An Onion Braid Charm

Braiding onions is an ancient way of storing them. It is easy, fun and magical.

Begin by doubling a yard of heavy twine in half and tying a knot so that the middle of the twine forms a loop. Lay the twine on a table in front of you so that the loop and knot are away from you and the two loose ends are toward you. Then take an onion in your weaker hand upside down and place the dried top that was the foliage just below the knot between the two lengths of twine so that the onion top becomes the centre of three strands to be braided together. Crisscross the onion top with the twine twice "pigtail" fashion, then add a second onion the same was as
the first and crisscross the combined onion tops twice with the twine.

Repeat the process until there are only a few inches of twine left, and tie the two ends of twine together in a tight knot. Lift the braid of onions gently by the loop at the top, and it is ready to hang in the root cellar for winter storage, or useful in the sick room because they protect by absorbing negativity rather than repelling it.

To make an onion braid specifically as a charm, follow the same
procedure as above except that it can be done within a Circle. As you rhythmically braid the twine and onion tops together, chant words such as:

Charm of Onions, Charm of String
Evil to thine own self bring.
Charm of Onions and of Twine,
Thou shalt protect this house of mine.

After a year, onions begin to loose their protective powers because they don't last much longer than that, so the onion braid should be replaced annually.