#witch webs

[breelandwalker]

whats shambles?

A shamble (or shambles) is a magical object from the Discworld book series by Sir Terry Pratchett. They were introduced in "The Wee Free Men," the first book in the Tiffany Aching cycle.

Shambles are used by witches for a variety of magical uses. They can detect or amplify magic, send a spell, protect a dwelling, or really whatever is needed. (Some shambles are also purely decorative, because a proper witch ought to maintain a certain level of ambience. Unless, of course, your name is Esmerelda Weatherwax, in which case the darn things just get in the way.)

There are no hard and fast rules as to what EXACTLY a shamble should look like, or even what it should be made of, only that it must be able to hang like a wind chime and must contain something living (or once-living) at the center).

A capable Discworld witch should be able to put together a shambles from whatever materials are at hand and the most powerful and effective shambles are the ones you make when there is the greatest need for them. It's all about capturing the moment and following one's intuition and sense of need during the construction.

Illustration by Hedgefairy (Deviantart)

I may or may not have had shambles in mind when I created the tutorial for Witch Webs for one of my books, but they certainly capture the same feeling - a woven hanging with no definite pattern which can include whatever feels right and may be used for whatever purpose one has need for at the time. Plus they make fabulous decorations.

[breelandwalker]

Restock Notice - Glow-In-The-Dark Witch Webs

Look what's back in the Willow Wings Witch Shop!

Glow-In-The-Dark Witch Web Kits

Designed as an open-use way to incorporate hoop-weaving in magic without appropriating the name or concept of dreamcatchers, Witch Webs can be used for any type of magic. Simply weave your intent into the web, then hang it up and let it do it’s work.

You can decorate the hoops and the web with ribbons, charms, shells, chimes, crystals, or whatever you feel is appropriate for your spell.

Kits come complete with a 6" wooden embroidery hoop, embroidery floss, instructions, and a decorative charm. Colors may vary slightly from listing photos depending on availability. Not all color options are shown in photos. Kits containing specialty floss colors such as metallic, multicolor, or glow-in-the-dark DO NOT come with black & white floss. Some kits may have a key charm rather than a pentacle.

This kit comes with a plastic bag, string, and small components - keep away from small children and pets.

(If you're a fan of the Discworld series and ever thought of making your own shambles, this is certainly one way to do it!)

While you're there, check out this month's featured items and sign up for the email list so you don't miss next week's merch drop!

Willow Wings Witch Shop

Books, spell kits, and homemade charms and accoutrements for your witchcraft practice. Owned and operated by Bree NicGarran, author of Grove

[breelandwalker]

Hey! After taking some of your advice about Battling The Slump I bought Grovedaughter and it was even more helpful! Thanks for answering my ask and for making a book with such good practical advice and application. I wanted to share the witch web I made following your instructions:

It was very fun and meditative for me, and I never would have thought to make something like it if not for your book!

It turned out so nice! I like the additional wrapping on the frame - that's how I finish mine too.

I'm so glad you're finding the book useful. Here's hoping it helps you overcome the next slump and build a practice that feeds your spirit and makes you happy! 😊💜

[breelandwalker]

Sneak Preview of The Sisters Grimmoire Vol. II - The Shining Web

Towards morning a dense damp fog lay over the whole neighbourhood; later on came an icy wind, which sent the frost packing. But when the sun rose, it was a glorious sight. The trees and shrubs were covered with rime, and looked like a wood of coral, and every branch was thick with long white blossoms. The most delicate twigs, which are lost among the foliage in summer-time, came now into prominence, and it was like a spider's web of glistening white. The lady-birches waved in the wind; and when the sun shone, everything glittered and sparkled as if it were sprinkled with diamond dust, and great diamonds were lying on the snowy carpet.

- The Snow-Man (The Pink Fairy Book)

=====

Intent: To repel trouble from the home.

Materials:

Medium embroidery hoop

White yarn

Silver or light grey yarn

Glue

Paper plate

White and silver glitter (or color of choice)

Assorted charms / bells / chimes / herb bundles for protection

Large jump ring for hanging

Note: If you prefer not to work with glitter, metallic silver string or embroidery floss may be substituted when constructing the web.

