How To Make A Ritual Floor Cloth Options

Greetings - I made a ritual floor cloth last year with great success and wanted to share the technique with you. Floor cloths have been a round since at least the 1600's, and could be said to be a precursor to linoleum. I made mine as follows:

1. Buy canvas at an art supply store - this comes in many widths off a roll that can be cut to a desired length. I chose a heavy weight canvas, 8 feet wide, and bought an 8 foot length.

2. Ideally this should be stretched on a wooden frame, but I did the following: I cleared the floor, laid down a plastic tarp, and put the canvas over this. I then STAPLED the canvas directly to the floor. Staple in the center of one side, then do the opposite side, etc., being sure to pull the canvas evenly and tightly as you go. (this really didn't hurt our floor)

3. Using a roller and paint pan, apply 2 or 3 coats of gesso or paint to the cloth, allowing it to dry between coats. Latex paint works best. Note that this side of the floor cloth is the BACK side of the cloth. Gently pull the cloth up from the floor, remove stapes that may remain in the floor, and flip the cloth over. Repeat the stapling process.

4. Apply gesso or white paint to the top of the floor cloth. Measure out a square close to the edges of the canvas and mark with masking tape. Find the center, drive a thin nail into the floor, and scribe your circle within the square. You can use twine tied to the nail with a pencil tied to the other end, or you can take a long, flat piece of wood and drill holes into each end, for the nail and pencil to go through. Simple walk around with the pencil. The twine or board can be adjusted to allow scribing as many circles within the circle as you like.

5. Paint the circle and background as you wish. The, using lettering stencils or doing this free-hand, letter the circle, apply symbols, etc., using the colors of your choice. When dry, apply at least 2 coats of a water based polyurethane. (This could have been applied to the back side as well for added durability.)

6. Finally, remove the staples, pull up the masking tape around the square and cut the canvas off evenly with scissors. The edges of the fabric will not unravel, as the paint and urethane will hold it together. You can apply more urethane or paint to the edges of the cloth if you wish.

The floor cloth will be very durable! A coat of polyurethane every few years (if at all needed) will refresh it.

NOTE: Do NOT FOLD the floor cloth! It can be rolled up if you want to move it, but you should first flip it over and THEN roll it, bottom side up. Doing so will prevent the paint from cracking.

Also - while you are painting, you may notice the cloth stretching oddly in places, this being caused by drying paint. Simply pull and re-staple where needed. The cost of materials for my floor cloth was less than $50, and I now have a ritual circle, 7 feet in diameter, that is both permanent and portable.

This post has been edited by Hans: Mar 27 2009, 07:56 AM

back in the day, it was especially necessary to maintain secrecy about one's workings, or one would face the wrath of the church (still is somewhat the case today) or the local council, and, like the items of a massing priest, were often hidden in secret hidey-holes to be deployed only when the work was underway - imagine trying to work under such conditions!

interesting, thanks

Can also have one made... had looked into having a shewbread rug made a few months back, the quotes I got back werent as costly as I'd assumed, problem was with the dimensions I had in mind. Bought a pentagram rug for $99 instead... diffrent workings but it feels good having somewhere to spin and do your thing.

back in the day, it was especially necessary to maintain secrecy about one's workings, or one would face the wrath of the church (still is somewhat the case today) or the local council, and, like the items of a massing priest, were often hidden in secret hidey-holes to be deployed only when the work was underway - imagine trying to work under such conditions!

Welcome to my world (I live with my mother -- who is a dyed-in-the-wool Southern Baptist. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/Symbols_1911.gif) )

I have to hide my magickal stuff from her, lest she think Yours Truly is dabbling in Satan worship (I'm not, BTW.)



I have an icon of St. Michael the Archangel next to my bed for protection and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting on my bookshelf (I told Mother, "If I was doing anything wrong, would I have an icon of St. Michael next to my bed?" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

This post has been edited by The Sorceress: Apr 18 2009, 05:53 PM

my companion doesn't 'get it' either (catholic) - i don't hide my stuff, she is just blind to it and doesn't look at it (a simple weaving to keep down trouble, like hobbling a horse) - but that's people, and free will and the whole nine yards of that, and we can't oppress them or try to convert them or we are no good - we must keep our rites sacred too, which is one problem with showing them to the world - i don't mind detailing what i do, but i'm never going to have a public rite - it should be a tight coupling between you and your chosen god/dess/form(s) and others can get in the way - i am a solitary practitioner cause i like it that way

i am a solitary practitioner cause i like it that way

Same here ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


Metaphysically speaking, I'm not someone who "plays well with others." LOL