Book Review: Fiber Magick by Opal Luna
Dec. 23rd, 2021 12:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
goth_is_not_emoAs someone who enjoys knitting and crocheting, I'm always happy to try out new sources of patterns. As a Pagan, the allure of a Pagan crochet book was hard to resist. But is Fiber Magick everything I wanted? Find out under the cut!
The intro starts out okay. We find out that the author is certified as a Master by the Crochet Guild of America. The intent is established: to provide a guide for magic through fiber arts. So far, so good.
Part 1: Fiber Magick Basics
This section begins with the author's definition of fiber magic as an extension of knot magic. The author recommends clearing one's mind and casting a circle to purify one's intentions, but I'm going to be honest--I do my knitting and crochet on the go. I don't always have time or privacy to make a magic circle before I stitch (except maybe a Magic Loop if I'm working in the round).
There's a ritual of energy manipulation involving a ball of yarn: very basic, and not a bad beginner's exercise. It's just kinda cheesy. Nothing wrong with a little cheese, it's just not my thing.
There's more discussion after that about the usual "basic energy work" stuff: focusing one's intentions, shielding, how time of day and cycles of the moon affect Pagan ritual, all that jazz. A chapter on sacred space and deity correspondences, which is similar to what you'll find in a Wicca 101 book but with a fiber-arts focus. An attribution of ritual tools to your crafting tools (okay?).
Our first project is: painting a pentacle on a tablecloth with craft paint. *Price Is Right sad trombone noise* Don't get me wrong; the math is helpful, especially if you're not good at geometry. It's just not what I'd consider fibercrafting.
Project 2: Embroidering a sigil cloth. Ok. Embroidery is good.
Project 3: A macrame offering bowl. I'm not into macrame, but I have to admit this is a solid project. There's just one problem: the author recommends the use of scraps of cloth or yarn (natural fibers only) as an offering to the birds to use as nesting materials. Here's why you should absolutely never do this with yarn: It's a hazard. The baby birds can choke or get tangled in it. Scraps of cotton cloth are safer (and biodegradable, which is nice). But please, please do not do this with your yarn.
Project 4: How to sew the absolute easiest ritual cloak, using bandanas and a cloth tablecloth (no I am not kidding). Points for including instructions to add a button clasp, though. I personally would use cotton broadcloth instead, but this is a good way to use thrift store finds.
Next, there are instructions for consecrating your crafting tools, which I guess makes sense, if you're only ever gonna use them for magical crafting. I do enough non-magical crafting with mine that I'm...not gonna do that.
Basic color and chakra correlations that can be found in any Wicca 101 book.
Project 5: A "chakra-balancing bracelet," made of yarn with 7 beads knotted into it. If it helps you, great, but all I could think was, "This looks like something I would have made when I was 9, and not in a good way."
Project 6 is a crocheted anklet that isn't much different from the bracelet. Again, I'm not saying it isn't fibercrafting, nor that it can't be magic just because it looks like a kids' craft. It just...looks like a kids' craft.
There's a discussion on dying fibers and cloth with natural dyes, which is kinda cool, and on making mandalas with crochet. I like to use a pattern for my mandalas, but the author's "pick a random stitch pattern for each row and see what happens" technique is also totally legit. That's probably how some of the mandalas I've seen got their start, after all.
Part 2: Fiber Magick Techniques
That's right, folks, we're learning more about magical techniques in this chapter! We start with basic knot magic, which segues nicely into prayer beads. It's nice Wicca 101 type stuff, although I'm not sure what I think about the use of plastic pony beads by a religion that's supposed to be about protecting the earth.
Project 7: Elemental Prayer Beads For Grounding. It's a repeated pattern of 4 colored beads for meditation on the Platonic elements. Personally, I think that it would look great with thread or jewelry cording and inexpensive glass beads. The yarn-and-pony-beads example in the photograph is easy to get on the cheap, sure, but it has that kiddie-craft look that you always get with pony beads.
Project 8: Triple Goddess Beads for Enlightenment. Same as project 7, but with a repeating pattern of red, black, and white. My opinion hasn't changed from project 7, either.
Project 9: Crocheted Prayer Beads. This one is made with tastefully-chosen cotton crochet thread and stone beads, which really shows off how this can look like beautiful jewelry for stealth witchery. The crafter is encouraged to personalize the project based on their own needs. Very nice.
The book moves on to weaving and braiding next, which means a combination of the really good, and the kinda bad.
