Fiber Magick: A Witch’s Guide to Spellcasting with Crochet, Knotwork, & Weaving, by Opal Luna; Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications; First Edition c.2021 (color illustrated, 313 pages, approximately 25 cm, height x 18 cm width) ISBN: 978-0-73876542-6.
Visit the Author's website: www.FiberMagick.com
I LOVE this book for a number of reasons...but, before I get into my review, first let me warn you, I have not tried to make any of these projects, nor do I know how to crochet. But I have some experience working with cord and knot work in my magickal practices.
Are you a magically-oriented, crafty person or, someone who wants to learn fiber arts and incorporate it into your magickal practices? Author, long-time Witch, crocheter, and teacher, Opal Luna has “developed a way to turn the love of crochet into a magickal path”. “Fiber Magick is the practice of manifesting thought into tangible things”, Luna states. “Basically Fiber Magick is an expansion of good old-fashioned knot magick.”
This guidebook features over 70 (crochet, knotwork, or weaving) magickal craft projects for beginning to intermediate + levels, has over 100 color photos/illustrations, and includes detailed instructions for each project. Plus, you get a project description, magickal advice on setting the mood or intention for projects, the materials and tools you will need for each, the instructions, and some spell or magical working.
Other information is included, such as deities associated with craft working that you can call upon, the magickal use of color, an appendix with color, fabric, stone, and other correspondences. The beginning of the book has a Project List listing all the craft projects and their page numbers. My one caveat is: I wish the Project List also mentioned whether or not the project was for beginning, intermediate or advanced skill level crafters rather than having to go to that page to find that information.
A pleasant surprise to me was the inclusion of Plarning (which uses “plastic yarn”). I am familiar with this practice because crafty people in my former workplace used to plarn/weave together plastic shopping bags to create waterproof mats for the homeless to sleep on. What a wonderful idea to include this in the book. It could make for a great coven or pagan community project!
I’ve always said, people who create (and/or perform) art, crafts, music, poetry, and comedy are magickcians in their own right. Incorporating those crafts, especially when made by you or your circle, into your ritual and magic is a potent brew indeed! And making/crafting things by hand is so intrinsic to human evolution.
I recommend the book for those interested in exploring this juxtaposition of fiber arts and magick. As someone who does little in this area, I can’t say whether or not the more advanced crafter will find enough here to interest them. It may be more for the beginning/intermediate level crafter. But I can say, the author is obviously an expert crafter and magickal practitioner. --reviewed by, Banshee Shadowwolf
Thank you for your kind words Banshee. The book is designed with beginners in mind but I have heard from more experienced folx that they appreciated the Magickal connection. My goal is to make the spiritual more crafty and the crafty more spiritual. If I get a chance at a second book I hope to take it up a level. 😆
Bright blessings, Opal Luna