The Special Shawl - a Story

The Special Shawl

Many of us have already knitted or crocheted shawls, worn them ourselves, or given them as gifts. When it comes to shawls given away as gifts, you usually never find out whether they are worn with pleasure, loved, or perhaps disappear into the closet for good. This special shawl is different: a true story, though with made-up names:
 
My colleague Sabine*, we worked together for many years and became friends through that, loves cats more than anything. She never wanted to have an indoor cat, but one summer vacation on the Baltic Sea, a stray little kitten kept following her around and meowing heartbreakingly. Once she had petted and played with her, the little cat would no longer leave her
side. The vacation was coming to an end – and Sabine* couldn’t bring herself to leave the kitten to fend for itself and face its uncertain fate. So from then on she had a little tomcat named Paulchen*.
 
Paulchen* moved into her apartment and had a lovely life. He got the best food, a felted cat basket made by me, peppermint from the garden, and cuddles every day. I think an indoor cat could hardly have a nicer life.



The favorite spot for the two of them was a comfortable wingback chair you could sink into. Sabine* liked to sit curled up in the chair and read a good book (her second passion). Paulchen* lay on her lap, purring contentedly, and let her stroke his fur.

Unfortunately, Sabine* has an incurable illness that causes constant pain in different parts of the body. One way to ease the pain is warmth. That’s why she always wore cardigans and shawls. However, they never helped against the chill she felt, because they were made of cotton or synthetic fabrics. No matter how cozy the things looked, they simply didn’t keep her warm.
 
And because I know that only real wool provides warmth, I knitted her a shawl made of wool. Since her skin is very sensitive, unfortunately no “ordinary, run-of-the-mill wool” was an option. Her wool absolutely could not be scratchy. So I took my softest wool to work with me and she had to do a
thorough feel test. The cashmere yarn passed the test. Sabine* said: “I’d like a full-body suit made of this.”
 
Of course I couldn’t fulfill that wish for her. But for her birthday in spring 2015, I knitted her a large shawl from my differently colored cashmere leftovers - wonderfully light and soft and warm, a real luxury shawl.



You’re probably thinking now, oh my goodness, what must that have cost? Yes, it’s true, cashmere yarn is very expensive, and a shawl like that really eats up a lot of material. But Sabine* is a special person and the gift was worth it to me. Whether I make 4 individual lace shawls for 4 different people who just think they’re pretty, or one very special one that makes this one particular person happy. Sometimes there’s no other way; you just have to listen to your heart.



Sabine* was absolutely delighted with the gift and took the shawl home beaming with joy (it was too precious for her to take to work; she wanted to enjoy it at home). From then on, it lay on her favorite chair every day and, together with the cat, waited for her at the end of the workday. Paulchen had also realized that there was nothing softer in this apartment :-) From then on, the cat’s favorite spot – as long as his mistress was out of the house – was on the shawl.

Sadly, the 14-year-old cat died unexpectedly this year. Sabine* was of course very, very sad.

Later, by chance, we got to talking about the shawl. I wanted to know whether it was still easing her pain and doing her good. She hemmed and hawed a little and then said that since the cat died, the shawl has just been lying in the closet. Whenever she sees it, she has to think of her Paulchen*. The memory hurts her too much.
 
Unfortunately, I can’t knit a shawl like that again – it was a one-of-a-kind piece. For 4 years, it made life cozier and more pleasant for Sabine and her cat. Maybe later she’ll be able to appreciate it again just for herself, once the pain of losing the cat has faded.

That’s how it can happen that a shawl is not just any ordinary shawl, but becomes something special through its owners and their feelings.

Thank you for reading this story. Perhaps you have made such a special piece before, too? If so, feel free to write about it here. Or leave a little comment if you like.

Warm regards from Ina

PS. The person in the photos is of course not Sabine*, but only my always stern-looking mannequin. But I thought you would like to see the “special shawl.”

