I realized after completing my Lost Souls crochet shawl that while I generally consider myself to be someone that is eager to display my handiwork, I also have some reservations.

This past week I finished my Lost Souls shawl, and it ended up being wider across the top than the span of my arms. It is a LARGE shawl, and because I made it with Red Heart Ombré yarn (color: Anthracite), which is a worsted weight (4) yarn, it is a substantial garment!

While it is a “shawl” by definition, it feels very much like a sweater which I appreciated in the chilly, Western Pennsylvania evening when I wore it out to finish some last minute birthday shopping for a family event this weekend.

As grateful as I was for its warmth, I caught myself feeling uneasy with being “that older woman” who swooshes about in hand-knitted or crocheted items. I am not sure where that comes from, and I have written before about how my hand-created items are a sort of “power token” for me. Still, I felt a sense of wanting no one to notice me as I walked into the large grocery store in my neighborhood.

Turns out, “not being noticed” wasn’t in the cards. My sister and I were looking at cakes in the display case when I heard a voice say, “Oh wow! I just finished making one of those skull shawls!“

My sister and I turned to see a young woman come out from behind the bakery counter to admire my shawl. I was a little surprised, but super pleased to get the reception that I was (apparently) unable to imagine before walking into the store wearing my shawl.

She showed me a photo of her finished Lost Souls shawl, complete with a border made with glow-in-the-dark yarn (how cool is that !!??!) and the main body done in a gorgeous colorway of purple and black shades. We chatted about the process, and our excitement in finishing our shawls for a couple minutes, bonding in that casual way that fellow crocheters and knitters often do.

That brief interaction did more for my self-confidence around wearing my fiber arts pieces than she could ever know. In the intellectual corner of my mind, I know that people of ALL ages are crocheting, knitting, quilting and sewing; but in my self-conscious mind, I felt that I would be judged as a woman of a certain “vintage” with quaint habits.

The willingness of that young woman (she is likely somewhere in age between my oldest grandchild and my youngest child) to reach out about my crocheted shawl did more for my self-confidence around wearing my creative work than any self-help book, therapy session, or pep talk from fellow crafters could have achieved!

While I might have considered the “finishing touches” on my shawl project to have been the weaving in of ends, washing and hanging/light blocking; I learned that the TRUE finishing touch was a full acceptance of my creative endeavor – assisted by the (unknowing) enthusiasm of a fellow fiber artist who took the time to comment on a creative hobby and interest that we share.

I started this blog several years back to highlight the positive benefits of fiber arts activities for our emotional, mental and physical health. I continue to be awed by the depths of its healing potential – for myself as well as for others.

Lastly, this brief encounter reminded me that I need to be aware of others who may be fiber artists like me, unsure of putting themselves out there in the world. I will commit to being more aware, complimenting people, asking about their piece(s), and more.

Who among us doesn’t want some form of acknowledgement in our lives? Plus, while my angst was minor, we never know when our kind words might be the first GOOD thing that happens to someone on the day we comment positively about their fiber creation(s).

Fiber artists have a lot we can share with and teach to the world, especially in the midst of today’s (too often) angry public discourse.

Here’s to fabric, yarn, and the people who create beauty and spread good in the world using their hands and unique creative perspectives!!

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(C) 2025 Fiber Harmony (Stitch ‘n Dish)