Today is Safety Pin Day, celebrating an invention originally patented on April 10, 1849. Since then, it has provided a safer way of fastening things, but it also represents protection. Ukrainians put them on children’s clothes to repel evil spirits. Some folks wear them for good luck. A more recent use in public spaces indicates that the wearer is a “safe person” who will help if asked.

Safety pins appear in many crafts, especially beadwork. This makes it fun and easy to wear them for magical, social, or decorative purposes. Get some coiless safety pins or ones with removable heads. Fill the back of the pin with small beads, then seal the wire with a crimp bead to prevent the others from moving. Black, white, and cobalt blue are colors of protection, especially when combined to make eye beads. Now you can pin your pretty protective charm to a hat or sweater. A similar approach works with the type of cloak pin that resembles a safety pin, but you need bigger beads.