Prayer shawl, or, I'm really confused

[HSRCampbell]

I decided to make a prayer shawl for my church (they have a program for hospice patients in our nearby hospital). So this lady gives me 3 balls of Lion Homespun and tells me, cast on 63, knit every row for 6-8", then k3p3.

However, she just called and left me a message to knit every row for 6-8 ROWS (which made me put it down immediately until I understood) and then her instructions for k3p3 started sounding more like k3 rows then p3 rows. I'm really confused.

Now, to reiterated, it's free yarn, for a good cause, and boucle-y so the recipient isn't going to see or care what pattern I used. But I have no idea what happens if you do k3p3 in a 6+3 repeat, (certainly not a rib) and I have no idea why I would *ever* knit 3 rows then purl 3 rows. Can anyone with a bit more experience help me figure out what she meant? Was she just explaining too much?

[MGM]

I think if you did either 6-8 inches or 6-8 rows of knit to begin with, it would serve the same purpose which would be to have a section of garter stitch at the beginning where the edges didn't curl. Just be sure to do the same number or size of garter stitch section at the other end so it is symmetrical.

As for the K3P3 for the rest of the shawl, I would guess she is suggesting to do this by ro