How to make a moon altar cloth 

There are a lot of ways you can make an altar cloth, and I’m always encouraging people to make their own magical tools if they have the desire.

The main reason I say this is because, through the process of making your altar cloth, you will not only form a bond with this cloth, you’ll also imprint your own unique inner power into this cloth. Your homemade altar cloth will be more powerful because of it will hold all the creative and emotional energy you put into this project. 

Don’t worry, it’s actually really easy to make one of these, and there are so many options to choose from. Just pick the one that sounds most interesting to you, and carve out an hour or so for this project.

The new moon and the waxing moon are ideal times to do this project, but the most important thing is to do this project when you’re feeling inspired. 

Make sure your energy is positive as you’re working on this project. This should not feel like a chore. If it does, take a break and come back to this project when you feel inspired. The higher your vibration as you’re making your altar cloth, the higher vibration of the cloth itself. 

Note: If you look over these altar cloth directions and you just don’t feel like this project is for you, no worries. There are some beautiful, inexpensive altar cloth options available on Amazon, Etsy, and at your local metaphysical shop.

Uses for an Altar Cloth:

This is what you’ll use to spread out over your space to immediately raise the vibration of any space. This cloth, when you set it out with an intention for magic, will make any space sacred.

One reason for this is because our brains LOVE habits, and having something consistent to focus on when we sit down for magic will immediately elevate your energy and create a sacred space all around you.You can spread your altar cloth over a table, on the floor, or outside, and use it to help you focus your energy while performing magic. You can also wrap your magical tools in this cloth. I have one altar cloth for each of my tarot and oracle card decks, and I use that cloth to lay out my cards when I’m doing a reading. 

These are certainly not the only uses for altar cloths, and I totally support you experimenting with your altar cloth to find new uses. Try wrapping your cellphone in this cloth overnight to cleanse it of any unwanted energy. Place it under your pillow while you sleep with a specific intention like manifesting enlightening dreams or a restful night’s sleep. 

The Cloth:

You want this cloth to be large enough for you to place all your magical objects on during your rituals, BUT you don’t want it to be so big that it’s unmanageable. 

Here are three options for the material of your altar cloth:

Repurposed Cloth:

This is any kind of fabric that has been used by someone else or for something else. It’s environmentally-friendly and it will carry the same energy from the person who this fabric belonged to. You can use a scarf, a bit of lace, a handkerchief, or bandana that belonged to someone special to you, like your grandmother or your child’s first blanket. Antique and thrift shops might also have some interesting options for fabric. Just make sure the energy feels good to you. If not, consider choosing a different piece of material. Old quilts, tablecloths, clothing, bed sheets, or drapes are great options as well.    

If you’re using repurposed fabric, you might have to cut it down to size or sew a few pieces together to make it work for your needs. Most altar cloths are rectangular, but you can totally make one that is shaped like a circle, oval, triangle, hexagon, etc. 

As always, follow your intuition and make the altar cloth that suits who YOU are. 

Fat Quarter Cloth:

These are rectangular pieces of fabric that are the perfect size for an altar cloth. Traditionally, they’re 18 inches by 22 inches, and you can sometimes buy several of them for a dollar. They will sell these at any fabric or craft store as well as big box stores like Target. They come in a variety of patterns and colors, but I usually go for a white or cream colored cloth so I can decorate it as I feel inspired. The one downside is that sometimes the ends of these cloths can start to unravel, so if you want to make sure your get the longest use out of your altar cloth, you might want to sew the edges to keep this from happening. 

Cloth Napkins:

If you like the fat quarter idea, but you have zero sewing skills, like me, you can buy large cloth napkins to use for your altar cloth. These will already be finished around the edges and you won’t have worry about it coming unraveled. They are more expensive than fat quarters, but a set of six will probably still be under $20.

 Decorating Your Altar Cloth:

Pick a design you like. You can download some cool traditional witchy symbols off Google to use for your designs. (Just make sure it’s just for your personal use for copyright reasons.)

I created three designs that I think you’ll find really helpful to support your moon practice. Print these designs out on standard 8.5in by 11in printer paper, and use them for your altar cloth.

There are two PDF images for each design. One has guides on it such as where the focal point is, and where to put candles, incense, and meaningful objects. The other PDF will just have the design shapes without the guide words. The latter is what I recommend you use for your altar cloth creation. The reason for this is because the words on the designs won’t show up well enough on your altar cloth. They’re too small. Use those for reference ONLY so you know what objects to put where.

Also, know that the altar cloth designs with guides are just that—guides! Don’t feel obligated to use certain candles and objects in their suggested positions. If you set a strong intention, you can absolutely perform a potent ritual without a single object on your altar cloth. As I mentioned in the video, you can actually visualize whatever objects you want on your altar cloth if you don’t have the actual items. 

The Triple Moon Altar Cloth

The triple moon is a common symbol in magic. It tends to be associated with the Wicca tradition, but it’s used in many different magical traditions. It shows the waxing moon, the full moon, and the waning moon, which traditionally represent the maiden, the mother, and the crone. 

For this design, you can place an object to represent the moon on the left, an object to represent you on the right, and an object to represent your intention right in the center. 

Light a candle with a color you associate with your intention and place incense or a steaming beverage closest to you. As the candle burns down, the smoke or steam from your incense or beverage will send your intention right up to the moon. 

The Elemental Moon Altar Cloth

This altar cloth design uses elemental magic. It’s a compass with circles on the big points as well as the smaller points in between the four main cardinal directions. I suggest positioning this cloth so the four main circles line up with the four cardinal directions, north, east, south, and west. Place an object that represents each element. 

North = Earth

East = Air 

South = Fire

West = Water

You can use candles, crystals, objects, or anything that you feel like represents that element. Call in that element as you set each item on your cloth (or light each candle). Thank the element and send it away when you are finished with your magic. 

