Prayer Shawls, Prayer Quilts

Now that my friend has it, I can talk more about my time-sensitive quilting project.

My friend fell and broke her leg in several places.  She had to have a metal plate put in her leg.  It will be a long recuperation.

Ordinarily, I'd have sent her a prayer shawl.  I know that she's open to that ministry, as she's asked me to send prayer shawls to family members suffering ravaging illnesses.  So my first thought was to send her one too.

But she crochets.  She's already got more afghans than she can use, and unlike me, she can crochet in interesting patterns.  I know she'd appreciate the thought of a prayer shawl, but I wondered about a different approach.

I decided that a quilt could fulfill the same purpose.  And I had some parts of quilt tops already sewn together.  I decided to assemble them into a single quilt top and put it together.  I liked that there were different patterns and different patches, much for her to look at as she recuperates.

And I needed to do it quickly.  I wanted to get it done before her leg healed.  And so, I began sewing like a woman possessed.

And I got it done.  It's not my best, most intricate work.  But it's a thing of beauty, and my friend reports that it's a comfort.  I prayed as I sewed it, and I had people pray over it as I was finishing it.

I know that many churches have a lap quilt ministry.  Does it exist beside the prayer shawl ministry?   Can a quilted prayer shawl work?

I'm happy to report that my prayer quilt creation seems to have fulfilled the purposes of a prayer shawl.  I've prayed, the quilt has been blessed, and my friend has felt comfort and blessings.