Project 10: Picture Frame Loom. This is a great way to use an old picture frame, and the result is as good as many pin looms but waaay cheaper than buying one from your local yarn/fiber store. There are even instructions for using the loom, and to make plaid. This is a good, solid craft, and I'm happy to see it here.
Project 11: Nature Weaving. I'm sure an expert weaver could make something truly beautiful woven into a forked stick, as the illustration shows. But yarn loosely woven into what looks a bit like bungee cord (?) isn't that. While I'm sure it's meaningful and all, it looks more like junk than something you would actually want to decorate your home with. On the plus side, that illustration makes me want to use twigs to weave something beautiful and badass as a challenge.
Project 12: Group Weaving Project. This is a cute idea for a group craft, and is a great way to use an old plastic bangle and a Hula hoop. The use of colorful fabric scraps makes the illustrated example look homey, without looking like a kiddie craft. There are even little charms woven in, which is cute.
Project 13: Witch's Ladder. This....this is a good mental exercise, maybe? It just doesn't look good. At all. I'm not sure there's a way to weave twigs into braided ribbon that will make them look good, but beads and feathers could make it look interesting. I just...why, why are there metallic pipe cleaners in there?
Project 14: Floral Crown. This is good old-fashioned head adornment, and the author is happy to recommend fabric flowers from the craft store if there aren't any in season locally. I would do a better job of hiding the wire than the example in the illustration, but overall, not bad. When I have time in the summer, I may make myself a set for the Sabbats.
Project 15: Cloth Yarn. This is more like prep for the next project than an individual project in itself, but it's good to see cloth yarn described as a way to re-use old clothing. (I personally prefer to use old T-shirts, because I like the way they turn out, but woven yarns definitely work too.)
Project 16: Braided Rag Rug. This is a classic use of old fabric scraps, and it can be used for practical mundane uses or for yoga and meditation, as the book suggests. I already knew how to do this, but lots of people don't, and re-using worn things instead of throwing them away is good for the earth. A+ on this one.
Now for the basics of "fiber magick crochet." The author explains how to read patterns and form basic stitches. Each crochet stitch is assigned an elemental alignment, which...um. No. Meditate on the elements you want to use, sure. Use colors that work for your pattern, yes. But don't assign them stitches. That not only removes flexibility from your pattern designs, it also is just plain silly.
Project 17: Clarity Bracelet. This is...a crocheted bracelet with pony beads. Didn't we already do this in an earlier chapter?
Project 18: Elemental Mojo Bag. This is a great amulet-bag pattern for beginners, and is also a good way to practice stitches. I'm cringing at the stitch-element-correspondence stuff, but I can't find fault with the project itself.
Project 19: Simple Prayer Shawl. It's a basic mesh triangular shawl with a pretty shell-stitch border. You crochet from the point upwards, which means you have to be very careful about having enough yarn, but that's hardly an issue with the pattern itself. This is a good project, and introduces that all-important lace-crocheting skill.
Project 20: Crocheted Circle. It's a basic circle pattern, starting with 6sc. The author has you use a 2-ch foundation instead of a Magic Loop (maybe she's never heard of it?), but really, whether or not you use Magic Loop is a matter of personal preference. This is a very good guide to help crocheting beginners make smooth, nice circles. It also reminds crafters to stagger those increases so the result is a circle, not a hexagon.
Project 21: Candle Cozy. The author is responsible here and stresses basic candle safety, and that you shouldn't make a candle cozy for a bare candle, only one with a glass holder. She also points out that acrylic yarn will melt, so you should use cotton for safety. Unfortunately, as a yarn enthusiast, I see what appears to be a pair of acrylic cozies on the (unlit) candles in the photo, and one of them has a peace sign on it that was definitely done in Red Heart Super Saver. (All knitters and crocheters develop the ability to detect Red Heart Super Saver over time. It haunts our nightmares.)
Project 22: Crocheted Mandala. This pattern is a nice, basic rainbow mandala for beginners, and another good way to use an old Hula hoop. Kudos.
Project 23: Drawstring Magickal Bag. Another good crocheted bag, this time with a drawstring. Pagans are attracted to drawstring pouches like moths to a flame, so this is a very good project.
Project 24: Wish Bowl. It's a cute little thing, and it's supposed to remind you of what you need to do to achieve the things you wish for. Be mindful when using essential oils, especially if you have a housemate with fragrance-related allergies.
