House as the setting...it's a wonderful resource in our community.

Finally, here is a photo from my chemo days with the shawl nestled in front. This is where I contemplated what the shawl experience meant to me, and I thought of the women who helped me along the past four years.

I knit in memory of Robyn who inspired me in countless ways as she continued to teach as long as she possibly could.

I knit in memory of Val who told me her cancer had spread to her brain and spine, yet she offered her phone number to me and told me to call if I needed someone to talk to.

I knit for Gina who spends so much time and energy mentoring women online, guiding them through the hardest parts of the journey. Thank you for everything Towanda!

I knit for the women and men who knit chemo caps and afghans for others, giving them one of the best gifts of all - something made from the hands and heart.

I knit for Brenda and Phyllis - my Towanda sisters - who are still in the fight. I think of you often.

And I knit for the women who will find a lump in their breast today...

I found a pin in the airport gift shop, and this was written on the packaging...it sums up my experience with cancer:

Life's Rider

The ride was long and hard and I lost my dreams along the way.

When I arrived, I found them waiting.

- Alice Seely

#39 ALASKA

2009-05-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

Name: Monica
Ravelry Name: Snowmagnolia
Location: Fairbanks, AK
Occupation: Administrative Assistant
In honor of all breast cancer survivors.

#38 WASHINGTON

2009-05-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

Name: Vicki
Ravelry Name: K3t2vk
Location: Renton, WA
Occupation: Working in accounting, counting off the years until retirement.
In honor of Susan, one of my co-workers, who had breast cancer and is cancer free today.

APRIL 27^th

I was so excited to see the package from Hawaii on my doorstop and could hardly wait to open it. My cat, Trizzo, was just as curious.
The journal was left unopened until after I knit my six rows. I needed to think just of the women who have been in my life with breast cancer: my co-worker, Susan and Cynthia, a neighbor for many years who are survivors. I wondered how Sandy, the woman I worked with 13 years ago was doing and I thought of my neighbor, Patty, who lost her battle last summer and left two darling young girls. And I thought of the pain of my co-worker, Amy, who lost her sister a few years ago.
Coming from a family of three girls and have two girls of my own and a granddaughter I feel so strongly that this awful disease needs to be eradicated.
I then shed many tears as I read through the journal. As a cancer survivor myself, it was very moving.
The shawl went with me to work so it could be shared with my co workers who are always so supportive of all of my knitting. Then off to the shipping department to have it wing it’s way to Alaska . God Speed!!

#37 Nevada

2009-04-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Name: Laralee
Ravelry name: Laralee
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Occupation: Catalog Librarian
In memory of Willa Ballard

I would like to include some excerpts from my last visit with Willa, the friend I knit in memory of.

Sunday, August 5, 2007
Today I had the opportunity to go with a number of my friends from church to visit a fellow sister who is only a few days or hours from death. Willa Ballard is one of my sisters in the Gospel who I visit teach. A convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of about 4-5 years, this tiny little sister was battling breast cancer at the time of her conversion. Everyone that met her was impressed with her great spirit and luminous smile.

For several years she had good health, but this year her cancer returned as well as a particularly fast acting form of lung cancer. It had been a month since I'd seen her, and her small body was wasted and she is unable to eat or drink and only somewhat aware of goings on around her. Even so, as we identified ourselves and expressed our love, we would see her beautiful smile.

When asked on Saturday what her happiness level was she said it was at a six. The thing she wanted that would raise her to a seven was to be at church. This wasn't possible so church came to her. We sang her favorite church hymns, Praise to the Man and Come, Come, Ye Saints and the sacrament was prepared for her by the Bishop and Ward Clerk, both her dear friends.

I may never see her again in this life, my friend Willa. But her impact on me is enduring. Strength, courage, beauty, and faith are but some of what I have learned from her.

#36 HAWAII

2009-04-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Name: Opal
Ravelry name: AkamaiKnitter
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Occupation: Knitter/spinner/crafter
Knitting in honor of all those fighting breast cancer.

