Last updated Aug 17, 2024

Using crochet and knitting in witchcraft

This is a rewrite of an old post I made on tumblr. I am not active in the tumblr witchblr community anymore. I don’t think I made a whole bunch of original posts, but I will slowly be working on bringing over some of the posts I wish to preserve/expand upon here. This would mostly include tarot spreads I have created and recipes I have altered to add specific correspondences to.

I see many witches looking for subtle ways they can explore their craft or interweave it within their day to day lives, and I think crafts are an awesome place to explore that. Knitting and crochet are awesome to incorporate into your practice for a variety of reasons, including:

Subtle. No one is going to think anything weird of you taking up a craft unless they are weird themselves. No one is going to see you making a protection cap and think you are a demon. They are going to think you are making a hat.
Portable. Easy to take with you to a coffee shop, nature trail, doctors office, wherever
While I wouldn’t exactly say knitting and crochet are easy to learn, they are something that you can teach yourself to do. There are tons of free youtube videos out there or books you can borrow from the library. I taught myself both just from youtube. If you have the money to spare, you may wish to find in person classes at a local yarn shop. Classes are nice because they can help you with some of the common troubleshooting issues newbies face (like twisted stitches).
Can be done solo or with a group (or coven)
(Can be) Affordable. You absolutely do not need to go out and get the fanciest yarn and most expensive accessories. Buy what is within your budget. Check out yard sales and second hand stores. Crafters are notorious for overbuying material. Let family and friends know about your new hobby, chances are you will find someone who has some extra yarn they would love to offload on someone else. My aunt brings me a whole trash bag stuffed with yarn every month from various friends that I then redistribute among my crafting groups. I have gotten multiple full skeins of hard to find and expensive yarns this way too. I am rambling, but what I am saying is crochet and knitting don’t need to be expensive hobbies. If you have an extra $20 you would be able to get more than enough materials to start.

Okay, so we established why someone might want to think about incorporating knitting and crochet into your craft, but how exactly do you do that, and what are you hoping to do with it? Some of these questions are things you are going to have to answer on your own, but here are some ideas of what you can do:

When starting a new project, I like to take notes on it. You can use a website like ravelry, your notes app, or a physical journal. I use ravelry for all my projects, but for magic enhanced projects I also dedicate a page in my book of shadows. I like to note down both the mundane and the magical. What day did I start the project? What yarn(s) did I use? What size hook/needle? Who is the project for? What intent/charm are you putting into this project? Why? Is there anything special you associate with the colors of the yarn or the pattern of the stitches? If you are writing this in a journal, give yourself some space to come back and write more information as the project progresses. sidenote: try to make sure you have an extra copy of your pattern somewhere, esp if this is a longer project. I can’t tell you how many times I have shoved a WIP somewhere for a few months and then had no idea where the pattern was or where I was in that pattern last time I worked on it.
Think about your correspondences. You can find lists if you want, both for colors and stitch patterns, but I think sometimes it is better to make your own. Think about what you feel. What drew you to the pattern you picked? The colors of the sample piece? The stitch pattern? Something else in the photos that caught your eye? Be creative and open when asking these questions: Sure purple may be a color commonly associated with your deity, but what do you associate it with? Does it remind your of a flower? Or a memory? Take a few minutes to mindfully explore these sorts of things before starting your project.
Prayer shawls (not to be confused with tallit). Prayers shawls are usually made with the intention of gifting them to another person. You may say a prayer/hymn before or during the process of making the shawl. You may pick the colors based on a religious story. Usually these are gifted to someone who is sick or dealing with grief. You can probably already see where you could use this concept for magical purposes as well.
Similarly, you can devotional shawls (or really any wearable piece) for yourself. Infuse your shawl with prayers to your deity. Meditate on them and burn their candle/incense while you work. Pick colors and patterns you feel best represent them. Your finished shawl can be brought back out when you are working with your deities, or just need a reminder of your relationship with them.
If you don’t do deity work, you can try saying an incantation or affirmation while working! I like patterns with repeating sections or motifs. I will repeat my affirmation to myself every time I start the repeat.
Patterns that are simple (same stitch over and over again) can help you get into a meditative/trance state. I personally find still, silent meditation to be difficult. But moving my hands and keeping myself visually concentrated on the colors and textures of the fabric I am making feels more natural to me.
Crochet and knit projects sometimes have a “right side” and a “wrong side” The wrong side is usually facing your body, while the right side is visible to everyone else. I could make a shawl that has magic to protect my own energy woven into the wrong side, while I weave in magic to repel other’s energy on the outside.
Charming your tools is an option, just like you might charm any other magical tool. I often view my hooks and needles as wands and an extension of myself and my energy.
Don't feel like you are limited to making just shawls because that is what I listed here. This is just a starting point. Any type of crafted item can have magic woven into it. A blanket what wards off knitmares. An amigarumi plush that brings joy to all who see it. A purse that brings good luck and wealth.
Donating or gifting finished pieces can also be a devotional act. Think about the ways you can make it dedicated to your specific dieties. For example, making and donating a blanket to a dog rescue could be a devotional act I would do for Hekate.

These are some other things you can do with yarn crafts:

Make a piece of fabric with a specific incantation/affirmation in mind. When you feel satisfied, take the yarn off of your hook/needles and rip it back. You have now released that energy into the room you are in. Or do it outside/open a window to spread that energy to others.
In a different energy, you can take that finished piece and burn it. Please use common sense fire safety. Burn stuff outside. Look at how your yarn material burns. Natural fibers burn to ash, but acrylic materials may just melt. You may wish to only use natural material yarns (cotton yarn can be found cheap). I have burned fabric pieces before as part of curses or ways to “trap” specific energies that I wish to rid myself of
Learn to spin your own yarn. This kinda starts to get out of the territory of what I can teach. You can find drop spindles and roving yarn for fair prices online. I have made small bits of my own yarn this way that I save for special spells/rituals. Yarn that you spin yourself has an opportunity to pick up more of your energy and intentions.
Look into knot magic. This is something I am just starting to learn myself, so I can't comment on it much myself. It seems like it is something you could work into your crochet and knit pieces, or a good use for any extra yarn you might have after a project

Importantly, don’t feel like knitting or crochet now have to be magical every time you do it. You can still do your hobby for fun. You can come home from a long day and veg out with some youtube and crochet and not think about magic at all. I usually have several WIPS going at one time, and only one or two of them are magic related. Putting pressure to have every crochet and knitting experience be magical now can cause you to get burnt out on it. You don’t have to set any crazy expectations for yourself. Heck, you never even need to be “good” at these crafts to fully utilize the magical capabilities of it. Just do what makes you feel empowered.