Project 25: Witch's Hat. The author uses 2 strands of sock yarn held together, but you could just use bulky yarn for this pattern and it'll stand up just as well. The pattern offers 2 different sizes, which is nice, and includes a hatband and three different photographed examples. Ideas for embellishment are also given, to make each hat unique.
Next are poppets. The author gives important tips on stuffing. I'm a bit worried about the "Cotton poppets are safe to burn or bury in the ground," because it really depends on what they're stuffed with, and fiberfill is neither biodegradable nor safe to burn. If you're going to destroy your poppets, do it responsibly!
Project 26: Crocheted Poppet. It's an easy human shape that's good for beginners. Just...embroidered faces are tricky, especially on crochet. The author tries, but it's hard to make these look good. On the plus side, the cutely-awkward face does give readers an idea of what their project will actually look like when made by the average person.
Project 27: Goddess of Journeys. It's a small, plush statue of this common symbol:
It's well-designed and avoids the issue of stuffing the tiny arms by just making them flat.
Project 28: Chakra Doll With Pockets. Another human shape, but this time with more realistic proportions than the first poppet. It has pockets over each chakra, presumably to tuck tiny crystals or herbs into. Looks cheesy, but that's a matter of taste.
Project 29: Mermaid Poppet. This isn't particularly witchy in and of itself, but I'm not going to complain when it gives me a cute, chubby mermaid like this one. I'd probably use it for a children's altar to represent the element of water.
Time for flat crocheted embellishments to sew on your stuff! This is a fun chapter because it's nothing but patterns for flat, sew-on crochet symbols.
Projects 30 - 39 are: Pentagram, Heart, Goddess symbol, Peace Sign, Angel, Dragonfly, Yin-yang, Ankh, Eye, and Triple Moon. A good variety of symbols. My only complaint is that the angel doesn't really look like one? Maybe if you embroider a face and hands on it...
Part 3: Fiber Magick Applications
This section of the book is about making things for a specific purpose.
Project 40: Power Cloth. This is a basic washcloth, for cleansing and relaxation. Cleansing is important both hygenically and for magical work, so this certainly fits in this section. Plus, every crocheter must learn to make a washcloth at some point. It's practically a requirement.
Project 41: Bath Salt Bag. This one combines aromatherapy with the practicality of a nice mesh bag. You could also use this as a soap sack, but that's not as magical.
Project 42: As Above, So Below Sigil. This really belongs in the "flat symbols" chapter, but it's an interesting symbol that kinda works.
Project 43: Plarn. Plarn is yarn made from plastic grocery bags. You'll need it for--
Project 44: Plarn Mat. This is basically a big mat for donation to homeless shelters, so that when unhoused people need to sleep on the ground, they have a nice insulating layer between them and the ground and don't get wet or cold as easily. It takes 500-700 plastic bags to make a mat, the book tells us. That's a lot of plastic you're keeping out of landfills, and this is a good stopgap measure until we can get more people properly housed.
Project 45: Fiddle Cuff. This is to "use texture for healing and comfort." As someone with ADHD, I'm guessing the author may be neurodivergent and not know it. It just screams "soothing texture stim."
Project 46: Texture Mandala. This is meant to be used as a meditation tool for people who are more sensitive to textures. It's a repeat of Project 22, except that you change textures at each color change. So, more practical in the making than the use, and also a repeat of another pattern. Swell.
Project 47: Emotional Support Poppet. This is a larger Goddess-symbol poppet, only bigger and with stuffed arms.
Project 48: Prayer Lapghan. It's a nice lap blanket, which is practical for a lot of times when a full-sized blanket is just too big.
Project 49: Amulet of Protection. It uses plastic canvas, but since it's for making with kids, I have no real problem with that. It's a little yarn-covered pocket that you can slip herbs or paper sigils into.
Project 50: Door Ward. I'll be frank: this reminds me of nothing more than a mezuzah. It's a plastic-canvas mezuzah for Pagans, with warding spells in place of Torah passages.
Project 51: Besom Cover. Good for helping you tell the difference between the broom you clean with normally, and your magical-working broom. I'm not sure where the author found a straw broom (the store I go to only ever seems to have plastic) but good for her. This is a cute project.
Project 52: Ward Frame. More plastic canvas! This time, you're weaving a frame for a small photo, to protect the person in the photo. Presumably you're keeping it in a safe place, too, not displaying it, because it's also very tacky. (Personal tastes, I know.)
