How to Make a Dreamcatcher
Materials
4" - 5" metal or wooden ring
4 - 5 yds leather suede lacing
3 - 4 yds waxed string
Beads and feathers to decorate
Scissor
Glue
One clothespin
1. Start with the web. To make this, tie one end of the waxed string
to the ring. Make 10 to 12 half hitch knots around the ring, spacing
them about 3/4" to 1" apart. Keep the thread pulled snug between the
knots. Make the last knot a little closer to the first knot, as this
prevents a large gap from forming.
To Make a Half Hitch Knot
Pass end of string around ring. Wrap short end of string under and
over long part of string pushing the end down through the loop you
just made. Pull the string tight against the ring. This is a half
hitchknot.
2. Begin the next row of web in the middle of the thread you have
already woven on the first row. However, instead of tying the string
in knots around the first row of thread, just weave in from one
direction and out the other (front to back, or back to front; make
sure you keep the same direction that you used on the front row).
Continue weaving this way in a spiral until you have a small hole in
the center, but remember somewhere along to way to slip a small bead
or two onto the string to get woven into the web. This represents
the bad dreams caught in the web. It gets harder to weave as you get
closer to the center, so the weaving takes time and patience. Once
in the center, tie a small knot in the cord, add a tiny drop of glue
to the knot to hold it, and cut off any remaining string.
3. Cut approximately 9 to 11 feet of the leather suede lacing. Glue
one end to the ring, and hold it in place with one hand as you use
your other hand to wrap the ring with the lacing. Once you have made
a couple of rounds around the ring, you can then use a clothespin to
hold the lacing to the ring while the glue dries. (I use a fast
drying glue gun. It makes it easier.) Be very careful not to twist
the lace. When finished, cut off any excess lacing and glue the end
to the ring, again holding it with the clothespin until the glue
dries.
4. Cut a 6" to 8" piece of the lacing to make the loop used to hand
the dreamcatcher. Fold this piece of lacing in half and tie a knot
in the open end. At the top of the ring, attach the lacing by
slipping the loop in through the ring then pulling the knot end
through it and pulling the knot end so that it pulls the "hanging
loop" snug against the ring.
5. To make the hanging sections, cut the remaining lacing into two
or three lengths to hang from the ring. How you do this and how long
is your choice. Then begin decorating these lengths with beads and
feathers. Again, the styles, sizes, and colors is up to you. To
attach feathers, run a bead or two of the lacing, the put the quill
end of the feather just below them, add a drop or two of glue to it,
and then slide the beads down the lacing over the feather. If any of
the quill end of the feather sticks out above the beads, cut it off
as flush as you can to the bead.
This is just one of many methods used to craft dreamcatchers. You
will discover as time goes by that you become more skilled at
crafting these beautiful works of art and will begin finding your
own special way of creating them. You will also discover that each
one will have one similarity that defines you as the creator. This
is a subconscious "signature" that puts a little of the maker into
the dreamcatcher and gives the dreamcatcher it's power
4" - 5" metal or wooden ring
4 - 5 yds leather suede lacing
3 - 4 yds waxed string
Beads and feathers to decorate
Scissor
Glue
One clothespin
1. Start with the web. To make this, tie one end of the waxed string
to the ring. Make 10 to 12 half hitch knots around the ring, spacing
them about 3/4" to 1" apart. Keep the thread pulled snug between the
knots. Make the last knot a little closer to the first knot, as this
prevents a large gap from forming.
To Make a Half Hitch Knot
Pass end of string around ring. Wrap short end of string under and
over long part of string pushing the end down through the loop you
just made. Pull the string tight against the ring. This is a half
hitchknot.
2. Begin the next row of web in the middle of the thread you have
already woven on the first row. However, instead of tying the string
in knots around the first row of thread, just weave in from one
direction and out the other (front to back, or back to front; make
sure you keep the same direction that you used on the front row).
Continue weaving this way in a spiral until you have a small hole in
the center, but remember somewhere along to way to slip a small bead
or two onto the string to get woven into the web. This represents
the bad dreams caught in the web. It gets harder to weave as you get
closer to the center, so the weaving takes time and patience. Once
in the center, tie a small knot in the cord, add a tiny drop of glue
to the knot to hold it, and cut off any remaining string.
3. Cut approximately 9 to 11 feet of the leather suede lacing. Glue
one end to the ring, and hold it in place with one hand as you use
your other hand to wrap the ring with the lacing. Once you have made
a couple of rounds around the ring, you can then use a clothespin to
hold the lacing to the ring while the glue dries. (I use a fast
drying glue gun. It makes it easier.) Be very careful not to twist
the lace. When finished, cut off any excess lacing and glue the end
to the ring, again holding it with the clothespin until the glue
dries.
4. Cut a 6" to 8" piece of the lacing to make the loop used to hand
the dreamcatcher. Fold this piece of lacing in half and tie a knot
in the open end. At the top of the ring, attach the lacing by
slipping the loop in through the ring then pulling the knot end
through it and pulling the knot end so that it pulls the "hanging
loop" snug against the ring.
5. To make the hanging sections, cut the remaining lacing into two
or three lengths to hang from the ring. How you do this and how long
is your choice. Then begin decorating these lengths with beads and
feathers. Again, the styles, sizes, and colors is up to you. To
attach feathers, run a bead or two of the lacing, the put the quill
end of the feather just below them, add a drop or two of glue to it,
and then slide the beads down the lacing over the feather. If any of
the quill end of the feather sticks out above the beads, cut it off
as flush as you can to the bead.
This is just one of many methods used to craft dreamcatchers. You
will discover as time goes by that you become more skilled at
crafting these beautiful works of art and will begin finding your
own special way of creating them. You will also discover that each
one will have one similarity that defines you as the creator. This
is a subconscious "signature" that puts a little of the maker into
the dreamcatcher and gives the dreamcatcher it's power
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