What a lovely, yet somewhat sad story! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Sabine should take the shawl out again and think of the beautiful time she had with her Paulchen.

I have a blanket like that at home—my cat Puschel used to always lie on it. After Puschel died, it was painful for me at first to even look at the blanket. But now I enjoy wrapping myself up in it again and thinking about how Puschel would always jump on it whenever I covered myself with it. There’s always a touch of melancholy, but also gratitude for the wonderful time I spent with him.

Dear Ina, that’s a very touching story, and I’d also like to thank you very much for sharing it with us. Ruth is absolutely right—a scarf like that can also evoke gratitude for the wonderful time Sabine had with Paulchen. Maybe she’ll even take that scarf out of the closet again if you mention it to her.

I also have a very good friend who means a lot to me and has always been there for me when I needed her. She’s visiting us for Christmas, and among other things, I’m giving her a scarf. I really only knit such large pieces for people who are special to me.

I also have a little story to share about that.

This friend, who’s getting the scarf now, also visited us in May. She rarely asks for anything, and when she does, I try to make her wishes come true. When she saw our Tatü box, she asked for one of her own in very specific colors to match her decor. As it happened, I had those colors on hand. She also asked for a few coasters, so I crocheted those for her, too.

It was truly unbelievable to me just how much joy I brought her with these gifts. Every day she’d pick them up, and her face would just light up. She was already looking forward to decorating her home with these crocheted treasures. 

All I can say is, it’s truly a joy to crochet or knit something for special people. It fulfills me just as much as it does the person who receives it. By the way, here’s the photo my friend sent me once everything was in place. The colors actually match her decor perfectly.

I’d also like to add that during her last visit, my friend had just lost her husband, whom she had been caring for at home in the weeks leading up to that.

Dear Ruth,
I think it’s lovely that you’re using the blanket you associate with Puschel again today and thinking of him fondly as you do so. Once the grief has passed, that creates a warm feeling of connection and remembrance. Sabine will surely reach that point as well.

Dear Monika,
the story about your friend touches me deeply, too. Your friend didn’t just care for her husband; she also said goodbye to him and to their life together very slowly, step by step. During such phases of life, we examine everything very closely. We become much more clearly aware of the value of (shared) time, friendship, and the things around us. That’s why everything during this time goes much deeper and touches our hearts. We become more sensitive and mindful.

It’s wonderful that your friend has managed to hold onto her joy in life. The very fact that she told you she’d like something like this for herself is a good sign. She’s making sure to find joy. And you’ve given her that joy—and then some. She’ll always see the Tatü box and the matching coasters as something truly special and associate them with your friendship. 

The shawl she’ll receive for Christmas will also be something very, very special to her. Just the fact that someone made something so beautiful just for her will blow her away. I’m getting goosebumps just imagining the scene when she unwraps her gift and marvels at the shawl with wide eyes and her mouth agape. Oh, yes...

Your friendship is something very precious. Thank you, too, for this touching story. People always think it’s just something crocheted or knitted—but no, often it’s much more than just yarn and stitches.

Warm regards—Ina

Dear Ina,

yes, you’re making a very important point. Friendship is the most beautiful and precious gift we can receive in this life. And I’m infinitely grateful for it. I’d grant my friend any wish she had. That’s because she always thinks of others first. And only now is she learning to take good care of herself. By the way, this was already the second man she had loved and cared for until his death.

I’m really looking forward to having her stay with us for at least four weeks starting in mid-December. My husband and I are very close to her, and we’ll be happy to spoil her.

Yes, I’ve already imagined how happy she’ll be with the scarf and the socks. She really appreciates hand-knitted items, and by the way, she only wears knitted socks in the winter.

When I saw the yarn for her scarf, I immediately thought of her, because those are exactly her favorite colors.

My greatest joy is bringing joy to others. Thank you, dear Ina, for your wonderful idea to share stories like this here. :) It makes our world a little happier and more beautiful and shows what really matters in life.

