This listing is for one handcrafted Nettle Altar Cloth from The heART of Ritual.
 
ABOUT
My love affair with Nettle is no secret. I honour this deep kinship in many creative and ritual ways that go far beyond the scope of my work as a medical herbalist. I have to say that I absolutely loved the challenge this particular 'project' presented for me - the intention was great, the idea was good, and I knew the fibres would be perfect for textiles in general, but quite honestly, when I began crafting with nettle plant fibers in 2020 I just wasn't sure if I could pull this particular idea off. I wondered how durable the fibres would be, how the textile would feel to the touch, how long it would take to make one using our native traditional hand skills, or if indeed, the whole thing would fall apart after one wash! I wanted to give it a go though, and curiosity got the better of me as it always does! I knew this would be a nice 'slow textiles project' to do during what was a rather chaotic time worldwide, but for me it was more of a two year conversation/meditation/ritual with the Nettle oversoul on clarity, healthy boundaries, rootedness, nourishment, renewal, the womb, and obedience (to Self), all of which was deeply poignant and greatly needed. So I started, and told myself I would see how it goes. Throughout the pandemic (and pretty much constant home lockdowns), I gathered the nettle fibres from our own little garden, and two years later I had enough to begin carding, drop spinning, and weaving the prototype. There was such a great sense of achievement when I held the cloth in my hand for the first time, all I can say is that it was truly special. Immediately I wanted to make some for the shop as they needed to be experienced and shared. So yes, this was an absolute adventure in going slow with nettle. And here they are, for those who feel drawn!
 
GENERAL CARE
Personally, I rinse this cloth in room temperature water, and simply hang it over the wall mounted towel heater in the bathroom where it dries out quickly between uses. I have done so for almost three years and am astounded at how durable this cloth. I have tested it by washing it in the washing machine at 30°c, and this works fine, but I recommend washing by hand (as above) with a neutral and natural soap as I feel all ritual items deserve special care. Please ensure it can dry between uses and not that it is left scrunched up in a heap as these are plant fibers and if left wet for long periods of time, they risk degrading. Common sense really! ;-)