Threads of Meaning

[@Readasaur]

That was fascinating! It also explained Kitty's blankets and Hooey's various projects.

[@9Godslayer]

I was thinking specifically of his dolls.

[@bubblegumpopcorn6304]

yup

[@140kittykat]

@@9Godslayer it took me like a week to remember he just randomly grabs thread from his contraption, then very specific moves his hand over for a magic thread. The worry dolls then come to him, which makes me wonder about his "I've done it agin!"...

[@maxjut3918]

and what kitty did with the string in the no evil 31

[@someeejit]

After all these years I finally understand the poppy blankets

[@superfightingrobotmkx7776]

Your work never ceases to amaze me. Not only have you created a beautiful art style, but you’ve woven an elaborate story and entire magical system explaining how Kitty’s magic threads work. It’s a very creative system too. The idea that all things that exist in reality are given form by weaving both the initial strands of Mama Spider’s silk, and raw ideas floating in the ether that affect how the end product behaves is so clever and interesting. You could probably make a tabletop RPG system around these ideas. Amazing work!

[@angelsinthewindow]

Not just Kitty, I believe Hewie (spelling?) also used those same threads to make those little protective dolls.

[@connormclernon26]

@@angelsinthewindow Huehuecoyotl or Huey

[@angelsinthewindow]

@@connormclernon26 Ya, didn't he do stuff with mama spider's webbing too?

[@hio9525]

The fact that I genuinely feel like i’m in a real lesson, like I should be taking notes, really says a lot about this. I really have to commend you for making a universe so…your own, that you can create things like this, cuz that’s not easy.

[@ActuatedGear]

When you talk about magic... The rules are real. They're just exactly as real as the magic isn't. It's... how you get at that which you cannot grasp. You accept that you must grasp it and that it has rules but that it is not real in the sense you are accustomed to but that it is real in the way you need it to be and then you follow those rules and so it works.

[@140kittykat]

@@ActuatedGear I can't remember who said it, but there was a quote that I like that says "Magic is science that you don't understand yet." Obviously magic is a thing in this universe, but I love the sentiment behind it.

[@ActuatedGear]

@@140kittykat I've tried to say something dear but it seems the censor is on the fritz again.

[@finngswan3732]

So nice to have her enchantments/chramming methods confirmed. I gathered most of what she was doing with her sewing, but I wasn't sure what gave them the magic! Really nice!

[@mckayleepugmire9947]

I grew up with a story by Tamora Pierce that featured what she calls a "stitch witch" someone who casts magic through sewing, weaving, embroidery, or needlework so this concept isn't too new to me, but I like the way this version works, in a weird way it's much more predictable.

[@RowanWiccae]

Some forms of stitch witchery encorporates knotwork as well, knotted spells are fiercely concentrated magics also so combined with stitchwork makes for very volatile spells. Look up 'witches ladders' for the barest and simplest forms of this kind of magic.

[@ArchieRatsworth]

Glad to see another fan out here. Her work on ambient vs academic magic has been great for my story telling.

[@mckayleepugmire9947]

@@ArchieRatsworth I'm inspired by the background exposition leading into focused lore dumps like this. Cheers to learning from the greats!

[@jeremiahwallace2275]

So, if I were to weave a blanket from Mama Spider’s thread taken from the remnants of a log fire, with the intention that’ll the blanket will keep me warm no matter how cold the outside gets, the blanket could do what I intended, or it could either burn me to a crisp or cook me alive? I like this concept of magic; simple to perform yet could take years to master.

[@ActuatedGear]

The more concrete and yet... mindful the concept, the more stable it should be. Strong symbols that hold power but are not at extremes will lend to better outcomes. Consider the difference between a fire on its own vs a fire in a hearth vs yet further a fire in the form of a torch. Of the three, for warmth, the first is most powerful, but could just as easily overheat. The hearth is more comforting and sensible. It can be controlled and anchors one to an idea of home. The torch is liable to inspire courage against a blizzard, but it could just as easily lead one to be reckless and prone to set fires. It might help them find their way in darkness, but it could make hiding a futile effort and shine like a beacon in the night. The story has power. The story always has power.

[@jeremiahwallace2275]

@@ActuatedGear, so what you’re saying is that it’s not the fire itself, but the meaning and purpose behind the fire?

