Weekend Tutorial: Make a Tarot Cloth

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. 

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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

1. Iron your fabric.
2. Lay it flat and drip the chlorine bleach over the cloth randomly. The idea is to create little points that resemble a night sky.
3. When you are happy with the design, let it dry. The bleach is a bit stinky so feel free to rinse your cloth if you like. The smell fades pretty quickly.
4. Next, applique your pieces of fabric onto the cloth if using. I went for some random rectangles and squares and I kept the edges raw.
5. embroider some straight stitches and French knots randomly on your cloth using one or two strands of white embroidery thread.
6. When you are happy with your design, seam the square using a ¼ inch seam allowance.
7. Iron and use!