Ideal Timing: This charm can be made at any time.

Construct a five-pointed star web within the embroidery hoop using the white yarn. Lay the hoop over the paper plate, apply glue to the yarn strands, and sprinkle glitter over top. Flip the web and repeat, then let it dry. Re-attach the outer hoop and tighten the screw. Wrap both halves of the hoop with silver or light grey yarn, weaving around the strands of the web where they anchor to the edges. Be careful not to distort the weaving you’ve already done.

Attach charms, bells, herb bundles, or talismans for protection to the five points, whatever you like. If you choose to use heavier items, such as wind chimes, stone charms, or suncatcher prisms, make sure the items are well-balanced and not too heavy for the mobile. String five strands of yarn from the star points to the jump ring and tie firmly, so that the hoop will hang horizontally, parallel to the floor, with the decorations hanging below.

Hang the web wherever it suits your fancy, preferably somewhere that gets a bit of sun so you can enjoy the sparkles!

-from the forthcoming book, The Sisters Grimmoire, Vol. II, (c) 2021 Bree NicGarran

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[breelandwalker]

What are the witch web kits? Ive never heard of them before.

Glad you asked! There’s a tutorial in Grovedaughter Witchery that presents a weaving project using an embroidery hoop and yarn or floss. I call them witch webs. Think of it like an open-for-all alternative to dreamcatchers for practitioners who like the idea of weaving a spell in web form but want to avoid cultural appropriation.

The kits come with a wooden embroidery hoop, two skeins of embroidery floss (black and white), a pentacle charm, and instructions for how to make the web. You can do it pretty much any way you like, whether it’s a pentacle or a spiderweb or a wheel or just wrapping the floss at random until it feels right. I’ve had them available on my table at market events, but I haven’t offered them online before.

Here’s an example of one that I made in the “tangled web” style:

[breelandwalker]

Hello Bree! I'm a witch that's slowly coming back into practicing, and I've been reading your book 'Grovedaughter Witchery' as one of my re-introduction to witchcraft. In it, you have a section on a craft known as a Witch Web, but I can't seem to find anymore information on it on google. Do you have any online resources about them, or suggestions for what I should look for? Searching 'witch web' just brings up information about witches online. Thank you for your time!

Really? Am…Am I the first person to put that term in a book? -quietly has a moment-

Okay! So witch webs are a thing that I’ve been doing for a little while, just a couple of years. They’re super easy to make, they’re very versatile, and they make a good meditation exercise to boot. You can pretty much make them any way you want, as fancy or as simple as you please.

I’m a little surprised that there aren’t more resources for this out there. It might be because a lot of things with a similar look or crafting technique get lumped in under the “dreamcatcher” label. But that’s not what I make them for, and I wanted to avoid any possible issues with appropriation. Plus a lot of my spell construction techniques revolve around the idea of spinning a web, as opposed to making a bubble or building a wall. So I called them witch webs instead.

Annnd I guess that means you won’t find many other resources about them on Google. If you’re looking for construction techniques or weaving patterns, you can try something like “homemade dreamcatcher,” but that might still lead to some confusion.

Is there something specific you’d like to know about them? 😊

[breelandwalker]

Hello! In a description of one of your books, you mention how to make a witch web. I was just wondering what was meant by 'witch web'? I'm not very well versed in witchy lingo.

A witch web is a decorative item made by weaving thread or yarn or embroidery floss around a frame. The frame is usually something like an embroidery hoop, but some witches also make rustic versions out of twigs and sticks.

Witch webs make great craft day projects and are excellent holders for all kinds of spells. You can bind the magic into the web as you weave it or attach it after the web is complete. It’s a nice basic project that any witch can do for any purpose, and they don’t have to be pretty or perfect to work.

Here’s one of mine, in the “tangled web” style:

[magic-on-tina]

If I started making witches webs, would anyone be interested in purchasing? Because I think it'd be a cool thing to do. I'll post pictures of examples once I get some.