Article in The Denver Post

2009-04-14T15:02:00.001-07:00

Our CO knitter, Leslie/Nakeidknits, was interviewed by the Denver Post. Read it here.

#35 CALIFORNIA

2009-04-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Name: Billie
Ravelry name: knitnpurl62
Location: Browns Valley, CA
In honor of all breast cancer survivors.

#34 ARIZONA

2009-04-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Name: Erin

Ravelry name: alwayserin

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

Occupation: Literary Agent

Knitting in honor of Patricia Murrell and in memory of Betti Albrecht.

While knitting this, I was dealing with pain and discomfort from gallbladder problems. The day it arrived, I learned I'd be having surgery this week. It was very moving to be trying to find the energy and focus to carry out all of my commitments--work, home life, and now the Traveling Shawl, brief as my time with it was--while feeling so lousy, right as I was holding in my heart and mind all the loved ones I know who have battled breast cancer. I know my problem is short-term and easily resolved; those fighting breast cancer live with much more pain and uncertainty, and yet they find ways to spend time with their family, honor their commitments, and live their lives with grace and joy.

I made a flyer about the shawl and left it at my local yarn store, Purl in the Pines, and spread the word among my friends and family. May it generate much interest and many donations!

#33 NEW MEXICO

2009-04-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

Name: Meredith
Ravelry Name: Catknitslace
Location: Taos, NM
Occupation: Accounting clerk
Knitting in memory of Aunt Vera

#32 COLORADO

2009-04-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Name: Leslie
Ravelry Name: Nakeidknits
Location: Denver, CO
Knitting in memory of Joan Smith

Isn't she lovely?

2009-03-30T12:09:00.001-07:00

March 23, 2009

2009-03-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

A great thanks to Betty Ridge of the Tahlequah Daily Press for such a wonderful article!

It can be found here.

#31 OKLAHOMA - Sisterhood

2009-03-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Monday, March 23, 2009
#31 OKLAHOMA
Name: Denise
Ravelry name: LostCityDenise
Location: Lost City, Oklahoma
Occupation: Lavender farmer

As arrival of the shawl neared I began focusing on the women who have been touched by breast cancer, those I know and those I don’t. It is both heartbreaking and heartening. Once the shawl arrived and I knit my rows and began talking about the shawl I experienced another connection.

A reporter from the Tahlequah Daily Press came to our farm to interview me about the shawl. Betty is a knitter and we talked about lace, learning to knit, a local group of knitters that I didn’t know about but was invited to visit, and a nearby historical home that hosts fiber workshops.

Before Betty left she gave me directions to the LYS in Ft Smith which I would visit the following day. Betty is a newlywed and the yarn for husband’s sweater, her current project, was bought at Stringtown in Ft Smith. She said I’d like it, and she was right.

Saturday morning I left the farm and drove several hours to Stringtown, a fun little yarn shop in a quaint building just across the state line in Arkansas. This was my first chance to meet Kay, the shawl’s designer, in person – although we’d talked on the phone and emailed for months. The shop owner, Elizabeth, was warm and encouraging as were all of the women who showed up to meet Kay and I and see the Traveling Shawl. After several hours I left Ft Smith knowing I’d return to Stringtown and happy that I’d met more knitters.

When I returned Christopher asked if I was feeling the “sisterhood” of the traveling shawl. I was – but in an unexpected way – I had met new friends in the knitting world through the Traveling Shawl both in my own community and widespread. The essence of the Traveling Shawl is three-fold for me – honoring those who have experienced breast cancer, raising funds in the hopes of a cure, and sharing the knitting experience.

Below is a photo commemorating the six month progress of the Traveling Shawl taken at Stringtown Yarn in Ft Smith, Arkansas. Kay Meadors on the left, Denise Bell on the right - the star of the show is in the center!

#30 KANSAS

2009-03-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Name: Joan
Ravelry name: SSKnits
Location: Wichita, KS
Occupation: Knitwear designer

#29 TEXAS

2009-03-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Name: Jana
Ravelry name: eLoomanator
Location: Colleyville, TX
In honor of all women struggling with breast cancer.