[@ActuatedGear]

@@jeremiahwallace2275 YES. The fire has meaning. The context structures that meaning in all it's many aspects. And that , in this case, exists in the context of the signs and materials used to make the hoodoo. In magic systems where meaning is the operative force, where the WORD weaves reality into being these are the rules. In Betsy-Lee's world, this meaning is further aimed and animated by... THE ANIMUS. The life force of the objects powers and structures the way the magic acts. It defines the CHARACTER of the magic. Imagine for a moment that you twine Mama Spiders thread... with a lock of hair. I would expect that this would create an item with characteristics of the person. You also might get... temperamental results based on the person using it.

[@Sneakysneaky88]

@@jeremiahwallace2275 More to the point, a thread from an extinguished campfire seems it would have stronger relational magic with concepts like "moving on from a place you stopped at" or perhaps "hiding in an unfamiliar rest stop" or even "removing the last telltale signs". Association not just on a personal level but also by interpretations or wills at large can be important, at least if it would need to effect others or have their involvement. Its pretty interesting stuff, but also very tricky. :D

[@solarisowl]

The thing is you can’t weave thread from logs or ash. It might be better to weave a pattern of log fire, or at least dye some part with ash of log fire as grey dye. I personally would use a sun as a pattern though.

[@antoinelambert938]

Quite an interesting and fresh idea for how magic works. Also explains why kitty is always knitting. And a bit more on what the poppy on clothes can do.

[@MrBlack0950]

I love this. I always love seeing alternative magic systems. This here, which may be based on or even entirely lifted from an existing magic philosophy, is a great example of fluid magic, which changes based on the context, rather than being hard wired to do specific things. Also love every one of these videos while i wait for the next episode of no evil, keep up the amazing work.

[@140kittykat]

I love how Kitty's magic just fits in with everyone else's. In super incorrect terms, Calamity uses the fork for water magic, Huey uses the fork for dowsing, and he's a chaos diety for good and ill. Icky is pre-cognizant and interprets signs, alongside also using the fork, Wrip uses alchemy, Corn is their shaman. The only constant is when it really hits the fan, we gather at Kitty's. She spins yarn, made the quilt, it's implied she made every one's clothes - especially the poppy coats, helped little Icky stop the magicked blimp...

[@apophis9061]

Loving these ominous lore videos like “ooo bestie what are you trying to tell us”

[@Thegr8MC]

I love these little lore bits. Usually, I'm really big into series like Star Wars which has an astronomically large amount of lore, but I also love the series out there that has a smaller but just as concise amount of lore, where following up on the canon doesn't feel like I'm studying for a college exam. I can't wait for the next episode!

[@amagos18]

Nice to see you back! This was interesting to watch and helps (at least me) understand how the world of No Evil works a bit better.

[@Rei_Newgate]

Couldn't have said it better

[@superfightingrobotmkx7776]

This whole magic thread system actually makes me wonder if you could construct a magic carpet by doing something like weaving bird feathers into a jackalope fur carpet. Bird feathers of course for flying, and jackalope hair to make it a strong and obedient mount.

[@dorklymorkly3290]

Also, something similar to this is found in Germanic (including 'Norse') and Slavic heathen things. It's why all these magical items have names, since without a name you could not even begin to actively beseech an item (and true names for people also have a lot of power). And usually, any magical item from these stories is truthfully reflecting its purpose/ability with its name, either directly or allegorical.

[@magicalmolly4562]

Along with different forms of magic, this also reminds me of the “like cures like” theory in medical history. The theory that nature gives hints to the uses something can be used for by what it looks or acts like.

[@jedder]

I can't say I followed all that, but I think I see where Kitty's work gets its magical touch.

[@AsmodeusDHare]

well that explains the Poppies on the winter clothes trend... even if Calamity doesn't like it.

[@_TimelessX]

Alt Title: Kajortoq Teaches You How to Start Magick

[@trinityriordan2943]

The threads of meaning are probably in the poppy flowers on corn and calamity's coat.

[@TheTaleFoundry]

This is so fun! I love the way you've written it. great work! -Benji, showrunner

[@glenngriffon8032]

ah so it's not just the heraldry one sews into a fabric, what it's made from also counts and things in this world can have a will of their own based on their materials. The designs sewn into them, the intentions behind the maker of the object as well as who or what the maker intended it for. Is that about the long and short of it?

[@anthonydezii8493]

a nice explanation of how Kitty weaves magic into her clothing and blankets.

