Hi all! So today, I got the urge to do something. I've been very low-key lately, slowly stepping back into witchcraft, but today I felt this urge. So, I made a poppet, which is something I've been wanting to make for so long, in different versions and for different purposes. The one I made today is meant for myself, and I hope the intention behind my actions really shines through this poppet. I hope to leave some negative thoughts behind and step forward into a cleansed space and mindset. Below, I will list each ingredient and what it represents (especially for me personally).
Disclaimer: Please, follow a real tutorial before making your own! I'm just sharing my personal process, but not with the intent that you follow all my steps as an instructional piece. Thank you for understanding!
1) Collect all ingredients. This included (from my experience) an old pair of pajama bottoms, thread, a sewing needle, thick yarn (for filling), buttons/beads/bells/things to decorate your poppet, a small glass jar, paper and pen (for writing anything you'd like - I wrote a mantra that I hope to remember in sad times), my hair (to connect the poppet to myself) sugar (to add sweetness, sweet thoughts and actions), bay leaf (intention written on, then burned. I also wrote my name here, to add another connection to myself), deer fur/hair (I'm hoping to imbue a gentle nature, as well as my own personal symbolism of change and growth), black pepper (banishing old negative thought patterns, and hoping for inner strength), cloves (again, help with banishing old negativity, as well as drawing love (self-love/confidence is a hope)), sage (self purification, as well as a chance for healing and moving forward after loss).
2) I cut out basic shapes to make up the torso, head, two arms and two legs. The location of the "final" stitching is relevant, so I chose to close mine in the front (off) center. This is to imply my desire to change a lot of who I am, from the center, outwards. Each body shape needs 2 pieces.
3) Place the outside of the fabric together that you want to sew. Sew the outside edge of the combined pieces, except for one small side - this is where you will turn it inside out to hide the seam, and then stuff with a filling of your choice.
The pieces sewn partially together, with openings to be flipped and stuffed. I used these pajama pants as I used to love them, and they represent a connection to me.
4) I used a chopstick to turn the pieces inside out, then I stuffed them with a thick yarn. I decided to sew each piece closed individually, then sew each piece to the torso.
5) Before sewing the final stitch/finishing your poppet fully, this is when I would recommend placing in any objects you choose! I took a small glass jar and placed in a piece of paper containing a mantra, my hair, sugar, bay leaf (burned and crushed), deer hair, black peppercorns, cloves, sage (crushed).
The jar that lies in my poppet’s chest with the ingredients inside. You could, of course, add a crystal. I didn’t have access to one small enough for the jar.
6) Place your items within the poppet. I put my jar within the chest cavity, which I stitched closed vertically. This is also when I finished attaching the arms, legs and head to the torso.
The poppet pieces, turned right-side out and stuffed with thick yarn. Also pictured is the jar and the paper with the mantra, which I did end up putting within the jar, too.
7) Finish up your poppet! For me, this required buttons, a bell, heart shaped bead, letter beads, and the same yarn I used to stuff the poppet. The buttons are for the eyes (white to represent innocence, and a lack of judgement within my view), the heart bead and bell are for the heart (something I feel everyone can see, which I love), the letter beads are for a makeshift necklace (my name is Samantha, and only people very special to me can call me “Sammie”), and the yarn for the hair (my hair is not exactly like the poppet, of course, but I made it long to represent my desire to actually care for my hair and try to keep it healthy).
My bald poppet, mostly finished except for her hair...
The finished poppet, with her yarn hair all sewn in! <3 I am so grateful to have been able to do this, and I am energized to move forward in life with confidence :D
"I am loved, by others and myself, /
I am strong and confident in everything I do. /
This is a clean start, cleansed and purified, /
And my future will be marked by joy and peace."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppet
https://theoccultwitch.com/blog/2018/8/4/how-to-make-and-use-poppets-in-your-craft
https://teaandrosemary.com/poppets-witchcraft/