Project 53: "No" Sigil. It's a basic circle-and-slash "Do Not" symbol, to pin to a picture of whatever is threatening you. Another one that could have gone in the flat-symbols chapter.
Project 54: Warrior Bear. This one is just precious. It's a teddy bear with helmet, sword, and shield to protect your kids from the monsters under the bed. I would have made the sword and shield a touch bigger so they're more recognizable, but it's definitely a cute project. The one in the photo isn't made with tight enough tension, however, and the stuffing shows through.
Project 55: Garland of Wishes. For a birthday party. It's ribbon with beads knotted into it by each guest. I hope you at least got them a card too.
Project 56: Handfasting Cords. I didn't have a Pagan wedding, but this looks like a good cord for that part where the couple's hands are tied together.
Project 57: Baby Blanket. It's a granny square blanket, which is one of those other things that every crocheter learns. Each square is one solid color, with the colors of the different squares providing the pattern.
Project 58: Fiber Magick Star Sigil. It's a flat star symbol, which is nice. I would have put it with the other flat symbols, myself.
Project 59: Personal Pouch. This pouch closes envelope-style, with a buttonhole at the tip of the flap.
Project 60: Parents' Pouch. A zippered pouch to hold the smaller essentials in that diaper bag.
Project 61: Book of Shadows Carrier. It's an embellished cover to jazz up a composition notebook, with handles. The reader is encouraged to adjust the size of the carrier for their own Book.
Project 62: Remembrance Poppet. A crocheted keepsake to represent a lost loved one. Good for people who have an altar for those who have gone before.
The final chapter (other than the conclusion) has a project for each Sabbat. Some are better than others.
Project 63: Samhain Spiderweb. It's a nice crocheted web, but that spider is a single black bead with pipe cleaners wound around it and kinda makes it look tacky. Nix the spider, or find a nicer pattern for one and use that spider instead.
Project 64: Yule Tree Ornament. It's a tree ornament made around a cinnamon stick (for the trunk of the tree). It looks like it would make a cute gift, provided that your recipient isn't allergic to cinnamon.
Project 65: Imbolc New Sprouts Garland. A simple, yet lovely, pattern for a little crocheted vine with leaves.
Project 66: Ostara Egg Basket. It's a big handle-less basket for displaying colored eggs in. The examples in the photo look really cute.
Project 67: Beltane Maypole Wand. You know those ribbon fairy wands for little kids? This is that, but on a wooden crochet hook. Yeah.
Project 68: Litha Sun Weaving. It's the Eye of God ornament you may have made as a child, but with 4 sticks instead of 2. Looks nice, and is a great project for kids, but I would feel kinda weird making this as an adult.
Project 69: Lughnasadh Horned God Poppet. That's right; we finally get a male deity poppet near the end of the book. It's simple, and while the horns are nice, the arms are just strands of chain stitch worked into the body. I feel like he deserves some actual 3D arms, since the Goddess poppet got them. Still very good, except for the arms.
Project 70: Mabon Mug Cozy. It's a mug cozy. The trifecta of Things Every Crocheter Learns To Make is complete. It's a good pattern, and the photo shows off how adding a crocheted charm from the flat-symbols chapter can make it look really nice.
Project 71: Pagan Pride Ribbon. I did not know there was a Pagan Pride ribbon. This would also be nice for making other ribbon emblems, like the pink ribbon for breast-cancer survivors or black for AIDS/HIV awareness. The three crocheted ribbons in the photo are in the bi pride colors. I'm not sure if that was intentional. It makes a nice bookend for the book, so I'll overlook the fact that it's ANOTHER flat symbol that isn't in the flat-symbols chapter.
There's an appendix in the back with all the correspondences you'll find in literally any Wicca 101 book, which at least means you'll have them handy in your crafting space.
Summary:
I'm not entirely sure who the intended audience for this book is, aside from beginning crocheters. As an adult Pagan with no children, there are a lot of things in here that I personally have no desire to make. Several of the patterns are previous patterns repeated, and some of them are in locations that don't make much sense. Some of the patterns are the kids'-crafts sort, and others are more elaborate or time-consuming. The resulting book is a decent intro to Pagan-themed crafting, but the magical side is iffy. What magical info is here is either not original (and in literally hundreds of other books), or just not that good, except for the As Above, So Below symbol.
Take the stitch correspondences with a grain of salt, and be prepared for cheesy rhyming spells (which are the best and worst thing about Pagan spellbooks in general).