[@kittycatfluffy]

I absolutely love these world building and lore videos

[@sisterdragonwithfeathers1654]

I can feel the worldbuilding behind this. It's complicated enough to be both engaging and slightly maddening. You really have to get into it, use your brain to figure out what's going on. I like that about your stuff.

[@dorklymorkly3290]

Indeed, a somewhat tangent: I've been pecking away at making a framework of No Evil and Brother Swan for GURPS (a pen and paper role playing system) for several years now, probably four or so (don't let that timespan fool you though, these pecks are tiny) and the magic in these worlds is so diverse yet also at times so limited, that it proves to be the most difficult aspect to convert of them all. In fact, I'm sorely tempted to semi handwave the whole thing into simple 'unusual backgrounds' with a fixed point value (for balance) and then just adding the spells as skills you can put levels in to reflect your familiarity. There's just so much, sprite based magic, estimian magic, this hoodoo thing, sigil magic, syntactic magic, etc. Gurps has rules for all of these but how Betsy uses them is limited so mushing them all up as written in the books just gets too complicated to be playable, hence, I probably going for simplification so people can just have their roleplay fun even if it isn't very 'crunchy' and 'rules laden'. But also, in other words, I agree, and this was to illustrate this agreement.

[@PriestessGoat]

thread magic is always the finest

[@gal7753]

A very interesting segment on how Kajartoq's magic works! I always loved her handicraft and works based magic works so this was very intriguing Also, I like the bit showing how her necklace could be nigh unbreakable if it was really set to it. But also brings to mind another meaning. Ichabod was the one who gave her that necklace, and said that turqoise provides protection. So in this particular instance, it makes sense why it's so hard to break! Like the turquoise weaved into the threads that hold it together strengthen its intention and maybe even its "desire" to be protected.

[@EverythingIsAJunkDrawer]

Wait, where do I get chupacabra skin gloves?!

[@lucasking4739]

This how calamity and corns coats work to keep them from being affected by the cold? Funky

[@IanSimpson10110101]

A great lesson to watch your words.

[@AltairsConstellation]

!!!! Nice!!!! I love lore and the logistics behind it

[@RatRatRattyRatRat]

*Hermeticism goes brrr* Fr though that's cool. Wonder how it'd handle being woven into other materials, like hair. Friend of mine collected their hair after a couple haircuts and made it into string, to see how it'd act.

[@barrythechopper]

Always be mindful of the nature of things.

[@emilywilson7853]

I have always been interested in textile magics. This is a delightful lesson on them!

[@arnoldxd]

The power of communication and perception. Communication is important and not every one perceives the same world ("meaning") you do

[@jdlech]

Now I gotta go find me some of mama spiders silk.

[@darthplagueis3488]

(Grabs raid spider spray) I think I know where to find her…

[@tf2disneylover1258]

I can totally see Kitty teaching her thread making skills to these four kids we first saw in episode 14of no evil. It might even be included as a fan comic and/or a fanfic

[@loszhor]

2:32 Chupacabra hide gloves!? You think I'm made of money!?

[@carlinkag2525]

This was so beautifully said, I'm gotta rewatch until I feel like I can grasp the meaning fully

[@shinethief3785]

Yes! Magic system lore. YES!

[@mikekomarinski]

I hope we get 2 C Mamma Spider on the show.

[@Blyndir]

She has a cameo in Raven Brought Fire, and a speaking Part before Charles gets his cape. (I forget the episode title, it was the one before Icky wakes up.)

[@mikekomarinski]

@@Blyndir O alright, it's been a while since I last saw those episodes.

[@darthplagueis3488]

3:23 (in the center) me coming out to greet the guests

[@kdup-hp6zm]

is probably my favorite magic system in anything

[@annonimors2811]

It's so nice to learn something new in what other people's perspectives.

[@rithm1280]

THAT's what Huey has been doing. I love it!

[@looooooool94]

Wow! So many layers of threads, like making fabric.

[@kipofthemany2213]

Wait a freakin' minute!! Did you just explain almost every instance of magic in your world, in a three minute video?! Betsy you never fail to amaze!

[@raynegruber5368]

The jewelry given is Icky's turquoise necklace. Does that mean that it is actually woven, in part, from mama spider's web? Is that what was supposed to give protection, combined with the meaning of turquoise?

[@catherinemaestro4662]

Love your work, as always. I grew up with your animations, and even though now I'm an adult who pays bills and shit, I still enjoy your work. It's always very charming, and always worth a watch, and a rewatch.