Uniting a Nation Through a Wonderful Idea

2009-03-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

Six months ago I was having a trying day but received a message from an Internet friend, Kay Meadors, which altered my day, and my goals as a knitter.

Kay wrote:
"I just had the most wonderful idea! We need to start a shawl and try to get knitters from all the 50 states to knit a section of it and send it to the next state. Wouldn't that be fun?"

That was September 6, 2008. Between that day and the next I count 21 email messages that flew back and forth between us. On September 7th I suggested auctioning the shawl, a project we'd already dubbed the Sisterhood of the Traveling Shawl, off to raise funds for breast cancer research through the Susan G Komen Foundation.

By then Kay had a friend, Jackie, in Oregon on board and I was emailing Merideth in New Mexico to see if she was interested in participating. We were already knitting together a community that would grow into a group that would create friends and excitement across the nation.

Women from all walks of life have participated in the the Traveling Shawl's progress. Librarians, software programmers, ministers, professional knitters, accountants, and stay-at-home moms have all taken a few days out of their busy schedules to knit six rows of intricate lace. Now as a farmer in Oklahoma I will be adding my part. Each knitter is asked to write a short entry into a journal that travels with the shawl. Many have contributed photos and blog entries detailing the time they spent knitting this project. Most of the women have dedicated their stitches to friends or family members who have been diagnosed with cancer and some of the women are cancer survivors themselves.

Thus far the shawl is just past its halfway point. My friend Kay hasn't seen the shawl since she cast on the first stitches of the project and knit the first few rows. On March 21st I will be lucky enough to meet Kay in Ft Smith, Arkansas, a town conveinently located between our homes, and show her the shawl that began as a "wonderful idea" just six months ago.

While the shawl is small compared to the huge fundraising efforts that large companies and professional philantropists conduct, I am quite pleased with the Traveling Shawl and the effect it has had on the people who've encountered it. Knitting is a meditative act for me so next week I'll add my stitches and focus on the people in my life and the lives of my loved ones who have battled cancer of all types. A simple act of pulling yarn through a loop can unite people in a cause, and the Traveling Shawl is a great example of how it happens.

#28 LOUISIANA

2009-02-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Name: Bonnie
Ravelry name: grayweaver
Location: Louisiana
Occupation: Fiber Artist/Knitting Instructor
In memory of Margaret Dugas.

#27 MISSISSIPPI

2009-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

Name: Atlee
Ravelry name: Atlee
Location: Mississippi
In memory of Brenda Melohn, October 2004

Missouri's bit

2009-02-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

This week I had the pleasure of knitting the Missouri rows on the Traveling Shawl. The box was waiting for me Monday night. Inside were several bags with a journal, pink ribbon pins, the in-progress shawl and extra yarn. And it all smelled like lavender, thanks to lovely sachets.

The first thing that I did was write in the journal. First the demographics - name, Ravelry name (mlledefarge), location. And then I got to write about why I am participating.with breast cancer. My grandmother had it, but fortunately lived past it and lived a long life until something else claimed her.

Last spring, one of my friends was diagnosed. Not a friend-of-a-friend or wife-of-a-colleague this time. Nine years ago, Paige married my friend Josh. They went on to move to St. George, Utah and have a couple of darling, well-behaved children. About a year ago, while pregnant with bambino #3, Paige found a tumor. After months of diagnosis, surgeries, chemo, radiation, and more surgeries, Paige is on the mend and still as positive as ever. And the baby? He's perfectly perfect.

I visited them in September and got to accompany Paige to one of her last chemo treatments. It was (to me) surprisingly cheerful. Her mom, sister, sister-in-law, nieces and nephew came by to spend time with her. Josh brought food for us and another patient and his wife. We sat in front of a sunny window talking and laughing.

Paige blogged. I probably knit. It was a nice way to spend a morning. My guess is that not everyone has sunny, comfortable places for their chemo treatment. (I don't know that for sure - this is the only one I've attended.) I am thankful to the staff, patients, and family that made it as pleasant as possible for her. And I am thankful that she is doing so well now.