As a magical text, I give it a 4/10. As a pattern book, 9/10. Maybe buy it for that crafty Pagan in your life who's thinking of getting into crochet.
The intro starts out okay. We find out that the author is certified as a Master by the Crochet Guild of America. The intent is established: to provide a guide for magic through fiber arts. So far, so good.
Part 1: Fiber Magick Basics
This section begins with the author's definition of fiber magic as an extension of knot magic. The author recommends clearing one's mind and casting a circle to purify one's intentions, but I'm going to be honest--I do my knitting and crochet on the go. I don't always have time or privacy to make a magic circle before I stitch (except maybe a Magic Loop if I'm working in the round).
There's a ritual of energy manipulation involving a ball of yarn: very basic, and not a bad beginner's exercise. It's just kinda cheesy. Nothing wrong with a little cheese, it's just not my thing.
There's more discussion after that about the usual "basic energy work" stuff: focusing one's intentions, shielding, how time of day and cycles of the moon affect Pagan ritual, all that jazz. A chapter on sacred space and deity correspondences, which is similar to what you'll find in a Wicca 101 book but with a fiber-arts focus. An attribution of ritual tools to your crafting tools (okay?).
Our first project is: painting a pentacle on a tablecloth with craft paint. *Price Is Right sad trombone noise* Don't get me wrong; the math is helpful, especially if you're not good at geometry. It's just not what I'd consider fibercrafting.
Project 2: Embroidering a sigil cloth. Ok. Embroidery is good.
Project 3: A macrame offering bowl. I'm not into macrame, but I have to admit this is a solid project. There's just one problem: the author recommends the use of scraps of cloth or yarn (natural fibers only) as an offering to the birds to use as nesting materials. Here's why you should absolutely never do this with yarn: It's a hazard. The baby birds can choke or get tangled in it. Scraps of cotton cloth are safer (and biodegradable, which is nice). But please, please do not do this with your yarn.
Project 4: How to sew the absolute easiest ritual cloak, using bandanas and a cloth tablecloth (no I am not kidding). Points for including instructions to add a button clasp, though. I personally would use cotton broadcloth instead, but this is a good way to use thrift store finds.
Next, there are instructions for consecrating your crafting tools, which I guess makes sense, if you're only ever gonna use them for magical crafting. I do enough non-magical crafting with mine that I'm...not gonna do that.
Basic color and chakra correlations that can be found in any Wicca 101 book.
Project 5: A "chakra-balancing bracelet," made of yarn with 7 beads knotted into it. If it helps you, great, but all I could think was, "This looks like something I would have made when I was 9, and not in a good way."
Project 6 is a crocheted anklet that isn't much different from the bracelet. Again, I'm not saying it isn't fibercrafting, nor that it can't be magic just because it looks like a kids' craft. It just...looks like a kids' craft.
There's a discussion on dying fibers and cloth with natural dyes, which is kinda cool, and on making mandalas with crochet. I like to use a pattern for my mandalas, but the author's "pick a random stitch pattern for each row and see what happens" technique is also totally legit. That's probably how some of the mandalas I've seen got their start, after all.
Part 2: Fiber Magick Techniques
That's right, folks, we're learning more about magical techniques in this chapter! We start with basic knot magic, which segues nicely into prayer beads. It's nice Wicca 101 type stuff, although I'm not sure what I think about the use of plastic pony beads by a religion that's supposed to be about protecting the earth.
Project 7: Elemental Prayer Beads For Grounding. It's a repeated pattern of 4 colored beads for meditation on the Platonic elements. Personally, I think that it would look great with thread or jewelry cording and inexpensive glass beads. The yarn-and-pony-beads example in the photograph is easy to get on the cheap, sure, but it has that kiddie-craft look that you always get with pony beads.
Project 8: Triple Goddess Beads for Enlightenment. Same as project 7, but with a repeating pattern of red, black, and white. My opinion hasn't changed from project 7, either.
Project 9: Crocheted Prayer Beads. This one is made with tastefully-chosen cotton crochet thread and stone beads, which really shows off how this can look like beautiful jewelry for stealth witchery. The crafter is encouraged to personalize the project based on their own needs. Very nice.
The book moves on to weaving and braiding next, which means a combination of the really good, and the kinda bad.
Project 10: Picture Frame Loom. This is a great way to use an old picture frame, and the result is as good as many pin looms but waaay cheaper than buying one from your local yarn/fiber store. There are even instructions for using the loom, and to make plaid. This is a good, solid craft, and I'm happy to see it here.
