How To Make a Crystal Ball Cushion

It is true that the crystal ball is a part of the witch stereotype and the black cushion on which this crystal sphere lies only adds to this image. But rarely do people ask themselves why the cushion is always black and made of velvet (or at least a similar material).

It is said for both velvet and the color black that they retain the energy and purity of the object that is placed in/on it. This is why almost all ritual tools in Wicca, Ceremonial Magic and other traditions are kept wrapped in velvet or in a velvet bag. The color black absorbs positivity and repels negativity and velvet is an extremely soft material and, as such, will not damage any object. In addition to this, it is not slippery, so the object will no easily slip out/across it. Therefore, there are both magical and practical reasons for using black velvet under these circumstances.

This is why black velvet is also the most commonly used material for making crystal ball cushions. But in this context, there is another practical reason for this use of the color black. Namely, crystal gazing is best performed at night with little or no light sources around (one candle is ideal). The glow of the crystal ball is best emphasized in the dark and there is also no chance of the light reflecting on/in the ball and thus tampering with the reading. The black pillow additionally helps here because it absorbs light (so it isn't reflected in the ball), but it also provides a dark background for the ball which makes it easier for you to concentrate on the ball itself.

This is why I also opted for black velvet when making a cushion for my selenite crystal ball. In this post, I will give you instructions on how to manually sew this cushion. It really isn't complicated and you won't need too much material or time. :)

Before you start making the cushion, I suggest you define what size you want it to be (it just has to be larger than the base of your crystal ball). I recommend you measure the diameter of your crystal ball and add a few extra centimeters extra on all the sides. This way, the cushion will look nicer and also be more practical because the extra space around the ball will stop it from rolling of the cushion.

You Will Need:

• a black, velvety material (the amount depends on the size of you crystal ball)
• textile chalk (for marking, or if you can't find this, use anything else that leaves a visible mark on the material but easily washes off afterwards)
• sharp scissors
• needle and a threat (black if your material is black)
• a ruler/measuring tape
• silicone fiber

This is what the small pillows I got with
my jewelry look like :)

Note: silicone fibers are, in my opinion, the best option for cushion fillings because they do not dwindle easily (this is especially important because other materials will easily flatten under the weight of the crystal ball and then the whole point of having a soft pillow for the ball is lost). You can buy this material in any haberdashery by the kilogram. Of course, this will bi too much for this small cushion so I recommend you go out and buy a ready-made cushion fill or a cheap cushion, rip it open and take out as much fiber as you need. I found two old little pillows in the house which I got with some jewelry and took the fiber out of them...so look around the house and see if you can find something useful.

You can always use cotton instead of these silicone fibers, but it will go flat very soon. You can possibly search for some sort of foam filling, but you will have to experiment with this on your own.

The Process:

1. Wash the material and let it dry.
2. In case your material has a different texture on its two faces (one velvety and the other "normal"), turn the material so that the velvety side is facing downwards and use the "normal" side for marking.
3. Cut two squares out of the material. Don't forget to measure their size according to your crystal ball (e.g. my cushion is 15x15cm because my crystal ball is 10cm in diameter). So take the material and using the textile chalk, draw the two squares onto the normal side of the material and then cut them out.

4. Sew the two squares together only along three sides keeping the velvety face inside (the stitching looks better if it isn't visible from the outside). You will now have a square bag ready for filling.
5. Turn the bad inside-out so that the velvety side is facing outside.

6. Take the filling of your choice (as I have already mentioned, I recommend silicone fibers which you can see in the picture below) and fill the bag. While filling, use your fingers to push the filling into the edges of the cushion and try to keep it evenly distributed. Occasionally hold the fourth (unsewn) side of the cushion with your hand to see how "fat" the cushion is and whether or not it needs more filling. When you have estimated that there is enough filling, sew up the fourth side of the cushion.

Note: steps 7 and 8 are not really necessary, bit they will help hold the ball in place so it doesn't roll off the cushion.

7. Using your textile chalk, mark four dots on both sides of your cushion. They should be equally distanced from the edges forming a small square on your cushion.
8. With a needle and threat, pass "through" one dot on one side of the cushion, pass through the filling and exit on the other side of the cushion on the same dot (e.g. enter through the upper left dot on the bottom side of the cushion and then through the upper left dot on the upper side). Go back through the same dot on the upper side, through the filling and exit on the same dot on the bottom side. Repeat this a few times and you will see the dot being sort of "sucked in". When you have estimated that it has been indented enough, simply finish sewing like you would with anything else (i.e. pass through one spot several times with your needle and thread to fix the thread in place). Repeat this for all four dots.

Your pillow should now look something like this:

I hope everything is clear and that these instructions will come in handy. :) If you have any questions regarding this post, feel free to leave them in the comments section.

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat