The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2018

Sewing and Needlework
Herbs, Crafts, and Other Hearth-Related Magic Work

Needlework of any kind is a method of altering, changing, transforming, or reordering something, and as such makes an excellent basis for hearth-related magical work. Whether it’s as simple as hemming new curtains or a tablecloth out of a rectangle of fabric, like any other craft sewing can enhance and deepen the energy of your home and spiritual hearth.

This section will not go into fancy needlework, but you will find one simple sleep pillow craft. If you’re interested in other crafts that include sewing or needlework among them, look up Dorothy Morrison’s Magical Needlework or Willow Polson’s Witch Crafts and The Crafty Witch.

Herbal Sleep Pillows

Part of caring for one’s family and home is making sure people get enough sleep in order to be well rested and able to operate at peak efficiency. If you or your little ones are having trouble sleeping, make a tiny sleep pillow to tuck under your full-sized pillow and encourage restful sleep. Dill and lavender are both associated with sleep.

Try using a thick material such as felt, otherwise the bits of dried dill can poke through the fabric. If you wish to use a particular thinner cloth, double it. The color or pattern are your choice, although try using a soft color instead of something vibrant or saturated.

You will need:

✵ Rectangle of cloth approximately 5" × 7"

✵ Needle and thread (a complementary or matching color thread)

✵ 1 handful dried dill

✵ 1 handful dried lavender

✵ 1 teaspoon dried powdered orris root

✵ Small bowl

✵ Straight pins

1. Fold the cloth in two, so that you have a smaller rectangle. If you are using a fabric with a right and wrong side, fold the right sides together. Sew along two of the open sides with a running stitch to create a pocket-like shape. Turn it inside out so that the seams are inside.

2. Combine the dill, the lavender, and the orris root powder in the bowl, and stir with your fingers to blend evenly.

3. Pour the herbal mixture into the pocket.

4. Fold the raw edges of the open side inside toward the herbal mixture. Pin the seam and sew it shut.

5. Tuck the pillow inside the pillowcase of the full-sized pillow. If it is for a young child, place the pillow on a shelf or hang it on a hook or nail on the wall by the bed, making sure it is out of physical reach.