[@dorklymorkly3290]

Excellente~

[@leshyaedawnfire]

That explains how Huey's Worry People came to life to alert him that there was trouble involving their kids.

[@misstary13]

So this is kitty’s special ability. And it explains what Hueys worry people have been able to do as well as give new significance of the to turquoise pendant. If it has spider thread, it’s probably from mama which makes it more than it seems.

[@colinbrown3170]

So could a new mirror or holding home for the tezcotlapolkas be woven? Maybe a sky for the black one and fountain for blue .

[@Blyndir]

Kitty giving away the secrets of her magic. This can't be used improperly... 😈

[@darthplagueis3488]

Kitty: (giving away her secrets without realizing it) Me: (evil grinch smile) go on… I’m taking notes.

[@hariman7727]

Ooh! Very interesting and informative.

[@RowanWiccae]

I feel like I'm sitting right back at Pagan Pride listening in on a workshop about quilt magic and knotwork magic and it was just as confusing then as it is here. Ima have to watch this a couple more times to get the full idea but despite that these little blips of lore really adds a pleasant scope to the story as a whole. I love hearing about this sort of stuff and knowing there was a lot of cultural research (and experience, I'm sure) that went on behind the scenes. adorable artwork, creative dialogue, intriguing world building. I read a comment below someone stated you could make an interesting tabletop RPG about of this magical system and I'd frankly like to second that notion.

[@whatsyouremergency4928]

“Might save a finger or two”

[@animorph17]

I love how all of this advice remains practical if you treat it as metaphor or take it literally, when designing anything. So much of it mirrors the sayings in AI development.

[@ukaszgrzesik7231]

Moment! It that a lore building short? Yes!

[@TheMightyBoxHead]

just came home from a long shift of work saw a video from you clicked and lets just say i am raring to write again. thank you for the inspiration!!

[@Inglonias]

I'm wondering how something with inherent contradictions in its nature would behave, but also thinking of cool uses for this system. Imagine a magic wingsuit with bird feathers that actually let you fly. Or use a hawk feather as fletching for an arrow to make it a guided projectile, since hawks can see so well. Gloves with volcanic ash mixed in to be heatproof. Of course it wouldn't be that easy - Things can have more than one meaning after all, but that just adds flexibility. You can more or less replace a bunch of technology with magic here.

[@nagosnell]

Bless you Betsy. You make the bad days short.

[@ZegarmistrzShen]

So we have basic enchantment with magic smith. Giving the meaning to understanding what a piece of material is or not, and then creating something with it. Great idea :D

[@ryanmaclean1720]

I pity the poor fool who sets foot in Huey's house even more now, because knowing Huey, all the thread he owns is made out of that stuff

[@veevwjw123]

I wonder what'd happen if I spun Mama Spider's thread with my own hair.

[@sbatou87]

So Kitty usually uses mostly plants for protection and healing with Mama's silk.

[@elizabethsgiers2079]

I remember kitty making a cradle in the episode alien to stop the blimp I think that the necklace that ichabod gave kitty also had spider silk in it

[@TheDeceptiveMoss]

Hoodoo Weaving. Fantastic.

[@ryn3872]

Well, that makes Icky demanding the quilt from Kitty a little less unreasonable, if it’s a matter of specific magic

[@coalmine9666]

absolutely fantastic as always.

[@annaott-3132]

Fun facts for those who doknt know how to spin milkweed the stalk fibers are usualy used rather than the seed pod fluff it makes a similar fiber to linin but not quite as strong

[@1lobster]

If you added turkey feathers, could you make a cloak that helps the wearer jump, and climb trees? Maybe even fly?

[@kotaro07]

I adore your accent so much.

[@JS-zr9qs]

It says something about an artist when they can even explain how their own system of magic--the literal opposite of science--functions with any level of logic or reason. That right there's commitment to the cause.

[@lukemabe9380]

Interesting, the magic system has all the possibilities of one based in imagination but language and culture are limiting factors. It feels very balances.

[@jackalenterprisesofohio]

I think I might just stick to building big dirt mounds in the shape of whatever.

[@MrHamNuggget]

So is this the reason to and behind why Icky was able to be so protected from the Black consuming him? As evidenced by the Blue we saw on him in the place he and Bart were?

