On a Mission of Kindness:

Prayer Shawl Group Knits Together Comfort and Community

BAR HARBOR—As a young child, Pat DiZazzo’s mother taught her to sew, knit, and crochet which led her to needlepoint, cross stitch, and quilt.

“As I knit or do any of these today it brings forth fond memories as I think of her,” DiZazzo said.

That legacy of skill from her mother has led DiZazzo and others to do numerous good acts for the community.

”One Sunday service at Bar Harbor Congregational Church, our pastor, Rob Benson, displayed shawls that had been donated for him to distribute to folks in the community who were going through a difficult illness, struggling with issues of loss, or are in hospice,” DiZazzo said. “As a congregation we prayed for their intention.”

Prayers of intention are often a part of religious gatherings for multiple religions. Thinking of others? That’s often a part of religious services as well. For DiZazzo, those shawls sparked a moment of epiphany.

“I took my stash of unused yarn, and that of others along with needles and crochet hooks to be used by anyone who wished,” she said.

She took the stash and she did something with it, something for the community, something quiet, something pretty constant, something meant to bring comfort with each casting on, each stitch, each purl, and each casting off. The sequence becomes a litany, a creation that is full of good intent.

”I have belonged to quilting and knitting groups over the years and always found pleasure in relaxing with friends, sharing stories, and assisting each other with various issues or problems,” she said. “I felt the need for BHCC to maintain the flow of these gifts of intention and thought the establishment of a Prayer Shawl Knitting Group for anyone who could knit, crochet, or desired to learn would serve that purpose.”

The group, which meets on Saturday mornings is casual. Creators gather around a table, yarn skeins nearby. They talk. They connect. They catch up. Slip knots are tied, binding yarn together to make something intricate, beautiful, connected. And in those two hours, they create articles of comfort for people that might feel forgotten, people that might feel cold, people that might be suffering or in pain. Though the gathering takes place in one of the rooms of the church, it’s always open to anyone who would like to create a shawl.

The group began in 2023, paused in the summer, and resumed in February.

“Once restarted, the initial attendance was nine participants ranging in age from nine to 80,” DiZazzo said.  “We share stories, work on our projects, assist one another and laugh. What is better than that for a sense of community?”

The goal of the group, she said, is to fulfill a need, to maintain the flow of shawls, establish a sense of community while having fun.  

But it’s more than that, too.

“We are always mindful of those who need to be reminded that they are not alone,” she said.

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