So I was thinking about Paige and Josh while I knit the six Missouri rows on Monday night. See them there, in between the green threads?

The next day I grabbed a photo op outside the cafe were I was meeting up with some new knitting friends. I just had to get a "St. Louis" picture of the shawl and the fleur de lis was perfect.

On Wednesday, I packed it up and sent it on to the next knitter. Next stop: Mississippi

#26 MISSOURI

2009-02-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

Name: Emily
Ravelry name: mlledefarge
Location: St. Louis, MO
Occupation: Research Administration
In honor of Paige Allred
In memory of Winifred Seeman (Gigi)

#25 ILLINOIS

2009-02-06T18:08:00.000-08:00

Name: Barbara Bundick
Ravelry name: barbrev
Town: Woodstock, IL

I'm knitting this shawl for my mother, who died from cancer, for my sister, who survived breast cancer, and for friends, too numerous to mention, who live with cancer.

I brought the shawl into work. I work for the Presbytery of Chicago, the body that supports the 104 Presbyterian churches in the greater Chicago area. We prayed for the success of this venture.

#24 INDIANA

2009-02-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

Name: Laura
Ravelry name: lwsexson
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Occupation: Manager
In honor of all the breast cancer survivors that I have known

In the News in Ann Arbor, MI

2009-01-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

Another article about the Traveling Shawl in the Ann Arbor News online blog!
Here’s the link!

#23 MICHIGAN

2009-01-26T16:08:00.000-08:00

Name: Michelle
Ravelry Name: mkaston
Location: Brighton, MI
Occupation: IT Project Manager; web developer
In honor of Eleanor, friend, still fighting.
In memory of Patti, cousin, lost the fight a couple of years ago.

#22 OHIO

2009-01-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

Name: Elizabeth
Ravelry Name: TheKnittingGirl
Location: Dayton, OH
Occupation: Controller, Accounting Dept.
In memory of my aunt, Mary Ellen McDonough Culp, who lost her fight on January 25, 2007.

In honor of Aunt Mary Ellen Culp

2009-01-21T07:29:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to be representing the great state of Ohio, and extremely honored to be able to do this in memory of my aunt, Mary Ellen Culp (nee McDonough). Aunt Mary Ellen was always on the go…her creativity was off the scale…she could do anything with a needle, paintbrush, or glue gun!!! Her tole painting skills were extraordinary. Aunt Mary Ellen was the woman who could never say “no”. Need 500 favors for a wedding reception next weekend? No problem. Need five dozen homemade cookies tomorrow for a bake sale? No problem. She would stay up all night accomplishing whatever was needed. If you needed a wedding gown, she could make you a designer gown. She might be hemming it as you wait in the vestibule of the church, but it would be a beautiful gown.

My aunt leaves behind a legacy of caring family and friends who know that she was always the one willing to help with any project. We will never forget her. She beat breast cancer once when her youngest child was in high school. We thought that she had made a full recovery, but it reoccurred. After several years of fighting, and several rounds with chemo/radiation, she died on January 25, 2007. Her determination in trying to win the battle against cancer has been my inspiration to surmount various obstacles in my own life in recent years, but these obstacles are nothing compared to her battle with cancer. She never gave up.

Her spirit and zest for life live on through all of us. As I knit the rows on my portion of the shawl, memories flooded through me of my limited time spent with her. I am the same as many of you…I didn’t realize what a hole someone dying could leave in my life until it was too late.

I could write volumes, but will close here. The children in the picture are Aunt Mary Ellen’s two granddaughters and my daughter.

#21 KENTUCKY

2009-01-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Name: RoLynn
Ravelry name: Marmee
Location: Russellville, KY
Occupation: Co-owner of Enchanted Yarn and Fiber
In honor of my dear friend, Patricia, that lost her sister to breast cancer and I saw how she and her mother, Sue, handled that loss. They faced it so bravely and I love them both so much.
In honor of breast cancer survivor, Judy. This woman is the spunkiest, most courageous person I know.

