Arts and Crafts: NeedleCraft
NeedleCrafts have long been a part of Pagan heritage. The images associated with sewing are often powerful symbols. We see references to women who were able to weave men's fate, for instance. Often we refer to spell work as "spinning" or "weaving," and often our spell work actually involves sewing herbs or other items into a poppet. Needlework isn't only a symbol. Many Pagans use sewing skills in order to honor the deities, work magic, and simply to decorate their homes and ritual clothes.
Dream Pillows
Dream pillows can be more or less complicated, depending on the age/talent of the child. The body of the pillow is made by sewing two pieces of fabric together (right sides together) while leaving a gap about three inches wide. You then turn the right sides out and fill the pillow with some type of stuffing (polyfiber fill, cotton balls, etc.) and herbs with the appropriate qualities. I think I prefer using cotton balls for the stuffing, as the fiber is natural. Stretch them out before putting them in the pillow to help combat lumpiness.
As for the design on the pillow, there are many choices. You can embroider/cross-stitch designs from patterns in needlecraft books or from your own imagination. You can use cloth appliques of various symbols like suns, moons, stars, flowers, sheep (for those who have a hard time falling asleep). Fabric paint also looks very nice, as does stamping. Take a trip to the craft store and choose some rubber stamps that suit you. You should also be able to find ink that is appropriate for use on cloth. (It won't fade if it has to be washed!) If you can find a pattern that you like, iron-on designs also work very well.
Embroidery
I think embroidery is a wonderful skill for any Pagan. It adds so much to robes, sachets, poppets, etc. It takes practice and patience, but it looks absolutely beautiful when you it is done. Little children love to do needlework, although their hands are clumsier and their attention spans are short. However, most craft stores have plastic canvas and large, easy-to-grip, hard-to-hurt-yourself needles. With these and a little yarn, you can start to teach your children to do wonderful things with a needle. Older children can start with embroidery needles, embroidery floss, aida cloth and cross-stitch patterns. (I started with cross-stitch when I was eleven or twelve and found it much easier than many other embroidery stitches. It is a counted stitch technique, which makes it a little more like paint-by-numbers.) There are a great number of kits and patterns available for all level of needle workers -- from beginner to experienced. You can also buy gridded paper and make your own designs.
Wall-Hanging of Deity Family Tree
You can do this project for an entire pantheon or for a smaller group (like your family's chosen Gods/Goddesses), depending on how complex or simple you prefer. Map out the tree first so you will know how much space you will need. If you would like to include symbols for any of the deities, be sure to include them. This "map" will act as a pattern. Make sure that it is centered on the paper. It might be helpful to draw a grid, allowing only so much space per Deity.
You can get very colorful, if you like, by using your correspondences. Choose a background color that has particularly strong meaning to your family's tradition. If there isn't one that stands out to you, choose a color that your entire family likes. Then use colors appropriate for each Deity. If you prefer a more unified look, choose only three colors -- one each for the background, Deity names, and connecting lines.
Before you begin stitching, lay your fabric out to decide how much space you will need. You want the tree to be centered. You also need to leave enough material at the top for a dowel rod or a stick. (You can either sew the top edge over once, leaving enough room to slide the rod through it; or you can finish it as mentioned for the other sides, make six loops of fabric or cord to attach to the top edge, and run the rod through those loops.) You must also consider the sides and bottom of the piece. Be sure to leave enough room to finish these edges. (You will need to fold each edge twice and sew it down.)
For finishing touches, you can add fringe or beads to the bottom of the piece. I would also embroider each family member's name or sigil to the bottom of the wall-hanging. In my mind, that brings us even closer to understanding our place with the family of Gods. You may wish to dedicate this item to your pantheon and hang it in a special place in your home.
As for the hanging rod, I would suggest using a piece of wood that has special meaning in either your tradition or in your family. For instance, you may find that the tree in your backyard offers a stick for you to use. By all means, use it instead of a dowel rod from the hardware store.
After you have finished all the stitching and assembling, you will want to use some method of hanging the piece from the wall. I can think of two ways that would work well. First, you can rest the stick atop two nails in the wall. Or, you can attach a piece of string, ribbon or cord to the rod -- tying the string at both ends of the stick -- and hang the string from one nail.