Project 11: Nature Weaving. I'm sure an expert weaver could make something truly beautiful woven into a forked stick, as the illustration shows. But yarn loosely woven into what looks a bit like bungee cord (?) isn't that. While I'm sure it's meaningful and all, it looks more like junk than something you would actually want to decorate your home with. On the plus side, that illustration makes me want to use twigs to weave something beautiful and badass as a challenge.
Project 12: Group Weaving Project. This is a cute idea for a group craft, and is a great way to use an old plastic bangle and a Hula hoop. The use of colorful fabric scraps makes the illustrated example look homey, without looking like a kiddie craft. There are even little charms woven in, which is cute.
Project 13: Witch's Ladder. This....this is a good mental exercise, maybe? It just doesn't look good. At all. I'm not sure there's a way to weave twigs into braided ribbon that will make them look good, but beads and feathers could make it look interesting. I just...why, why are there metallic pipe cleaners in there?
Project 14: Floral Crown. This is good old-fashioned head adornment, and the author is happy to recommend fabric flowers from the craft store if there aren't any in season locally. I would do a better job of hiding the wire than the example in the illustration, but overall, not bad. When I have time in the summer, I may make myself a set for the Sabbats.
Project 15: Cloth Yarn. This is more like prep for the next project than an individual project in itself, but it's good to see cloth yarn described as a way to re-use old clothing. (I personally prefer to use old T-shirts, because I like the way they turn out, but woven yarns definitely work too.)
Project 16: Braided Rag Rug. This is a classic use of old fabric scraps, and it can be used for practical mundane uses or for yoga and meditation, as the book suggests. I already knew how to do this, but lots of people don't, and re-using worn things instead of throwing them away is good for the earth. A+ on this one.
Now for the basics of "fiber magick crochet." The author explains how to read patterns and form basic stitches. Each crochet stitch is assigned an elemental alignment, which...um. No. Meditate on the elements you want to use, sure. Use colors that work for your pattern, yes. But don't assign them stitches. That not only removes flexibility from your pattern designs, it also is just plain silly.
Project 17: Clarity Bracelet. This is...a crocheted bracelet with pony beads. Didn't we already do this in an earlier chapter?
Project 18: Elemental Mojo Bag. This is a great amulet-bag pattern for beginners, and is also a good way to practice stitches. I'm cringing at the stitch-element-correspondence stuff, but I can't find fault with the project itself.
Project 19: Simple Prayer Shawl. It's a basic mesh triangular shawl with a pretty shell-stitch border. You crochet from the point upwards, which means you have to be very careful about having enough yarn, but that's hardly an issue with the pattern itself. This is a good project, and introduces that all-important lace-crocheting skill.
Project 20: Crocheted Circle. It's a basic circle pattern, starting with 6sc. The author has you use a 2-ch foundation instead of a Magic Loop (maybe she's never heard of it?), but really, whether or not you use Magic Loop is a matter of personal preference. This is a very good guide to help crocheting beginners make smooth, nice circles. It also reminds crafters to stagger those increases so the result is a circle, not a hexagon.
Project 21: Candle Cozy. The author is responsible here and stresses basic candle safety, and that you shouldn't make a candle cozy for a bare candle, only one with a glass holder. She also points out that acrylic yarn will melt, so you should use cotton for safety. Unfortunately, as a yarn enthusiast, I see what appears to be a pair of acrylic cozies on the (unlit) candles in the photo, and one of them has a peace sign on it that was definitely done in Red Heart Super Saver. (All knitters and crocheters develop the ability to detect Red Heart Super Saver over time. It haunts our nightmares.)
Project 22: Crocheted Mandala. This pattern is a nice, basic rainbow mandala for beginners, and another good way to use an old Hula hoop. Kudos.
Project 23: Drawstring Magickal Bag. Another good crocheted bag, this time with a drawstring. Pagans are attracted to drawstring pouches like moths to a flame, so this is a very good project.
Project 24: Wish Bowl. It's a cute little thing, and it's supposed to remind you of what you need to do to achieve the things you wish for. Be mindful when using essential oils, especially if you have a housemate with fragrance-related allergies.
Project 25: Witch's Hat. The author uses 2 strands of sock yarn held together, but you could just use bulky yarn for this pattern and it'll stand up just as well. The pattern offers 2 different sizes, which is nice, and includes a hatband and three different photographed examples. Ideas for embellishment are also given, to make each hat unique.