Greeting from the Enchanted Family in KY

2009-01-13T12:22:00.000-08:00

I recently spent about an evening knitting my rows on a very special shawl. I consider it an honor to be chosen to knit on the “Traveling Shawl”. When I was asked if I would be interested in sharing in this project, I was overjoyed.

When I got the package with the shawl, there was a big to-do around here. I had been talking about it for about a week, because I knew it was coming. The children just love mail time around here (kind of like Christmas every day, lol) and they brought the package to the shop. I opened it and took out the shawl and everybody around oohed and ahhhed.

When I had the time to knit on it the next day, the children all saw me doing it and taking great pains to make sure no one interrupted Marmee....(read that k1,2,3....just a minute, Marmee is busy, I will talk to you at the end of this row, LOL). Just in case you don't know, I have 6 of my 8 children living with me and sometimes we even have 2 or 3 trying to get my attention at the same time, hard to believe I know... ;) Anyway, when I devote that much concentration to something, the kids want to know why, so I began to explain what I was knitting on and why.

I immediately knew who I wanted to honor when I was asked to knit. I have a very dear friend, Patricia, that lost her sister to breast cancer, and I saw how she and her mother, Sue, handled that loss. I love them both so much and they faced it so bravely. I knew I wanted them to know that I had noticed and had not forgotten. The other person I wanted to recognize is a breast cancer survivor, Judy. This woman is the spunkiest, most courageous person I know. As many of you know, when you face the life altering circumstances of this horrible disease, you also have to face the fact that others lives around you are going to alter. Judy has demonstrated to me that you can take what life deals you and your immediate world with a smile on your face. These people are my heroes and I wanted to honor them.

The children wanted to honor them too, so they all wanted to knit one stitch on the shawl. Kay graciously gave us permission! Greg joined in too and knit one stitch. He hadn't knit since he was a kid, but he remembered how! Then came the request to give their savings to the foundation, as the shawl has a $5 suggested donation. Every donation is entered in a raffle to win the completed shawl. I was so happy to watch them be as moved as I was by this shawl being a part of our lives for a couple of days.

#20 TENNESSEE

2009-01-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

Name: Daria
Ravelry name: Nestra
Location: Sewanee, TN
In honor of all women struggling with cancer.

#19 Alabama

2009-01-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

Name: Susanna
Ravelry Name: Susannal
Location: Alabama
Occupation: Computer programmer/Data Analyst
In memory of Bessie Bush, maternal grandmother and breast cancer survivor.

The shawl is coming along beautifully and it was an honor to be part of this project.

Knitted by a Nation

2009-01-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

Our shawl journey has made the big time. Check out the article here.
Dorene gets a ribbon for the great PR.
Special thanks to Aliana Ramos for the great article!

#18 South Carolina

2008-12-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

Name: Dorene
Ravelry Name: 2sticks
Location: Pawleys Island, South Carolina
Occupation: Physician Assistant (retired)
In memory of My Dad, Robert Delaney
and in honor of all cancer survivors

Greetings from Pawleys Island, South Carolina!

2008-12-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

To me, the beach has always conjured up the most heartwarming memories. As a child, I always recalled every summer we spent as a family at the Jersey shore. I remember my Dad, and the safeness that I felt as he held me so close as the waves approached. His arms were my haven and never wanted our time together to end.

Four years ago, this Christmas season, right after having relocated to Pawleys Island with my newly-retired husband, I was diagnosed with cancer. I knew then, that being at the beach was exactly where I should be. I retreated to the beach, and found comfort in my memories that the sounds and smell of the ocean had evoked. The beach is and will always will be my little bit of heaven right here on earth.

On Christmas eve, the shawl arrived at my home. And could not have thought of any place in the world where I would rather be when I knitted it, other then my beloved beach...

My contribution to the shawl was done in memory of my Father, Robert Delaney and in honor of all cancer survivors.

Dad, I miss you so much.

#17 WEST VIRGINIA

2008-12-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

Name: Treva
Ravelry name: TerriLynn
Location: Culloden, WV
Occupation: personal assistant to a Realtor.
In memory of my parents. I lost them both in the last 3 years to different types of cancer.

