Magic Basket

Handmade Basket:
a Ritual Vessel

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This magical weaving is a sacred vessel to bless/empower goals, herbs, amulets, incenses, etc.

I wove the basket for one of my shamanic students. The information below is for her and anyone else who might enjoy it.

Hi, hon, I started your sacred art by spinning yarn on a wild rose stick from my property. I spin on a stick instead of a spindle or spinning wheel. Once the stick was filled with yarn, I spun on the other wild rose stick I harvested. Both sticks are blessed by and used in service to the Faerie Queen.

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I chose colors you like (I hope), adding others for magical and aesthetic reasons. It was fun combining colors for you because I got to create a palette I wouldn’t use for myself. It is designed for you.

I spun wool, silk, bamboo, and probably other stuff. There are various wools, including lovely curly locks and, I’m pretty sure, Cormo, which is a soft luxury fiber a little hard to come by.

The quarter and nickel in the photo show the basket’s size.
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To weave the basket, I made a makeshift loom. I used salmon-colored commercial acrylic yarn for the warp, figuring it would make a stronger structure. (The warp yarn does not show much except on the basket’s bottom.)

The basket bottom is a circle I felted from wool and other fibers. If memory serves, a big portion of it is Cormo. When you turn the basket over, you’ll see wool locks on the bottom.
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The following is the best shot of the inside bottom I could get. It’s gorgeous, with fuzzy wisps of locks rising like tendrils of magic reaching up to bless whatever you put in the basket.
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The basket is dedicated to and empowered for magical use—whatever you deem that to be, but here are two options.

1) Use the vessel to make wishes or set intentions. For example, beginnings are a good time to draw on magic, whether you’re starting a day or a project. Here’s a spell I put together based on a discussion we had during a shamanic counseling session:

Step 1) In the morning, contemplate the day ahead. Or at the beginning of a project, muse on the project. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few. You might choose your priorities for the day/project. Or think about what you hope will happen. If you do divination, you might use it for guidance about the day/project.

Step 2) After you spend a minute—or as long as you want—in contemplation, write down your intention, wish, hopes, priorities, guidance, or whatever.

Step 3) Put the paper in the basket. Or instead of writing, hold your intention, wish, hopes, … in your heart as you gently blow one breath into the basket.

Thus you’ve used the basket to bless/empower your intentions (or whatever) for the day/project ahead. Doing this on a regular basis in the morning can be a wonderfully witchy practice.

2) The basket functions as a witch’s pentacle to bless objects (except food). Empower an amulet, herbs (still in a container so they do not get into the fibers or vice versa), ribbons, etc., by putting them in the vessel for however long feels right.

If you don’t absolutely love the basket, please tell me; I’ll know it’s for someone else, then I will make you something else.

Guarantee: if the basket breaks within two years, I repair or replace it.

Respond here or by email, hon.

To anyone else reading this:

Update November 2020: I don’t have much time to make talismans for anyone but myself, When I do, my newsletter subscribers often get first dibs. Subscribe for free with the banner below:

BeFreeBannr

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2 Responses to Magic Basket

  1. Oli says:

    this is gorgeous– I can see it glowing from here!
    always love yr work, <3 to you

    • Francesca De Grandis says:

      Oli, thank you so much. And nice to hear from you, as always. Your comment is interesting; the person for whom I made the basket also said they could feel its energy glowing long-distance. You two made me feel good and were very affirming, thanks again .

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