by Francis Jock

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: December 19, 2009

A dreamcatcher is a spiritual gift from the North American culture of Eastern Woodland Indian tribes. According to legend, dreamcatchers are given as gifts to children experiencing troubling dreams or nightmares. A child's bad dreams are captured and held by the intricate pattern of the dreamcatcher's web, and then travel to the feathers purposely arranged on the dreamcatchers perimeter where they are burned off by the rising sun. An authentic dream catcher is handmade with only natural materials by a Native American woman, usually a relative or member of the child's extended family.

These days, dreamcatchers have become far more decorative in design and style. Additionally, the meaning and spirit behind the gift of a dream catcher has become lost in the mundane and nearly mindless world we live in. For example, where authentic dream catchers are made from certain plant parts and bird feathers, today we see dreamcatchers made using gold, silver and precious stones. Dreamcatchers are being worn as an item of self-adornment, or tribal ethnic jewelry, and are frequently seen hanging from the rearview mirror of a car or truck.

Making an authentic dreamcatcher is not difficult and the intricacy of design is left up to the dream catchers maker. There are five basic materials required for making a dreamcatcher.

- A natural object that will form the perimeter of the dreamcatcher. The small branch of a cedar tree or a wooden or metal hoop will do nicely if necessary.

- A thread or chord to weave around the form in the desired pattern. Dreamcatcher patterns resemble intricate spider webs when completed. More on this later.

- Three or more feathers from a bird. If feathers are not available, some other natural material of spiritual significance and connection to the natural world may be used. Naturally, this depends upon the intended use of the dreamcatcher.

- Strips of rawhide, leather, or lace.

- Glass or drilled stone beads.

How to Construct a Dreamcatcher

Once you have all these materials on hand, you can begin to make your dreamcatcher by first making a circle, or something close to it, with a flexible branch or whatever object you choose to form the outside. Tie the ends of the flexible branch firmly together using a small piece of the thread or chord.

Next, wrap the outside of the dream catcher using the thread completely from one end to another. The wrap may be close or loose, but should not be slack at any point.

Now using the tread, begin forming the interior

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