Next are poppets. The author gives important tips on stuffing. I'm a bit worried about the "Cotton poppets are safe to burn or bury in the ground," because it really depends on what they're stuffed with, and fiberfill is neither biodegradable nor safe to burn. If you're going to destroy your poppets, do it responsibly!
Project 26: Crocheted Poppet. It's an easy human shape that's good for beginners. Just...embroidered faces are tricky, especially on crochet. The author tries, but it's hard to make these look good. On the plus side, the cutely-awkward face does give readers an idea of what their project will actually look like when made by the average person.
Project 27: Goddess of Journeys. It's a small, plush statue of this common symbol:
It's well-designed and avoids the issue of stuffing the tiny arms by just making them flat.Project 28: Chakra Doll With Pockets. Another human shape, but this time with more realistic proportions than the first poppet. It has pockets over each chakra, presumably to tuck tiny crystals or herbs into. Looks cheesy, but that's a matter of taste.
Project 29: Mermaid Poppet. This isn't particularly witchy in and of itself, but I'm not going to complain when it gives me a cute, chubby mermaid like this one. I'd probably use it for a children's altar to represent the element of water.
Time for flat crocheted embellishments to sew on your stuff! This is a fun chapter because it's nothing but patterns for flat, sew-on crochet symbols.
Projects 30 - 39 are: Pentagram, Heart, Goddess symbol, Peace Sign, Angel, Dragonfly, Yin-yang, Ankh, Eye, and Triple Moon. A good variety of symbols. My only complaint is that the angel doesn't really look like one? Maybe if you embroider a face and hands on it...
Part 3: Fiber Magick Applications
This section of the book is about making things for a specific purpose.
Project 40: Power Cloth. This is a basic washcloth, for cleansing and relaxation. Cleansing is important both hygenically and for magical work, so this certainly fits in this section. Plus, every crocheter must learn to make a washcloth at some point. It's practically a requirement.
Project 41: Bath Salt Bag. This one combines aromatherapy with the practicality of a nice mesh bag. You could also use this as a soap sack, but that's not as magical.
Project 42: As Above, So Below Sigil. This really belongs in the "flat symbols" chapter, but it's an interesting symbol that kinda works.
Project 43: Plarn. Plarn is yarn made from plastic grocery bags. You'll need it for--
Project 44: Plarn Mat. This is basically a big mat for donation to homeless shelters, so that when unhoused people need to sleep on the ground, they have a nice insulating layer between them and the ground and don't get wet or cold as easily. It takes 500-700 plastic bags to make a mat, the book tells us. That's a lot of plastic you're keeping out of landfills, and this is a good stopgap measure until we can get more people properly housed.
Project 45: Fiddle Cuff. This is to "use texture for healing and comfort." As someone with ADHD, I'm guessing the author may be neurodivergent and not know it. It just screams "soothing texture stim."
Project 46: Texture Mandala. This is meant to be used as a meditation tool for people who are more sensitive to textures. It's a repeat of Project 22, except that you change textures at each color change. So, more practical in the making than the use, and also a repeat of another pattern. Swell.
Project 47: Emotional Support Poppet. This is a larger Goddess-symbol poppet, only bigger and with stuffed arms.
Project 48: Prayer Lapghan. It's a nice lap blanket, which is practical for a lot of times when a full-sized blanket is just too big.
Project 49: Amulet of Protection. It uses plastic canvas, but since it's for making with kids, I have no real problem with that. It's a little yarn-covered pocket that you can slip herbs or paper sigils into.
Project 50: Door Ward. I'll be frank: this reminds me of nothing more than a mezuzah. It's a plastic-canvas mezuzah for Pagans, with warding spells in place of Torah passages.
Project 51: Besom Cover. Good for helping you tell the difference between the broom you clean with normally, and your magical-working broom. I'm not sure where the author found a straw broom (the store I go to only ever seems to have plastic) but good for her. This is a cute project.
Project 52: Ward Frame. More plastic canvas! This time, you're weaving a frame for a small photo, to protect the person in the photo. Presumably you're keeping it in a safe place, too, not displaying it, because it's also very tacky. (Personal tastes, I know.)
Project 53: "No" Sigil. It's a basic circle-and-slash "Do Not" symbol, to pin to a picture of whatever is threatening you. Another one that could have gone in the flat-symbols chapter.
