In the News in Ann Arbor, MI

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

#23 MICHIGAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

#19 Alabama

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

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!