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“The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life.” Margot Adler  For many witches, the triple moon symbol is the ultimate sign of their path regardless of tradition. We often define witches by their practices and indirectly sometimes their abilities. However the identity of witch is one we can all own without having to prove to anyone what it means. This talisman was created as a celebration of the witch and encourages the wearer to stand in their power however they choose to define themselves. Talismans and charms are worn to attract and enhance. They come with a pin and chain so that you can decide how to wear it. Alternatively you could pin or mount it somewhere appropriate. I suggest meditating on what you need before choosing your piece. The talisman can be charged with your own personal intentions when you receive it. Triple Moon Charm
$30.00
Hand embroidered onto upcycled black fabric. “The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life.” Margot Adler For many witches, the triple moon symbol is the ultimate sign of their path regardless of tradition. We often define witches by their practices and indirectly sometimes their abilities. However the identity of witch is one we can all own without having to prove to anyone what it means. This talisman was created as a celebration of the witch and encourages the wearer to stand in their power however they choose to define themselves. My tiny magicks are talismans to aid you in spellwork and spiritual journeying. Each talisman is unique. I use a variety of fabrics, fibers and objects to create each piece and many of materials I useI have foraged for carefully. My creative process is intuitive and I spend time in meditation and contemplation when creating. Each piece is cleansed and charged on my personal altar under a full moon. Talismans and charms are worn to attract and enhance. They come with a pin and chain so that you can decide how to wear it. Alternatively you could pin or mount it somewhere appropriate. I suggest meditating on what you need before choosing your piece. The talisman can be charged with your own personal intentions when you receive it.
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 Ostara feels like the perfect time to launch my store. I still have the Etsy shop and will continue to have it but I also wanted to develop a store where I can have more control.
The store will have my Tiny Magick pieces as well as online courses for craft projects and some embroidery kits amongst other things. All subscribers to my newsletter will receive a discount code and you are the first to receive news of events. If you haven't subscribed yet complete the form on the right of this page. I wish you peace and balance at this time of upheaval and change.   I’m working on a new series of very small fiber art pieces that I am calling “Tiny Magick”. It’s been rewarding to do smaller projects and I highly recommend trying it. The stakes are low in that they finish up quickly and don’t take a large amount of materials, this means that I can experiment and play. This is so important in the creative process. I add a sleeve to the top of each one so they can be worn either with a safety pin or chain, or a tiny dowel or stick can be threaded through the top to mount it. Some will be available to buy eventually. Subscribe to my newsletter to find out when. I call them “Tiny Magick” because I believe that my spiritual and creative selves are essentially the same. When I work like this, the witch in me rejoices. Each one is a spellcasting.    The embroidery piece is for a friend who has gone through big life transition. It’s been remarkable to see how she has handled this both emotionally and practically. She told met that she loves the phrase ‘Strong AF’ which inspired me to make this as a house-warming gift. The eyelet fabric looks great but it was tricky to work with. Next time I think I would back the fabric with a piece of muslin very thin to give it some stability and help anchor the stitches. The design will be available as a chart eventually. If you want to know when it becomes available sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 
For the last couple of weeks I have been busy getting ready to teach an embroidery class. It’s not the first time I've taught something creative, but it’s been a while. It is the first time I have taught embroidery. I’ve been working on designs and logistics and it’s taken up quite a bit of my finite free time.
I am at a point now where I am missing the doing of my projects, the sewing. I have therefore decided to work on some new pieces and develop my original works. While I do this, please enjoy two of my favorite people involved in crafts.   I’m already nostalgic for a few weeks ago when we had a spectacular snow storm and I was home alone happily sewing. Back then posted the planchette pin cushion I made and promised it would be available as a pattern very soon.
Here it is. It’s a great short project that has a function. Also, if you want to you could add some ribbon and make it an ornament. It’s a nice size, fits in your palm. The PDF digital download is $8. Get in touch if you make one! 
I don’t hoard or save many things. Except fabric. I can’t help it, I have so much of it but I don’t always have the right piece. These days I am being a little stricter with myself and trying to work through some of the older stash items.
