Tag Archives: ritual

Merry meet all,

This post is about what to wear during a ritual. I am a sucker for costume wear. I am the one girl who flips the sewing pattern catalogues to that often overlooked costume section to peruse there. I have sewn gowns, cloaks, robes, and altar cloths for myself. I designed my own costume wear because it does make a difference. 

My Mother is a seamstress and she taught me everything I know about sewing. I live near a fabric store. I haunt Fabricville for helpful information and fabric and supplies. The image of the Witch in black with broom in hand is common. But there is something to wearing black. It can affect how you feel. 

I may speak for myself here but I never wear jeans during ritual ever. I always wear something special. Perhaps some people practice skyclad and that is up to them. But I do what works for me. Jeans erase any smidgen of magick and I always wear them sparingly whether I am in ritual or not. A special outfit and this includes makeup, and jewelry has an affect on how you feel. 

So be bold and celebrate your uniqueness! Wear black or all white or purple,. Purple makes me feel magickal too. Every colour has a meaning. The fabric you wear should feel good on you too. It should conform to your body. It has to feel comfortable. Also, avoid long billowing sleeves if you are burning candles. I myself was caught on fire when I wore my black spiderweb shawl I made myself. The frilly edges of the shawl was caught by the flames. I don’t recommend it. Have a pitcher of water or a fire extinguisher nearby. 

In this post, you will learn how to make a Witch costume. It is easy to do and affordable. A sewing machine is required. The costume is a dress that you pull over your head. Buy two to three meters of black cotton fabric. Always have more fabric than you need. Buy some good quality black thread too. The pattern is in the photo shown above.

The pattern that was used was McCall’s costume #3334. I do not know if that pattern is available now. You may be able to find the pattern on Ebay. It is so easy to do you may not need a pattern. Cut out the pattern pieces and keep them in one pile.

Sew two sides- the back and the front- of the fabric material and stitch them together. Always press after you stitch. This makes sewing your garment much easier and ensures a good result. Sew on the long black sleeves. They should be a bit longer than your arms. Turn the garment right side out and trim any loose threads. Press again. The pattern calls for a wide collar. Sew the collar and turn the edges under or make them jagged! Here is the fun part: make the hem jagged and the hem of the sleeves and the collar. Make smaller jagged edging at the collar.

Pull the costume over your head and see if it fits you properly. Make sure it fits you and if it doesn’t, make some adjustments. You want to feel good and comfortable in the costume.

love spiders. My Craft name is Spiderwitch. I live in harmony with spiders. They are one of my totem animals. They are amazing arachnids. I love observing fresh dew on spiderwebs in my garden. The dew drops on a web look ethereal. 

That’s why I selected the spiderweb lace material for the shawl. I will tell you how I made the shawl so you can sew a shawl, too. So let’s get started. I selected a meter of the material and three meters of the fringe material. I gathered my spool of black thread, a pincushion, scissors, pins, and a quiet spot to work in. I owned a triangle shaped black and emerald velvet fringed shawl. The material was square shaped but I used the velvet shawl as a pattern. I cut a similar pattern of the lace material. I tried smoothing the edges of the lace material. However, I needed to sew on the fringe material.

So I threaded my needle. Forget sewing this project on the sewing machine. I tried that and in no time, the fabric snagged. While you’re sewing the shawl, you’re putting your energy and intent into it so trust me, sew by hand. It is more work but worth it.  I sat there for hours sewing the fringe onto the lace shawl. The lace liked to slip and gather and tangle. I worked out each kink as I stitched. This step takes the longest and takes patience. I also advise you sew when you are clearheaded and in good light to see what  you are doing better and avoid damaging the material. So if you have a triangle shaped pattern, you can add fringe to three sides of the material. Determine the right and wrong side of your material. Always sew the fringe on the wrong side of the material- think of it as the top and bottom side. In this case, the bottom side of the material. This is why it helps to sew in good light. 

Be neat and tidy as you sew. Work out each snag if you come across one. I kept checking and rechecking if I was sewing correctly. I didn’t want the fringe material to bunch up or look wrong. Once you have sewn the fringe on the two sides, hold the shawl up and assess what you have accomplished so far. Be careful how you sew to determine and achieve a beautiful garment. If you are patient and work hard, you will have a beautiful shawl. It is optional to add fringe to the top of the shawl. I did because I had left over fringe remaining. Make sure the fringe is sewn on neat and straight and is sewn to both ends of the side you’re sewing it on. 

Make sure you have enough thread and pins. I added pins. They sometimes fall out so be sure to clean up pins that fell on the floor. Once you are done sewing on the fringe, you now have a shawl to wear for Samhain. I added a black bow to the top of the shawl. My shawl is delicate and fragile. This is why it pays to take care as you sew. Never put anger into a garment you sew because the result will never look beautiful. Sew with patience. It doesn’t have to completed in one day. I took three days to sew the shawl. 

Trim loose threads and examine the shawl for anything you may have missed. I hope you will own a shawl that you can wear with pride during Samhain. Wash by hand and always allow to air dry. Your shawl will last a long time with the proper care. 

Blessed Be, Lady Spiderwitch )O(