[@gal7753]

Possibly! Kitty gave back the turquoise necklace Ichabod gave her when they were children before they left to find Murder. And he said turqoise can be protective. So maybe because the strings of the necklace were strung with turqoise, it added a bit more protection until they could help him.

[@CorundumDevil]

_[ By coincidence alone, the Demon's ignorance of this knowledge is a thread of destiny that is mercifully severed. As Mama Spider wields the silk to will reality upon the land, so too would he have used the strands to bend the will of a vast and infinite ocean of blackness beyond even the furthest stars; to what ends, the gods have no means to communicate. ]_

[@koaga]

Always love your work keep it up!!!

[@AnkhAnanku]

What a great magic system

[@t.w.7057]

Got me thinking threads made with alpaca wool would be soft to wear yet kick ass

[@kennenandersen]

Damn right, Kitty. Don't discount Huy's weavin' skills, though.

[@cyburnman27]

such well knowledge to be hold and one for the books

[@tauvolentas3954]

I...I love this magical logic. why dose this make more sense then most d&d voodoo?

[@faolanrune5734]

Flashback from Episode two, is that what Kitty was spinning?

[@140kittykat]

A lot of the early episodes has her working on handicrafts. Ep 3 was making the poppy coats for her backwards kids, she was spinning in ep 4, and in ep 10, she was sewing something before Icky requested a quilt made. There is also the 3 magic saddle blankets she traded to the jackalope salesman.

[@ryn3872]

It looks like she’s spinning wool there. If a strand of silk is hard to manage, you wouldn’t clump it all up on a distaff like that. After that though, she could ply the wool yarn with the silk strand.

[@140kittykat]

@@ryn3872 I kinda think that's the point? Especially of the main cast, she has the most domestic skills. She's taking the carded wool, and spinning it to make her yarn/thread during the 4th episode. If anyone could weave or sew with spider silk though, it would be Kitty.

[@ryn3872]

@@140kittykat they asked if she was spinning spider thread. Going by what we see in ep 2, she’s probably not spinning spider thread at the time. I think it’s pretty obvious that she does work with it often, just not there.

[@140kittykat]

@@ryn3872 that makes more sense...

[@DABurgosART]

I love your world building.

[@waldrapp451]

I absolutely love these videos!

[@zqmfbg1]

Love your worldbuilding!

[@Bonuscat]

So, if I wanted something to take me away from a bad situation but control where I go, I could take jackalope hair and make a pattern with a homing pigeon? As long as I do that pigeon circling thing around the place I want to go back to, the object (cloak? flying carpet?) would take me to that spot. However, it might only want to bring me back to where I made it or the jackalope lived. If I tried to go to a place that wasn't homely, it might not work either.

[@Nezkredk]

I like this concept.

[@Freytana]

Wonderful, thank you for your efforts!

[@colinbrown3170]

What if you try to use both hair and milkweed?

[@fevley]

I wonder how the spider silk would react to other textiles!

[@istolethispfpsorry485]

I don't remember adding this to my watch later list but okay.

[@noxstella86]

Fascinating

[@travisduarte4236]

Her voice is great. 🙂

[@RadliYisherchanellRY320]

Обалдеть... Kajortog voice is pretty!

[@ozfoxaroo]

Chupacabra hide gloves! I'd like to see them being made.

[@mystryvexyll]

this is so good. i love concepts where things are connected with strings or threads that are actually physically there, like if you badly misunderstood string theory, i’ve even also thought up worlds based on this. i understand that the web holds things, but i don’t get what it means to be a substance that holds weight. does it just mean a substance that can be threaded, or anything that is physical? i imagine that pretty much everything is in the web in some way, so the jackalope hair would be threaded in with strands of the web. but how, if possible, would you use something that you dont conventionally create with? say, as i saw in a different comment, charcoal from a fire?

[@colinbrown3170]

Is this how amaroq makes clothes from his kills?

[@grimoireweiss6428]

Dear Betsy Lee. I was wandering but do you think you can make a compilation video of the times a Tezcatlipoca was used in battle P.s. in regards to the Mama’s Threads, how would one go about making a relic that contains the powers of the sun ☀️ itself?

[@gal7753]

Maybe not the sun Exactly, but maybe one could harness the power of Fire by making something either in the image of or with products coming from fire. Like, say, making a necklace from volcanic glass whose strings are woven with Mama Spider's thread. Or embroidering cloth with the image of something to do with fire.

[@biggestnoob4704]

So cool!