However I do want share with you all the places and ways I collect fabric. Where I get my fabric depends on my projects. However, these days I am less interested in commercially produced patterned fabric. Honestly I think they make my projects look really boring and dare I say generic! In my work I am looking to create something one of kind. People, I think, are often dissuaded from so-called difficult fabrics like organza or silk because they are not so easy to craft with. I don’t agree and think any fabric or textile has a use; it’s the trickiness of it that leads to discoveries. Old Clothes Save your clothes! Any that have holes or rips that are not salvageable are great. I’ve use old shirts for embroidery and of course patchwork is a very traditional way of reusing clothes. Bedding and other linens Bed sheets from thrift stores or maybe some of your own are wonderful. You will get a lot of projects out of them. Plain ones can be used for embroidery, or you can dye them to create a unique fabric. They are also great as a layer if you are doing kantha quilting because they are a good size. I use pillowcases too. I usually cut them into two flat pieces. Basically, save anything including old grubby looking tea towels or napkins. Wash them and cut them into pieces or use them as a base to sew onto. By the time you’re done you won’t see that layer. Curtains are a great as well! I am including a video below on using bleach make patterns on fabric. It’s a quick, economical way of breathing new life into plain fabric.
New or Vintage Fabrics
Ebay is my favorite place to get big lots of fabric scraps. For patchwork and applique projects I usually search for sari or kimono silks. There are plenty of vendors selling scraps and they often sell by weight. I also like to find canvas off cuts here too. Canvas is used by painters and is usually stretched onto a frame and then treated with a white paint called gesso. This is then ready for the artist to paint onto. Once the canvas is trimmed to the frame, there might be some scraps left that you can buy. Untreated canvas off cuts are lovely. They have a creamy color and can be quite thick making them a great base for fiber art, as well as embroidery projects. Make sure you consider shipping on this stuff though. I have been ready to buy fabric that is very reasonably priced only to find that the shipping pushed the total sky high. Etsy has a growing number of people selling their own dyed fabric. I love these as they are unique and really beautiful. My preference is for natural dyed cottons and linens. Many vendors sell large pieces and small ones. Etsy is also great for solid fabrics too. Give yourself time to look through the listings rather than jumping at ones on the first page. 
Friends and Other Projects
If you have friends who also like sewing, consider a fabric swap party. I have a dear friend who basically just wanted to get rid of a bunch of fabric scraps because she makes much bigger items than I do and the smaller off cuts she had were of no use to her. I ended up with a wonderful selection of new pieces that will last me ages. Also, always save any scraps of fabric from your own wort. For the type of projects I do no piece is too small! 
Where do you get your fabric? Share in the comments.
 I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a beginners' embroidery class at Asheville's Raven and Crone on February 12th. All participants will receive a kit with a brand new Open Coven embroidery design that we'll stitch together. We'll look at different transfer methods, stitches and how to finish off your design for display.
This is a great opportunity to learn an addictive hobby and spend time with likeminded people in Raven and Crone's brand new space! Cost: $25 (includes full embroidery kit) Time: 3pm - 5pm Location: Raven and Crone, 640 Merrimon Avenue, Suite 207 Asheville, North Carolina 28804 No registration required but space is limited.  This is a fun and easy project that allows you to experiment with a couple of different sewing techniques as well as mark making. I do tarot readings alone and with my friends, having a cloth on which to the place the cards creates a space of sacredness. In this project you can be as creative or as minimal as you like. I incorporated some basic applique and embroidery but nothing too elaborate as I didn’t want the cloth to be too busy. Also, the more additional materials you add to your base cloth, the less flat it risks being, which means the tarot or oracle cards won’t sit nicely on it. For the cloth pictured below, I used an old cloth napkin, so I didn’t need to seam it. It is a good size and will fit a three card tarot pull and even a Celtic Cross spread on it. You will need: A piece of dark colored cloth (black, charcoal, navy, or teal) cut to a 9 ½ inch square A small dish of chlorine bleach A small implement for dripping, I use a chopstick, but you could use a paintbrush or old knitting needle Small complimentary pieces of fabric (optional) 6 inch embroidery hoop White embroidery thread Embroidery needle Sewing thread and sewing needle
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The art work and life of Elizabeth Watkin
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