Custom Rattles
(Basic Shapes)
We at Gaia's Workshop Drums do art from our hearts
with respect for those who have gone before and for those who are to come,
working with the guidance of the gods, the ancestors, the honored teachers,
and our sacred connection with the Mother.
All Rattles are Custom Made. Allow about 3 weeks for your rattle’s creation.
If you need your rattle by a certain date, please let us know right away.
For Rattles currently in stock, please visit our Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/GaiasWorkshopDrums
Basic Shapes Shaman Rattles
Our rattles are lovingly made from the same hides we use for our drums. Rattles are excellent for breaking up stuck energy, for creating sacred space, and for using rhythmically to journey or meditate. Most of the sticks we use for our rattles are willow (from the same trees from which we cut our beater sticks), though we really love finding interesting downed or drift wood for a very individual rattle.
Medium Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk. or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit.
These rattles are 4” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 13” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy. As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Large Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit.
These rattles are 5” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 15” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy. As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Extra Large Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit.
These rattles are 6” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 17” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy. As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Small Fancy Round Rattles are made from Deer (cream to brown color), Elk (medium brown to dark brown color) or Horse (dark brown color) rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit. Decorations for Fancy Rattles include a deer suede handle with 2-3 layers of fringe coordinated to your sinew color, and rabbit fur below the rattle and at the top of the handle in a color that enhances your suede & sinew.
These rattles are 2 1/2” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 11” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy.
As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Medium Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit. Fancy Rattles have deer suede handles with 2-3 complementary colors of fringe at the base. The base of the rattle and the top of the handle are decorated with rabbit fur that compliments the rest of the rattle.
These rattles are 4” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 13” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy.
As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Large Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit. Decorations for Fancy Rattles include a deer suede handle with 2-3 layers of fringe coordinated to your sinew color, and rabbit fur below the rattle and at the top of the handle in a color that enhances your suede & sinew.
These rattles are 5” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 15” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy.
As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
Extra Large Round Rattles are made from Buffalo, Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit. Decorations for Fancy Rattles include a deer suede handle with 2-3 layers of fringe coordinated to your sinew color, and rabbit fur below the rattle and at the top of the handle in a color that enhances your suede & sinew.
These rattles are 6” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 17” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy.
As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .
These are made from deer (sometimes elk or horse) rawhide with sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. We also add sage for clean energy.
You can choose a single rattle or a matched set of Twin Flame rattles in either Plain or Fancy. The fancy rattles have a deer suede handle with 2-3 layers of fringe in complimentary colors to your choice of sinew color with rabbit fur above the handle and below the rattle head.
As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattle shown is representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different.
If you have an animal or other being you would like represented in rattle form, please drop us a line. We happily take requests.
This rattle made from deer, elk or horse rawhide with a stick I have gathered in sacred places I visit. It is approximately 5" across before sewing & stuffing. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. I also add sage for cleansing. As well as being a great sounding, fully functional rattle, this is an individual work of art. This rattle is custom made for you.
It is also available in a fancy version with a soft deer suede handle and rabbit fur (see example). We will reflect and enhance your sinew choice in our color choices for the handle. .
This rattle is made from Horse rawhide on a beautifully sanded stick. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles, and all my rattles contain sage as well to keep the energy pure. The handle is wrapped with black hand cut deer suede. Black natural rabbit fur enhances the decoration. This rattle is custom made for you.
Rattles are typically used to break up stuck energy, and are useful for house clearing, building sacred space and healing work. The rhythm of a rattle is frequently used as a quieter alternative to the drum in shamanic journeying, meditation and trance work. As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art.
Ever wanted to play a rattle and your drum at the same time?
Our rabbit fur beaters come in soft, medium or hard density. They make a lovely hum sound unlike suede beaters. The small, medium or large rattle on the other end is made of deer, elk, buffalo or horse and filled with the traditional corn & sage.
The handle is made of willow hand cut by us on local rivers (we always gift the willow trees for their sacrifice and cut where they tell us to cut).
The sinew for the rattle and beater will be color coordinated around your beater head color. If you want something specific, please let us know.
Fur creates a different type of sound than the standard suede beater. The fur serves to muffle the initial strike, giving more hum than thwap. Our fur beater is made in either a hard, medium or soft version. The hard version gives you a strong "attack" to your sound, and a sharper envelope. These beaters seem to do especially well on the larger, thicker drums and our Siberian style drums. The hard beater is made with a core center of cotton cloth covered by rabbit fur and wrapped in waxed thread. The medium beater has a cotton terry cloth center covered by deer rabbit fur & wrapped with waxed thread for an in-between sound. The soft version gives you a more extended sound with less of the strike sound & more "hum". It works well on the smaller, thinner hides and is recommended for the European style drums. It is made with a core center of carded wool covered by rabbit fur and wrapped with waxed thread.
The handles are made of willow hand cut by us in a wild place on the Sandy River (we always gift the willow trees for their sacrifice and cut where they tell us to cut).
Average length is 14" to 18", if you want a specific length, please specify.
These Red Ear Turtle Rattles are made with Deer Rawhide and mounted on stick I find on the Sandy River near Portland, Oregon. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. As well as being a great sounding, fully functional rattle, this is an individual work of art. Your rattle will be similar to the one pictured.
Turtles are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. In most places, they are considered to carry sacred water energy. Water cleanses, nurtures and heals. In Hindu, Chinese and some Native American mythology, they carry the world on their back. In this way, our sacred Mother, the land, is represented by the turtle. When we work with the Mother energy of the turtle, we bring the sacred Feminine into our circle, to honor her & protect her, to give her strength and accept her blessings.
Although fragmentary, archaeological evidence shows that turtle shells have been used to make musical instruments, most likely used for ritual purposes, since at least the Neolithic era in China, as well as in such varied locations as Africa (including but not limited to Egypt), Greece, Central America, the Amazon, and of course in North America. Here in America we associate the turtle rattle with Native American cultures, particularly the Algonquin and Cherokee people, though many different groups make their own version.
The turtle shells we will use come from Red Earred Slider turtles, who are both naturally plentiful in the Southern US but also have become invasive in certain areas because of people releasing their pets into the wild. The shells are gathered by the edges of waterways as they are prey for a variety of wild life. In some areas, they are harvested by local people for whom they are a traditional food source.
The sticks we use are willow, which also carries feminine water energy and which has been harvested by me in a sustainable way from trees with whom I have a many year relationship.
The fancy version has a deer suede handle and rabbit fur decorations.
Small Round Rattles are made from Deer, Elk, or Horse rawhide with your choice of sinew color, mounted on sticks we have personally gathered in sacred places we visit.
These rattles are 2 1/2” across (flat, before sewing and stuffing) and average about 11” long. You may request a custom length for your rattle if you desire. Corn is the traditional filling for these rattles. Sage has been added for clear energy. As well as being great sounding, fully functional rattles, each is an individual work of art. The rattles shown are representative, yours will be quite similar but every one is different. .