Warm regards
Monika

Thank you so much for your touching stories! It’s wonderful that our hobby—sometimes smiled at—can bring so much joy. It’s especially lovely when you can give a gift to someone who’s going through a difficult time in their life! 

Thank you, Christina! Yes, that really is something special, and appreciation for our gifts—made with love—is the very best reward. My son and his girlfriend also really appreciate the things I make for the kids. I’m always so happy when they’re so well received.

Dear Christina, dear Monika,

yes, you both hit the nail on the head. In the past, handmade things were just handmade things and weren’t always appreciated as gifts. But that has changed over time. The craft itself and the expertise behind it are once again much more highly valued.

A lot of love goes into every handmade piece. Especially when you know who you’re making it for. Even while crocheting or knitting, we think of that person, and that’s why our finished pieces are never just plain yarn—they’re handmade with lots of love. And the recipients can feel that, which is why they’re so touched. Even if it’s not perfect, it will always be something special.

With that in mind, I hope we all continue to find joy in DIY and in giving our handmade creations as gifts.

Warm regards - Ina

Thirty-two years ago, I knitted a jacket for my one-and-a-half-year-old nephew. The wool was wonderful, the colors were chosen by my sister, and the jacket was like something out of a picture book.
It was a one-of-a-kind piece, and after the little one had outgrown it, my sister simply didn’t want to pass it on to anyone else. She was in love with that little jacket. We thought about it and came up with the idea of framing the jacket behind glass. It adorned my nephew’s childhood bedroom for many years.
After that, it was passed down within the family—not as a picture—but as a jacket.
It’s pieces like these that showcase the uniqueness of handmade items. You can’t buy that.
Now my nephew (the only one I have) got married last weekend, and perhaps the time will come when that little jacket comes to life again.

Dear Petra,
what a lovely story. Back then, you never would have dreamed that this one little children’s jacket would become part of your family history and be passed down through the generations. I also love the idea of the picture frame. There couldn’t be—at least for a while—a more beautiful decoration for a child’s room. It all shows the special appreciation for this one handmade garment.

I—and probably all the readers of this post—would love it if you’d show us this jacket.

Best regards—Ina

Dear Petra,

oh yes, if you have a photo of the child's jacket, I’d love to see it too. :)
Thank you for your lovely story.

My son and his girlfriend always keep everything that’s hand-knitted. I think they’ll pass it all on to their grandchildren too. Maybe I’ll even get to see that happen.

Warm regards—Monika

What wonderful stories—I love hearing about such special pieces :-)

I also have a little shawl story to share. During my first year of college (which was decades ago now), I lived with my grandma for half a year because I hadn’t found an apartment yet. During that time, I borrowed a wonderfully soft shawl in a shell pattern several times—the house was older and sometimes quite chilly. This shawl was off-white, which isn’t really my color at all, and at some point my grandma offered to crochet me my own shawl in the same pattern, and I even got to choose the color—denim blue! I wore that shawl as a scarf for quite a while and loved it dearly, but as sometimes happens, it apparently didn’t make it through one of my moves. At any rate, when I thought about it again later, I couldn’t find it, which made me very sad and still does, especially since my grandmother has since passed away, and I would have loved to use the shawl again as a keepsake. Besides, now that I’ve started crocheting more myself again, I also realize how much work must have gone into that shawl.
But since the thought kept following me, I can now bring the story to a happier ending. I kept searching for the pattern until I finally found it—thanks to the internet. Then I looked for some beautiful, soft, denim-blue yarn and found that too! And now, as a project in memory of my grandma, I’m going to crochet a similar shawl—and I’ll definitely take better care of it this time!

@Packofblacksheep

That’s a very lovely story about a shawl. Now you can crochet your grandma’s shawl for yourself. It’s sure to turn out just as pretty.

Who knows—maybe the original shawl is still lying in some box somewhere, waiting to be found? Surprises like that can happen sometimes.