DIY · Project 9 of 12
Tarot Card Pouch and Altar Cloth
What it is
Many readers keep their deck wrapped in cloth or in a pouch, a small ritual of care that keeps cards clean and marks the deck as special. A matching cloth gives you a clear surface to lay out spreads on. This beginner sewing project needs only straight seams.
What you'll need
- Cotton, linen or velvet fabric: two 18 × 23 cm (7 × 9 in) pieces for the pouch, plus a 50–60 cm (20–24 in) square for the cloth Affiliate placeholder
- Matching thread, needle or sewing machine, pins Affiliate placeholder
- 60 cm (24 in) of cord or ribbon for the drawstring
- A safety pin for threading the drawstring
- Optional: fabric paint or embroidery thread for a moon or star motif Affiliate placeholder
Step by step
- Pouch: place the two pouch pieces right sides together. Sew down one side, across the bottom and up the other side with a 1 cm seam, stopping 4 cm short of the top on both sides.
- Press the unsewn top sections of the side seams open. Fold the top edge down 1 cm, then 2 cm, and sew around to form a channel for the drawstring.
- Turn the pouch right side out. Pin the safety pin to the cord and thread it through the channel. Knot the ends.
- Cloth: fold each edge of the square under 1 cm twice and sew a hem all round.
- Optional: paint or embroider a crescent moon, a star or your zodiac glyph in one corner.
- Make sure a standard tarot deck (about 7 × 12 cm) fits easily, with room to spare.
Safety notes
- Sewing: Keep pins in a pin cushion and fingers clear of the machine needle. Iron on a setting suited to your fabric.
Variations
- No-sew pouch: tie a square of fabric furoshiki-style around the deck.
- Rune bag: make it a little rounder and smaller for your rune set.
- Spread cloth: paint the positions of a three-card spread onto the cloth.
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