Litha 1999 Newsletter Paganism 101 - Crafting the Craft by Laren

While many people find it hard to believe, Witches and Pagans are just like everyone else. We work, cook, clean, pay the bills. And we like to craft! While the image of a craft such as quilting may be of a group of ladies at a church quilting bee, that image is just as likely to be applied to a coven of witches or circle of pagans. Traditional crafts such as patchwork, quilting and cross stitch are finding new homes on the Internet. If you think it's lonely being a witch, try being a witch who is attempting to find a cross stitch pattern for a pentacle or a goddess applique pattern! There are now several web pages and e-mail lists that allow Pagans to incorporate their faith and their love of crafting in new and exciting ways.

Incorporating your belief into your craft can take on many forms. For example, quilting a goddess pattern on your quilt, incorporating elemental colours in your quilt or cross stitch or perhaps even using the repetitive nature of quilting as a meditation technique.

Here is a list of web sites to get you started Crafting the Craft:

Sacred Spiral

http://www.sacredspiral.com/crafts/craft.html
This site has come great Goddess applique patterns as well as a variety of other handycraft ideas of a Pagan nature.

SarKarNor's Pagan Quilters Page

http://members.home.net/sarkarnor/
This site acts as a networking point for Pagan Quilters. Great links page.

Quilting and the Craft

http://www.paganlibrary.com/editorials/Quilting_And_Craft.html
This article looks at what quilting and Wicca have in common.

Ashlynn's Grove

http://paganism.com/ag/crafty.html
Includes making a basic tunic, and other handy craft tips.

Paganism and Quilting

http://www.oocities.org/Athens/Forum/3567/GG8.html
Another article that looks at the history of quilting and Paganism.

Witches Stitches

http://www.visi.com/~kwallen/MainPage.htm
This site has a small but wonderful range of Pagan/Witch cross stitch patterns.

Latvian Cross Stitch

http://www.ndtc.org/hypermedia/students/gunda/gl.htm
The designs used in Latvian decorative arts and crafts have been in existence since pagan times. They mostly signify deities of nature. Over the centuries these simple designs have become more and more embellished through use.