Project 54: Warrior Bear. This one is just precious. It's a teddy bear with helmet, sword, and shield to protect your kids from the monsters under the bed. I would have made the sword and shield a touch bigger so they're more recognizable, but it's definitely a cute project. The one in the photo isn't made with tight enough tension, however, and the stuffing shows through.
Project 55: Garland of Wishes. For a birthday party. It's ribbon with beads knotted into it by each guest. I hope you at least got them a card too.
Project 56: Handfasting Cords. I didn't have a Pagan wedding, but this looks like a good cord for that part where the couple's hands are tied together.
Project 57: Baby Blanket. It's a granny square blanket, which is one of those other things that every crocheter learns. Each square is one solid color, with the colors of the different squares providing the pattern.
Project 58: Fiber Magick Star Sigil. It's a flat star symbol, which is nice. I would have put it with the other flat symbols, myself.
Project 59: Personal Pouch. This pouch closes envelope-style, with a buttonhole at the tip of the flap.
Project 60: Parents' Pouch. A zippered pouch to hold the smaller essentials in that diaper bag.
Project 61: Book of Shadows Carrier. It's an embellished cover to jazz up a composition notebook, with handles. The reader is encouraged to adjust the size of the carrier for their own Book.
Project 62: Remembrance Poppet. A crocheted keepsake to represent a lost loved one. Good for people who have an altar for those who have gone before.
The final chapter (other than the conclusion) has a project for each Sabbat. Some are better than others.
Project 63: Samhain Spiderweb. It's a nice crocheted web, but that spider is a single black bead with pipe cleaners wound around it and kinda makes it look tacky. Nix the spider, or find a nicer pattern for one and use that spider instead.
Project 64: Yule Tree Ornament. It's a tree ornament made around a cinnamon stick (for the trunk of the tree). It looks like it would make a cute gift, provided that your recipient isn't allergic to cinnamon.
Project 65: Imbolc New Sprouts Garland. A simple, yet lovely, pattern for a little crocheted vine with leaves.
Project 66: Ostara Egg Basket. It's a big handle-less basket for displaying colored eggs in. The examples in the photo look really cute.
Project 67: Beltane Maypole Wand. You know those ribbon fairy wands for little kids? This is that, but on a wooden crochet hook. Yeah.
Project 68: Litha Sun Weaving. It's the Eye of God ornament you may have made as a child, but with 4 sticks instead of 2. Looks nice, and is a great project for kids, but I would feel kinda weird making this as an adult.
Project 69: Lughnasadh Horned God Poppet. That's right; we finally get a male deity poppet near the end of the book. It's simple, and while the horns are nice, the arms are just strands of chain stitch worked into the body. I feel like he deserves some actual 3D arms, since the Goddess poppet got them. Still very good, except for the arms.
Project 70: Mabon Mug Cozy. It's a mug cozy. The trifecta of Things Every Crocheter Learns To Make is complete. It's a good pattern, and the photo shows off how adding a crocheted charm from the flat-symbols chapter can make it look really nice.
Project 71: Pagan Pride Ribbon. I did not know there was a Pagan Pride ribbon. This would also be nice for making other ribbon emblems, like the pink ribbon for breast-cancer survivors or black for AIDS/HIV awareness. The three crocheted ribbons in the photo are in the bi pride colors. I'm not sure if that was intentional. It makes a nice bookend for the book, so I'll overlook the fact that it's ANOTHER flat symbol that isn't in the flat-symbols chapter.
There's an appendix in the back with all the correspondences you'll find in literally any Wicca 101 book, which at least means you'll have them handy in your crafting space.
Summary:
I'm not entirely sure who the intended audience for this book is, aside from beginning crocheters. As an adult Pagan with no children, there are a lot of things in here that I personally have no desire to make. Several of the patterns are previous patterns repeated, and some of them are in locations that don't make much sense. Some of the patterns are the kids'-crafts sort, and others are more elaborate or time-consuming. The resulting book is a decent intro to Pagan-themed crafting, but the magical side is iffy. What magical info is here is either not original (and in literally hundreds of other books), or just not that good, except for the As Above, So Below symbol.
Take the stitch correspondences with a grain of salt, and be prepared for cheesy rhyming spells (which are the best and worst thing about Pagan spellbooks in general).
As a magical text, I give it a 4/10. As a pattern book, 9/10. Maybe buy it for that crafty Pagan in your life who's thinking of getting into crochet.
