How to Make a Dreamcatcher With Beads
Dreamcatchers are part of Native American culture and were originally designed by parents to protect their children from nightmares. Originally called "sacred hoops," these decorative, circular webs are meant to capture the bad dreams and allow the good dreams to slip through to the sleeper. Sunlight destroys the bad dreams caught in the web. Make your own dreamcatcher using natural materials and beads to add a decorative touch. Craft, hobby and discount stores sell the materials needed to make a dreamcatcher with beads.
Things You'll Need
- Thin willow twig
- Measuring tape
- Serrated knife
- Yarn
- Twine
- 6mm beads
- Feathers
Instructions
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1
Cut a 24-inch long strip of a thin, fresh willow twig. Fresh grapevines round reeds will also work to make the frame for the dreamcatcher. Basket weavers use thin, round reeds; look for them at select hobby and craft stores. If the material you select is not fresh or flexible, soak it in a bucket of water for a few hours to soften it enough to form a circle.
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2
Shape the twig into a circle; overlap the ends. Traditionally, the dreamcatchers created by Native Americans are no larger than the size of an adult's hand. Adjust the size of the dreamcatcher to suit your personal preference.
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3
Pull 2 feet of yarn from the skein; do not cut the yarn. Tie the loose end of the yarn around the overlapped section of twigs on the circle in a double overhand knot. Beginning at the knot, continue to wrap the yarn tightly around the twig circle. The wrapped yarn covers the entire twig and secures the overlapped twigs together. When the twig circle is completely covered, cut the yarn from the skein. Fit the loose end of the yarn into the wrapped yarn.
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4
Cut a 5-foot long strand of twine. Form one end of the twine into a 2-inch loop; knot the end of the twine to itself to secure the loop. Tie the twine to the twig circle so that the loop is outside of the circle. The twine loop is the hanger for your dreamcatcher.
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5
Hold the twine against the twig circle at the loop. Drape the twine loosely over the circle to form another loop, 2 inches from the first loop. Make a hitch knot to secure the loose loop by feeding the free end of the twine through the new loop and pulling it taut against the twig. Do not pull it tight enough to distort the shape of the circular dreamcatcher frame. Make hitch knots every 2 inches around the circumference of the dreamcatcher frame. Position the last hitch knot 1/2-inch from the loop outside the circle. This series of loops is the first row of the web.
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6
Make loops secured by hitch knots in the center of each twine loop on the first row, to begin the second row of the web. Pulling the hitch knots taut will cause the twin loops on the first row to move towards the center of the circle.
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7
Repeat Step 6, but thread one 6mm bead onto the center of each new loop of twine. The hitch knots in the successive rows of the web will help hold the beads in place.
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8
Repeat Step 7 to make enough rows to fill the inside of the dream catcher frame. Knot the twine when the open space in the center is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in diameter.
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9
Cut the twine so that it hangs 6 inches below the bottom of the dreamcatcher. Slide several 6mm beads over the end of the twine and then tie a double overhand knot to keep the beads in place. Tie two feathers onto the tip end of the twine.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Dreamcatcher. image by Saskia Massink from Fotolia.com