#16 PENNSYLVANIA

2008-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Name: Diane
Ravelry name: dplantlady
Location: Bethlehem, PA

#15 New York

2008-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Name: Andrea
Ravelry name: ajurgrau
Location: Close to NYC, NY
Occupation: Nurse practitioner
In memory of Lucy Voulgaris.

New York!

2008-12-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

It has been a pleasure to host our shawl these last two days. I knit my rows yesterday, and took The Shawl to New York City for some sightseeing this evening. You can see further silly details of our adventure on my blog. She was excellent company, though I may have been a questionable influence...

You can see her lounging as I bought our train tickets in Grand Central Station. She knows how good she looks... I will pack her off and send her to her next knitter first thing tomorrow morning. I totally enjoyed her company!

#14 VERMONT

2008-12-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Name: Sylvia
Ravelry Name: Sligo
Location: West Glover, VT
Occupation: Freelance copy editor and proofreader
In honor of my parents and anyone surviving with cancer.
In memory of Gloria Kidd Brown.

In honor of Gloria Kidd Brown

2008-12-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

I knit my six rows of the traveling shawl last night, and had a wonderful feeling as I was knitting of connecting to all the other knitters who have and will have worked on the shawl by the time it is completed in October 2009. I rarely have such moments of connectedness to others around the world. The most vivid memory of such an experience for me is childbirth. I remember each time I gave birth reaching out to other mothers around the world laboring at the same time as I was. It was good to know I was not alone.

But we are also connected to people around the world in the most difficult of times. I think of difficult times in our lives as opportunities to learn compassion for others. Our community church was attacked by an arsonist last week, and it was such a blow to so many in our small town. In the first week people seemed to say,"What kind of person could do this kind of thing?" There is so much frustration around the unknown. What really struck me in this experience was that the feelings we in our community feel about our church must be intensified a thousand times or more to match the intensity of feeling of those whose ancient mosques have been destroyed in the Middle East over the past several years. The history, the family connections, the pain. And how difficult it is to suffer such a blow knowing who the culprit is and not having any recourse because of the lawlessness of the situation. I have long felt compassion for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, but the arson in the church next door brought their experience closer to home.

I guess I'm thinking that disease is an awful and awesome opportunity to learn compassion for others and the struggles of their lives, which may go unnoticed by the majority of us. I am honored to be a part of this project, which brings disease and awareness of disease to the forefront.

I knit my rows in honor of several Vermonters who shall remain unnamed, and especially in honor of Gloria Kidd Brown, the mother of my friend Stephan Cantor. Gloria died in 2006. She was in her lifetime a breast cancer survivor. A strong and vivacious woman, Gloria was an architect, a baker, a potter, a mapmaker, a community activist, and a wonderful mother, grandmother, and friend. Soon after she died, a friend published a book of Gloria's recipes and wisdom, from which I'd like to quote two passages. One is one of Gloria's favorite quotes, from Winston Churchill:

"If you're going through hell, don't stop."

The other is from a letter she wrote a year before she died:

Dear God,

You probably know I have a problem.

You know, You passed me by in the language category. I'll forgive you for that because You outdid Yourself in doling out the friends category.

Good heavens, I've got friends all over the place. Like all friends of friends, mine have helped me many times through my life's journey. Sometimes they make me crazy worrying about me though! They even gave me a wad of ready cash to help fix my ol' house. Can you beat that? Oh, excuse me, I guess You could.

A formal and serious letter is called for--or, knowing me, a simple note might do? I just want to let them know how much I really love them, how very much I admire the talents of each and every one and appreciate their generous gift for my 74th going on 75th birthday.

As usual I will be most thankful to hear what You have to say. Maybe You have already said it!?

I believe in You,
Glo ooooo ooooo oooo ria

Here is a photo of Gloria's daughter, my friend and neighbor, Stephan Cantor, holding the Travleing Shawl.