As for the circles that are in between these four main points, these are used for honoring the four main phases of the moon. Place an object, crystal or candle (tea lights are great for this) to honor the new moon, the waxing moon, the full moon, and the waning moon. You can place objects on all four phases during your magic OR just place one item on the circle that corresponds with current moon phase. 

Place your intention in the center. This can be anything that makes you think of your intention. I love to use a tarot card, an image cut out from a magazine, or my intention written out on a piece of paper. (I usually burn the piece of paper to complete my ritual.

The Pentagram Elemental Altar Cloth 

We talked about how the pentagram is a symbol of protection. You can use this altar cloth for added protection when you're performing magic. 

For this design, I suggest placing one object in each circle that represents a different element. Place an object at the top of the pentagram that represents the current phase of the moon. 

Put something that represents your intention in the center of the pentagram, and another object that represents you such as a photograph, a favorite trinket, a candle of your favorite color, your favorite crystal, your favorite tarot card, or the Fool tarot card.

Once again, I’ll invite you to use these designs for your magic in any way that you feel inspired. Use the circles to place your magical objects on, or ignore them completely and position your objects in a way that is most pleasing to your intuition. 

Transferring the Printed Designs onto Your Altar Cloth:

There are three main ways I chose to transfer a design onto my altar cloth. It does help to be starting with a white or light colored cloth, but you can probably use other fabrics if you use contrasting colors. 

Method One: CitraSolv Image Transfer

You’ll need to print one of the designs out with a laser toner printer. It WILL NOT work with inkjet printers. You’ll also need a bottle of CitraSolv and a paintbrush or sponge. CitraSolv is an all-natural cleaning solution that you can get at most grocery stores or big box stores like Target. 

Do this method outside or in a well-ventilated room because those CitraSolv fumes are potent. It can also get messy, so lay out some paper towels or cardboard over your workspace.

For the rest of the instructions, check out this tutorial. It’s one of the best ones I’ve found on the topic. 

Method Two: Iron-On Image Transfer

Pick up a pack of iron-on image transfer sheets. Make sure it will work with fabric and be sure to read the instructions on the specific iron-on product you buy. Most iron-on sheets with designs printed on inkjet paper, but double-check for the sheets you buy. 

Then all you do is print out the design on the iron-on sheet, and iron it on! It’s super fast and neat. The only downside is, the design might peel off if you wash your cloth too many times. But again, check the info on your specific iron-on sheets, and follow the washing directions. 

Method Three: Tracing Transfer

For this one, you’ll need to use a thin, light-colored cloth and a permanent marker or fabric paint.

Print out the design and place it under the cloth. The cloth must be thin and light enough that you can see the design through it. Then simply trace the lines with the puff paint or the permanent marker. It won’t look perfect and super-straight, but it will be filled with your loving energy that you imprint on the fabric as you trace. Don’t worry if the lines are a little wobbly. Often times, creativity is born from imperfection.

More Decorating Methods:

So once you get your design on your altar cloth (or you can choose to forgo the design altogether), you can add some color to your cloth!

Paint

I like to paint with acrylics for fun, and I love using a white cloth to wipe off my brush while I’m working on a painting. I’ll use one cloth for the whole project, and when I’m done, I let it dry. Then I use that cloth as an altar cloth. I feel like there is so much joyful creation energy in that cloth when I use this method. 

Give it a try! You’ll end up with a cool piece of art and a super-powerful cloth. 

Tie Dye

You’ve probably done this at some point in your life with t-shirts, and it’s the same thing with an altar cloth. You can add a bit of magic to this process by using water that has been charged with the energy of the full moon when mixing dye. (For this, just leave a jar of water outside overnight when it’s a full moon. Take it in when you wake up, and use it for your project.)

You’ll find a ton of tutorials online, and you might want to try using rubber bands to make designs that coincide with the different circles on the altar cloth printables. Maybe you want to tie-dye different colors to correspond with the elements. Use your imagination, and be playful with this process. Let strengthen your connection to your inner child.

Flowers and Herbs

This is one of my absolute favorite methods. Gather up some fresh herbs and flower petals from your garden or from the farmers market. I love using sage because of its protective properties, and its ability to connect you to the spirit realms. Rose petals are wonderful because they’re large, packed with color, and pretty flat. Use these if you want to do a lot of self-love, relationships, and romance magic. Sunflower petals are lovely as well, and they will support your happiness and abundance magic. 

There are many other herbs and plants that will work well for this, and you can try whatever you like. I have found that the leaves of roses don’t give off any color, and you might find that happening with certain plants you choose. In the case, just switch those out and try some leaves from a different plant. 

For this method, you’ll need a cutting board, two cloths, a hammer, and an assortment of plants, leaves, flower petals and herbs. These plants will have to be fresh. Dried or fading plants won’t work well for this.

Go somewhere where you aren’t worried about disturbing people. This project makes a TON of noise, but it’s totally worth it. I did this in the garage, and it worked pretty well.

Place your cutting board on the ground and lay one cloth over the board. Arrange your plants in a pretty design. Lay the other cloth on top of that. (You will end up with two identical cloths. Use one for your altar and one for a magical card deck, or give one to a witchy friend.)

Use the hammer to pound the fabric where the plants are. You’ll see the color from the plants come through the fabric. Pound each part of the fabric until you can see the plants clearly through the fabric. 

Then peel the two pieces of fabric apart. Use your fingers to rub any lingering bits of plants of the fabric. You can also rinse this cloth in cold water the next day to get the rest of the tiny plant bits off.

Enjoy this process, and please send me pictures of your altar cloth projects!

Please email me at julie@magicalpowerwithin.com if you have any questions.