It has been an honor to be a part of this project.
Sylvia

#13 MAINE

2008-11-24T14:27:00.001-08:00

Name: Cheryl Virginia
Ravelry name: Cheryl1952
Location: Brunswick, ME
In memory of Mrs. Priscilla Mongomery. Mrs. M or Miss Pris brought her love of theater and the performing arts to my old high school. Priscilla was diagnosed with breast cancer and students, present and past, rallied for her to live. The auditorium was renamed in her honor. Brave, true and loyal to her passion, family and students, as she directed and tried to keep spirits up and prepare them for her death.

#12 NEW HAMPSHIRE

2008-11-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

Name: Deborah
Ravelry name: jstdt3t
Location: Hudson, NH
Occupation: part time paraprofessional at junior high and test knitter for Knitpicks since 2005
In honor of Emily, my niece, who is a two time survivor of leukemia and has currently been cancer free for 6 years.
In honor of Corinne, my 97 year old grandmother, who is a 10 year survivor of uterine cancer.

#11 MASSACHUSETTS

2008-11-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

Name: Marie
Ravelry name: mgb
Location: Great Barrington, MA
Occupation: Legal secretary
In memory of my dearly missed friend, Dianne Allene

The Traveling Shawl makes a public appearance at Marie local yarn store, Wonderful Things.

Marie concentrating on lace.

The Quality Control Department (aka Deb) inspects Marie's work. Thank you Deb!
Marie's rows finished, ready to be on the road to New Hampshire.

#10 RHODE ISLAND

2008-10-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Name: Vesna
Ravelry name: Batty
Location: State line of MA and RI
Occupation: Taxonomist
In honor of Stephanie, who is currently fighting breast cancer.

#9 CONNECTICUT

2008-10-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Name: Polly Talbott

Ravelry name: pttalbott

Location: Saybrook, CT

In memory of Anne Talbot.

#8 NEW JERSEY

2008-10-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

Name: Grace
Ravelry name: needles54
Location: Lake Hiawatha, NJ
Occupation: Knitter
In honor of Faith Yaskovic
In memory of Grace Crawford Mulholland

#7 DELAWARE

2008-10-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Name: Krista
Ravelry name: knitdelaware
Location: Wilmington, DE
Occupation: Banker
In honor of the survivors, the women who get up and fight everyday and make the most of every minute they have.

#6 MARYLAND

2008-10-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

Name: Kathe
Ravelry name: Downegirl
Location: Mount Airy, MD

Occupation: Retired editor, full time knitter
In honor of my sister Vera who had breast cancer that was caught early and successfully treated with minimally invasive surgery. Well and happy in England now
In memory of my dear mother-in-law who, although she didn’t have breast cancer, instead had ovarian cancer. However that is not what she succombed to - it was the horrible disease ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

#5 VIRGINIA

2008-09-29T18:08:00.001-07:00

Name: Megan
Ravelry name: Megweaver
Location: Fisherville, VA
Occupation: College Librarian
In honor of my Aunt Janet, who had a double mastectomy and whose cancer is in remission.

#4 NORTH CAROLINA

2008-09-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Name: Marie
Ravelry name: mshanley
Location: Hendersonville NC
Occupation: Retired software engineer
In honor of my friends Donna, Lynn, Linda, and Vicki, all fellow breast cancer survivors
In memory of Meredith

#3 FLORIDA

2008-09-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Name: "S"
Ravelry name: furballchaser
Location: Tampa, Florida
Occupation: Homemaker and volunteer
In honor of my knitting friend, Jan, who made it
In memory of Sally who didn't

#2 GEORGIA

2008-09-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Name: Fleegle
Location: Northeast GA

#1 ARKANSAS

2008-09-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Name: Kay
Ravelry name: naturalstateknit
Location: Central Arkansas
Occupation: Homemaker/Knit and Crochet Designer
In honor of my cousin Pam
In memory of Evelyn Howell

The journey has begun!!!!

2008-09-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Yarn...

2008-09-12T12:45:00.001-07:00

We have the yarn...
we have the pattern...
keep checking back...
we will soon have lift-off!